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4 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2007 by Matthew Reid Beneath the shaded can- opy of the trees surrounding Robert Little Public School is a new face. Bob Tadman is in his first year as prin- cipal at the school and is enjoying every minute of his journey of learning. Mr. Tadmans career be- gan in North Halton with the creation of Open Door, a youth drop-in centre in Georgetown. The project was started in the mid 1980s and is still in operation to- day. Tadman got started into his teaching career shortly after. He already obtained his teaching certificate from York University, but wasnt sure what way he wanted to go with his newly acquired knowledge. Tadman, in his teen years, wasnt a very good student, and didnt graduate from high school. He entered university as a mature stu- dent, which he feels worked out better for him. Tadman was 30 years old when he headed back to school to become a teacher. On his graduation he said it felt like it was a big day. I felt like the Straw Man, I got my brain! he jokes. Tadman taught at both Park School in Georgetown, as well as Centennial. From there he moved over to Bur- lington and began teaching at C.H. Norton. He worked there for 11 years holding down several teaching po- sitions including teaching primary, junior and inter- mediate classes, acted as the schools guidance coun- sellor, and eventually made it up to vice -principal. After over a decade of teaching at C.H. Norton, Tadman taught at Sir Ernest MacMillan Public School as vice principal. Then he went to Aldershot Second- ary School, for another two years as vice principal be- fore becoming the principal at Robert Little. Tadman explains that each school he has worked at has individual memories and highlights, but working with his daughter was the high point of his career. The highlight of my career is I team-taught with my daughter, explains Tadman. She and I had two classes of grade eights together in one room for a year and a half. Tadman explains he got into education because he wanted to live a life that made a difference. His in- volvement with the Open Door drop-in centre gave him a connection to the teenagers that was addict- ing. Being able to help someone out and to be that involved in his or her life was something he couldnt shake. That fuels my fire, he says. In his years as an edu- cator, Tadman says that kids are kids, and that his message doesnt change whether he was telling it to his teenagers at Aldershot, or kindergarten to grade five students at Robert Little. Part of his message springs from the lessons he learned in his own life. You are a capable, wonderful person, and you can make a difference in the world, he says. For a part of my life, I didnt think I was going anywhere, and I found out that didnt have to be. ROBERT LITTLE HEAD; Bob Tadman is a fresh new face around Robert Little, as the schools new Princi- pal. - Matthew Reid photo New Robert Little principal received education later by Matthew Reid With the first week of classes all wrapped up and a second week rolling along, the registration numbers for this years students and flowing in. Some numbers are still preliminary as more students will register later in the school year. On the west side of Acton, St. Joseph School which had to bring five portable classrooms to ac- commodate students has 486 students currently en- rolled in classes, up from 468, who enrolled last year. Principal Colin Simp- son says that from 2001 till 2003 the numbers of registered students was relatively stable. When the houses on the east end of Acton began being bought and families began moving in, the schools numbers skyrocketed. We went over 500 at that point, but since then weve been basically holding steady, explains Simpson. As registrations numbers rise, so does the ever-grow- ing need for more space to teach the students. St. Jo- seph now has five portables to accommodate the steady flow of more students. That was a result of the 20-1 cap in classrooms. So instead of having 25 kids in a classroom, we now have 20 kids in a classroom, says Simpson. Therefore we have to put those five kids somewhere, which ne- cessitates putting in another portable. Meanwhile, down the street and around the corner, the number of students at Robert Little Public School have stayed the same as last year. We have 382 to this point, those numbers will vary because we have Kin- dergartens, who still have registrations coming in, says Robert Little Principal Bob Tadman. From last year, I think its pretty much the same, give or take three or four. Acton High School has a similar result as Rob- ert Little. Principal Bert OHearn didnt have the exact numbers available, but said that this year was very similar to last. Acton Boulevard, McK- enzie-Smith Bennett Middle School shows an increase from 604 students last year, to 681 this year. Along with the increased amount of stu- dents there is also a handful of new teachers leading the way in the halls and class- rooms of MSB. Principal Sharon French would like to welcome all the new staff and stu- dents and hopes everyone has great year hitting the books. 1549 students registered at Actons elementary schools READ THE NEW TANNER