For Dan and Linda McDonald, teaching at Westlock Elementary School (WES) was more than just a job or even a career, it was a way of life.
With 39 years each in the classroom, the teaching couple who met, fell in love and were married over the course of their time in Westlock are retiring with big smiles and heavy hearts.
“I love helping the kids become the best people they can be,” said Linda, who has taught every grade but Grade 3. “I would say the relationship I’ve had with students and their parents is what kept me in this profession.”
Linda moved to Edmonton to be close to family after finishing school in Halifax, when her father told her about a “cute little town” called Westlock.
After looking through the classified sections of the Edmonton Journal, she found an opportunity at WES and applied.
Fatefully, Dan also applied for the same job, coming from Clyde but originally from Fairview. While Dan got the job, Linda was hired a few days later when a second teaching opportunity came up.
“I got a Grade 6 position and she got a Grade 4 position,” he said. “Westlock is a great community, it’s a good place to raise children, with great parents and wonderful colleagues. Our school has a great staff and it has been a great place to work.”
At the time, WES was split between several buildings, so it took some time for the pair to get to know each other. But they quickly connected when they did eventually meet and their shared passion helped them form a bond.
Four years after they met and one year after they started dating, they were married. They are celebrating their 35th anniversary this summer.
Since then, the couple have been a fixture in the school and the community.
“Teachers like Dan and Linda are the foundation,” said fellow retiring teacher Sheldon Fraser. “They are the mentors for the rest of us.”
Linda said it was important to be both a friend and a good example to her students, noting that expecting someone to focus on math or English when they’re upset about other things is unrealistic.
She also stressed the importance of showing students that adults are still always learning as well.
“Something I’ve really worked hard on is being a better listener,” said Linda.
“Kids are coming in to school with lots on their mind. They want to talk and I’m always available to them.
“Everyday I say to them ‘You learn from making mistakes’ and I emphasize I make more mistakes than any of them. I have a smart board or I’m giving a test and I make a mistake. They laugh, then they know I’m genuine.”
Dan said one of his favourite subjects to teach was outdoor education and preparing Grade 6 students for junior high, noting the rapport he could develop with the students was what made the job so much fun.
“They can take a joke and give a joke while still being respectful,” he said. “Every day is different and every year is different. Now I’m on my second generation and teaching a lot of the kids of the kids that I’ve taught, so it’s kind of neat to have that connection to the community.”
Both said they would miss the smiles of their students and seeing them develop, though they were excited to be able to spend more time with family and travel. While they are planning to move closer to Edmonton to be near their two sons and have plans to visit the Maritimes, their hearts will always be in Westlock.
“I’m sure my car will drive over here automatically each morning to open the doors,” said Dan.
