About Mme Zakus
I am originally from a very small town in Northern BC. I was in French Immersion from Kindergarten all the way to Grade 12. While in high school, I worked part-time as a lifeguard and a swimming instructor. I also worked as a junior coach (and eventually assistant coach) for my local summer swim team. I had previously competed with my team, and went to the Provincial Championships four times (three as a competitor and once as a coach). When I graduated from high school, I moved to Burnaby to attend Simon Fraser University. I studied in the Bachelor's of Arts program, initially with an English major, and I later changed it to a Joint English and French major. In the summer, I would go home and work my three jobs at the pool and this was when I decided I wanted to become a teacher. I did my teacher education at SFU as well, and I ended up at Burnaby North as a student teacher. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I was not able to teach English classes. Instead, along with my three classes of French 9, I taught Psychology 11 and two Socials 8H classes. When I graduated from university, I started out on the TOC list for Burnaby. Later in the school year, I was able to get a part-time contract at Burnaby North which eventually turned into a full-time position in 2008. I took the 2014-2015 school year off to begin my new role as a mother to our beautiful daughter. I returned to work as a brand new teacher at Burnaby Central for the 2015-2016 school year. Once again, I took the 2016-2017 school year off to care for our second daughter. This will be my nineteenth year as a teacher as I begin my ninth year at Burnaby Central.
Office hours/Extra help
Arrival at school: between 7:45-8:00am
-Door closed? Please knock to see if I'm there. If I do not answer, I am either busy or not in the room, so please wait for the door to be open. Generally, the door will be open by 8:30am
-Made arrangements (make up quiz or test, corrections for an assignment, extra help) to see me during Flex or just have a quick questions? I will answer the door.
Office hours:
-Monday to Friday 3-3:20pm. If you just need a quick clarification or question, please feel free to just show up. If you need more time (extra help, corrections for an assignment, quiz or test make-up) you must make arrangements in advance with me.
-Is it Wednesday? Please check the calendar to see if there is a staff meeting
-Lunch break: I prefer to not use lunch break to make up quizzes/tests/presentations, so this time is only offered to those who cannot attend Flex due to prior commitments
NOTE: When writing test or quiz make-ups (be it in the morning, lunch break or after school), you have a ten-minute window to get to my room. If you are not there within the ten-minute window (especially if you are the only one coming in), I will be gone and you will have to reschedule to write your make-up.
-Door closed? Please knock to see if I'm there. If I do not answer, I am either busy or not in the room, so please wait for the door to be open. Generally, the door will be open by 8:30am
-Made arrangements (make up quiz or test, corrections for an assignment, extra help) to see me during Flex or just have a quick questions? I will answer the door.
Office hours:
-Monday to Friday 3-3:20pm. If you just need a quick clarification or question, please feel free to just show up. If you need more time (extra help, corrections for an assignment, quiz or test make-up) you must make arrangements in advance with me.
-Is it Wednesday? Please check the calendar to see if there is a staff meeting
-Lunch break: I prefer to not use lunch break to make up quizzes/tests/presentations, so this time is only offered to those who cannot attend Flex due to prior commitments
NOTE: When writing test or quiz make-ups (be it in the morning, lunch break or after school), you have a ten-minute window to get to my room. If you are not there within the ten-minute window (especially if you are the only one coming in), I will be gone and you will have to reschedule to write your make-up.
Some of the things I like...Travelling to places like here, here, here, here, here and here (and most recently here and here)
Scrapbooking and getting new materials here Cooking! And going out to restaurants like here, here and here. Watching TV shows like this, and this, and this (and of course this). The Muppets - Popcorn |