Wow!  My years at Our Lady of the Assumption School has come and gone so quickly.  As I leave this school to become the Principal of Father Leonard Van Tighem School in Lethbridge, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in our OLA learning community; the parents, the staff and especially the students for a terrific eight years.  The motto of Our Lady of the Assumption School is “A community of hope and learning.”  Throughout my tenure, I witnessed countless incidents of hope amongst our students, staff, and parents.  Hope for a better future.  With hope, learning has been very evident.  Not only the glean in a student’s eye when they realize they are learning, but also the active professional learning of all the staff.   I leave this school with a lot of stories and fond memories; the many students I have taught, the excellent field trips, the many faith-building activities, the numerous staff members I collaborated with, and the very supportive parents.  I was searching for some farewell words; I came across this quote that I would like to pass on to all:

So, if this were indeed my Final Hour, these would be my words to you. I would not claim to pass on any secret of life, for there is none, or any wisdom except the passionate plea of caring … Try to feel, in your heart’s core, the reality of others. This is the most painful thing in the world, probably, and the most necessary. In times of personal adversity, know that you are not alone. Know that although in the eternal scheme of things you are small, you are also unique and irreplaceable, as are all of your fellow humans everywhere in the world. Know that your commitment is above all to life itself.

Margaret Laurence

Best Wishes,

Greg Kostiuk