My name is Ms. Sambuco and I teach Leadership & Peer Support (GPP 3O1)
and I’m the Teacher-Advisor for Peer Leaders (More LEAD).
As cliché as it may sound, "Knowledge is Power." The opportunities are endless when you educate yourself and strive to achieve your best!
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Be sure to come to class on time :) Being punctual is very important in life and in the work force once you graduate!
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I'm back! A huge thank you to the entire STM community for all of their constant support, love and prayers throughout the past two years! As some of you may know, I had to take a leave from teaching so that I could focus on getting healthier--towards the end of 2021, I was diagnosed with cancer, and as a result, my world as I knew it was turned upside down. At the time, I was saddened to temporarily leave my work--my true passion in life. And yet the anticipation of this moment, returning to work, is what has brightened my days! As of February 2024, I joined the official STM community again as a part-time teacher. Fast forward a few months, and I am officially back as a full-time teacher. While you are perusing this website, take a moment to read my introduction, and consider taking this class in the near future!
What is my role as a leadership teacher? My role as a Peer Leadership Teacher is to help my students develop leadership skills, while working alongside them as they create, plan and implement school and board wide initiatives dedicated to make a difference in the lives of their peers. I decided I would follow the direction of our Peer Leaders, and let you know a little about myself. I am currently in my 14th year of teaching, and this is my 5th year working as a Teacher at St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School. I currently teach Peer Leadership, Yearbook (Print and Design) & English. I have always dreamed of becoming a teacher, and knew as early as grade 3 that teaching would eventually become my passion and career. Had I not decided to become a High School Teacher, I would have pursued Social Work or Child Psychology/Art Therapy. Working with children and attempting to help students remain engaged in what they are learning, has always been something I strive for on a daily basis. As cliché as this may sound, I truly want to make a difference in the lives of my students, and I believe that a smile and a genuine and compassionate heart go a long way in the lives of those we interact with on a regular basis. Like many of you, I love working with technology and learning how I can best incorporate these skills in our online classroom. I suppose that is part of the reason why this website will become a great starting point for students within our school community to connect in the midst of this unexpected pandemic. I find it ironic how we supposedly live in a world that is connected through technology, yet in this moment, I feel we are more disconnected than ever before and need to reconnect through face-to-face conversations. A simple call on the phone or a socially distanced coffee/get together definitely goes along way. So make an effort to reach out to your family and friends--go beyond social media, and make your interactions more authentic and personal. As for my interests--well, I have quite a few. Where do I even begin? I love to cook, bake, sing, dance, and most importantly, spend time with family and friends. As a child, you could always find me on stage competing in Public Speaking competitions, singing or playing the piano. At a very young age, I knew that singing would become my passion, so my parents supported my interest and enrolled me in piano and voice lessons at the Ontario Conservatory of Music. I still have those Talent Show videos from Blessed Kateri, now St. Kateri. Great memories :) Lastly, I enjoy travelling and teaching English 4U in Europe during the summer months. Last summer, Pre-Covid, I taught in Italy and Greece. Prior to that I have taught in England, France, Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. The summer of 2017 was an experience I will never forget as my students and I immersed ourselves not only in the curriculum of both English & History courses, but also the culture of each of the five countries we visited over the course of six weeks. |
My advice to all of you is to travel the world once you finish school--it truly opens your eyes and allows you to recognize all of the beauty in the many cultures we are blessed to have on this Earth.
If you have an interest in Yearbook or Peer Leadership, please be sure to stop me in the hall and introduce yourself. Remember, STM has so much to offer; I'm confident we can find something interesting and exciting for you to be part of. Lastly, be kind to yourself--and take care of yourself always! Remember there is "MORE 2 Life than caring what others think and say about you, be proud of who you are, and walk confidently in the direction of your dreams knowing that you are unique, beautiful and loved by so many." Best Wishes Always, Ms. Sambuco |
Photo from dolbinator1000
