17 Glendale Avenue     Pasadena    Newfoundland and Labrador A0L 1K0

Phone:  709 686-2940    Cell:  709 632-7095

e-mail:  arthur_griffin@nf.sympatico.ca

Introduction:  Hi!  I'm 59 years old.  I'm a retired teacher, happily married for the past 32 years with two children of whom I'm very proud.  I retired from the classroom seven years ago, started my own business as an educational consultant, and I've done very well with that.  I've always loved teaching and I've been an extremely successful teacher because of my openness, my involvement with the students through their extra-curricular activities, and my work ethic.  Teaching has never been a nine to four job for me.

Education:      High School - St. Michael's RHS, Grand Falls, NL  I graduated with honours and won several scholarships including one of the highly regarded provincial government centenary scholarships.

                        Iona College, New Rochelle, NY - Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in English and co-minors in French and Philosophy. 3.3 GPA

                        Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL - Bachelor of Education Degree specializing in high school methods. 3.3 GPA

                        St. Michael's College, Winooski, Vermont - Masters of Education Degree in curriculum and instruction.  4.0 GPA.

In addition, I've completed too many personal development and improvement courses to mention, including some Microsoft CSE courses.

Experience:     I started teaching with a grade six class at St. Bonaventure's College in St. John's Newfoundland.  I taught there for one year.

    I then moved to the high school, Brother Rice, where I taught for three years.

    After Brother Rice I became principal of the first fully denominationally integrated school in the province, an open space school that was one of the first of its kind. I did not enjoy administration.

    I moved to Herdman Collegiate, one of the province's largest high schools, where I served as English department head for 22 years.

    When I retired from the public system, I became a curriculum developer with the province's largest private career college. As such I was responsible for the maintenance of development of the college's IT curriculum. I developed what is still considered one of the province's best one year computer programming programs for college graduates. I've been doing this work on a contract basis for the past seven years.

Extra-curricular Involvement:  This has always been my strength and my enjoyment.  I coached varsity basketball for 22 years. I taught Theatre Arts and produced six or seven plays a year (for the final six years).  I directed (stage and music) four musicals for the school.  I do play the piano, but I'm horrible; with a good accompanist I do well with choral groups and extremely well with staging and stage direction. I've worked with yearbooks, newspapers, photography clubs, and many other sports teams. 

Professional and Community Involvement:  I was on numerous school board committees, including computer development and religious education.  I also served on a provincial government committee for the establishment of accreditation criteria for IT programs. By provincial cabinet appointment, I was chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, the government agency responsible for the administration of government grants to support the arts.

My largest involvement and commitment was as Vice-president of the Canada Winter Games, Canada's multi-sport youth games, held once every four years in different locations across the country.  This was a four year commitment. As such I was responsible for providing information technology services for 21 sports, 14 venues, and 3500 athletes and coaches and support staff. All of these services had to be rolled out over two days for use over two weeks.  I certainly was not capable of doing all or any of this, but I could get it done.  I have good people skills and communication skills.

I've been president of local branches of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Union, and been on several of its provincial committees. I've been on the executive of the local alpine ski club. I'm involved in community service organizations.

Honours:  Numerous. The two of which I'm most proud?  On every occasion but one that the senior students of Herdman Collegiate voted for most respected teacher (at least five times), I was awarded that honour.  On the one occasion that the administration and staff of the school nominated a staff member for recognition as the province's outstanding teacher, I was nominated for that honour.  (I did not win, but who cares.)