This year is the 15th and final year for Vice Principal and Diploma Programme (DP) Coordinator Christine Miklitz, who will be retiring in June. SJS News sat down with Ms. Miklitz to hear more about her journey, uncover some fun facts about her time at SJS, and find out what she’s planning for her next chapter.
Thanks for joining us Ms. Miktliz. Could you start by telling us a little bit about your background and what school was like for you growing up?
I was born in a small town in Germany that was right on the border between West and East Germany. We moved away when I was young but I still remember how you could see the watch towers on the eastern side of the wall. I grew up mostly in a small city near Cologne. I found a love of languages in school, and so after graduating I worked as a translator, travelling around Europe. I visited Canada during this time and really enjoyed it, so I decided I would do my post-secondary here.
What did your post-secondary education look like?
I did my Bachelors degree in languages at SFU, specializing in French and Spanish. I also spent some time in Chicoutimi, Quebec, and after that I did my Master’s in French Literature at the University of Victoria.
How many languages do you speak now?
I can speak German, English, French and Spanish, although my Spanish is rusty. We had to take Latin in school as well, but I don’t really count that.
When did teaching enter the picture?
It was never my intention, but I shifted into teaching rather organically. There wasn’t really a market for translators in Canada: North America has a very different relationship with language than Europe does. One day, when I was trying to figure out what my next steps would be, I got a call from a colleague that Pearson College was looking for a French teacher. I got the position, and that was my first introduction to the IB programme.
What was that introduction to the IB like?
Pearson College is one of the United World Colleges, meaning they only offer the DP. They had students from at least a hundred nationalities who were highly motivated to learn, and as a school we did a lot of activism. It was a fantastic introduction to the program, and IB became a big part of my life from that point on. In addition to teaching, I also got really into leading and developing IB workshops. IB even sent me to Harvard Summer School for it, which was awesome.
What is it about the IB philosophy that drew you in?
It’s everything in the Learner Profile: having the goal of helping the students develop and embody those attributes. Some are academic, like being knowledgeable, but I like the emphasis on being a good human. It’s a priority in the IB to understand that there are differences in the world, and that not everybody looks at things the same way we do but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong.
Tell us about how you came to SJS.
After Pearson I worked for Glenlyon Norfolk School, and then I was looking for a change and the position of DP Coordinator came up. Trevor Gale had laid the groundwork for the IB and was moving into the position of Senior School Principal, so I joined his team and got to see the very first group of DP students through their exams. That was in 2011, back when we had 26 students. I also taught Grade 6 and Grade 7 French, and two Theory of Knowledge (TOK) classes as well. My teaching was gradually reduced over the years as the demands of the coordinator role increased. My last teaching class was in 2018, and while it was necessary to step back from teaching I do miss it from time to time.
What’s been your favourite thing about being a part of SJS?
I’ve really enjoyed having a hand in shaping the program—getting to see the school grow and add the MYP and PYP to become a full continuum was a really exciting transition. Our size is a positive too. When something needs to change there is more flexibility for that to happen. I have worked with some wonderful people through the years, and I appreciate that there has always been a growth mindset among the staff and teachers. Everyone is keen to be the best we can be.
And what are you planning for the next chapter as you enter retirement?
I’m looking forward to being off timetable for a while. I am moving to Campbell River and will be closer to my family in Nanaimo and Sooke, so I’ll have more time to spend with my grandchildren. I’m looking forward to having dogs again and hopefully getting back into horseback riding. Of course I’ll keep up my hobbies; I’ve always been a knitter and a big reader. I also love track—I was actually on the German National Team for a few years—so I would like to get into coaching, perhaps. Honestly, I’m excited to not know exactly what’s coming next. I know that scares some people, but I know I’ll find something to do.
Using your IB reflection skills, what are your final thoughts about your time at SJS?
I’ve been happy in this job and it was a really good fit for me. I really liked working here—I’m getting choked up. I’m sure I will miss this. I’ve worn many hats in this role: coordinator, teacher, even counsellor at times. That was what made it exciting. Sometimes exhausting, but always exciting. Thank you for everything.
And thank you to Ms. Miklitz for all her hard work and dedication these last few years. Her efforts have transformed the school. As Ms. Chee said upon announcing Ms. Miklitz’s departure, “Her years of dedication to the IB and to our school community haven’t just shaped programs, they’ve shaped people. She’s leaving us better than she found us, and that’s the kind of legacy of which anyone would be proud.”
