Abbotsford principal teaches the lesson of selflessness
`Hero' educator goes the extra mile while serving school community
A hero is admired for courage, achievement and nobility, Nerlap Sidhu says, and she can't think of a group of people who exemplify those qualities more than school principals during the time of COVID-19.
“Abbotsford school principals have shown their dedication and ingenuity to serving our community by teaching our young people and keeping them safe,” she said in nominating them as COVID-19 heroes.
And Eugene Reimer Middle School principal Ian Levings is a perfect exemplification, Sidhu said.
“Ian Levings personifies `hero,' especially during COVID-19,” she said. “He continually takes safety and care for our youth and community to the next level.”
Sidhu, a teacher at Eugene Reimer, said Levings has a gift of leading by example, of bringing together Abbotsford students and families, and of inspiring young people to be proud and responsible citizens who make a difference in the community.
“He dedicates countless hours of his own time on weekends and evenings to further enrich his students' learning and safety, and strengthen connection to our community. I have had the opportunity to work with Ian over the past five years, observing his courage, humility, passion and commitment, and watching him volunteer endless hours to ensure students succeed while making sure families are taken care of.”
Early in the pandemic in May, Levings spent who knows how many hours of his own time helping the Grade 7 class produce a music video called Lean on Me, dedicated to all front-line workers, “who we are leaning on like never before,” Levings says in introducing the video. “We want you to know that we love you, we appreciate you.”
A large number of the school's parents are front-line or essential workers (such as truck drivers), Levings said. He gathered students, teachers and principals from several Abbotsford schools to join front-line workers, first-responders and parents for the project, shot at people's homes.
But there's more, Sidhu said. Levings organized it so that all 670 students got an individual phone call, not email, to see how they're doing. As a result, he gathered up at least 50 loaner laptops from the school and district to deliver to students who didn't have access to a home computer.
As the principal put it over the phone, the world and school as we typically knew it ended, and teachers were frantically trying to get hold of the kids and get technology in the hands of some of them.
“Ian spent hours connecting with families to set up times to deliver Chrome Books to their homes so that students would have what they needed to succeed,” Sidhu said. He wouldn't be telling the truth, Levings said, if he didn't mention the level of anxiety and stress is high.
“But we have faith in the school's protocols and procedures, and faith in the public health system,” he said.
His unending dedication resonates deeply with the community, Sidhu added.
“His passion for equity and his empathy for others makes him an unsung hero,” she said.
“He never expects to be thanked and is the humblest leader I have ever met.”