Julie Girvan: The Perfect Job Mix
Julie Girvan started working at Royal St. George’s College in January of 2004. Fresh out of teacher’s college, she was an eager, bright-eyed biology teacher.
From the beginning, Julie was excited to join the Senior School Science department and was struck by how warm and inspiring the school was.
“When I had my interview here, there were photos everywhere and it felt like camp,” she remembered. “It was small, people were friendly and everyone said hi to me. I ended up getting other offers, but this place had an amazing feel.”
Julie has never regretted her choice. In fact, her teaching position has evolved into a unique job that suits her personality to a tee. In 2008, Julie began running the Senior School’s outdoor education program, and over the years her role has expanded to include helping organize the Junior School trips and developing an outdoor education leadership program for senior students. Her job title is now Outdoor Education Coordinator and Senior School Biology Teacher.
Taking the boys on trips in Ontario and British Columbia that involve hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking and other outdoor activities is a favourite activity for the former camp director.
“I grew up going to and working at summer camp,” said Julie, who was the Director of Camp Wapomeo, an all-girls Taylor Statten Camp. “For my first five years of teaching, I still worked at the camp every summer. It was an interesting balance – all girls in the summer and all boys during the year.”
When the College approached Julie to take over the outdoor education program, the timing was perfect for her to say goodbye to her life at summer camp.
“I had just introduced AP Biology and work was very hectic,” said Julie. “Camp was also really busy and I realized that trying to balance both jobs was getting to be too much.”
In addition to the canoeing and hiking Julie gets to do on the outdoor education trips, the leadership retreat and the Duke of Edinburgh trips, she and Senior School Math and Business teacher, Rickesh Kotecha, manage the House Captains and the various house activities they plan throughout the year. She also coaches the ski and ultimate frisbee teams and has supervised numerous March Break trips abroad, including trips to Italy, Cambodia, Vietnam, Belize, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
“It’s a pretty perfect job for me,” said Julie. “I’ve been very lucky to be able to land in a place where I get to do all of the things that I love: biology, camping, canoeing, skiing, travelling and interacting with people. I also get to help the students develop leadership skills.”
Jamie Linsdell ’16 had Julie as his Grade 11 biology teacher. She was also his Advisor, worked with him closely when he was a House Captain and an Outdoor Education leader, and was his supervisor on a March Break trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Needless to say, he got to know Julie quite well during his time as an RSGC student.
“She was a great teacher,” said Jamie, who is currently studying engineering at Queen’s. “She would always review everything and hammer home what we were learning. Everyone enjoyed being in her class. She really loves the school – it shows in everything she does.”
Jamie says that Julie was one of the teachers who really influenced him during his time at the College, especially when it came to applying to universities and trying to figure out what to study. She was always there for support and to offer advice.
“She’s very compassionate and really cares about her students and helping them succeed,” he said. “She is so dedicated. Everything she works on, she does really well.”
Julie’s good friend Ashleigh Gledhill, Senior School English and French teacher, echoed Jamie’s sentiments.
“She’s the type of person who, when she commits to something, she commits 110% – she doesn’t know any less,” said Ashleigh, who has coached skiing with Julie since 2005. “She loves what the school stands for; its values are very much in line with her values. It’s the perfect fit.”
For Julie, it’s easy to be committed to the College because there are so many things she loves about it.
“It’s an amazing community. I love the faculty and the support – both personal and professional – that you feel from the staff,” said Julie. “The boys are great and they make me laugh every day. The parents are also wonderful and incredibly supportive. When you reach out to them, they’re appreciative and want to be part of the discussion.”
And despite her love of the outdoors, Julie’s favourite part of her job is not camping.
“It’s the interactions with the boys and the relationships that you form with them that continue on after they graduate,” she said. “That’s what I love the most – the relationships inside and outside the classroom. I’m definitely a people person and I love working with kids. It’s those interactions that make me love my job.”
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Royal St. George's College is an independent school for boys located in The Annex neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school admits boys from Grades 3 through 12. Our mission is to challenge and inspire each of our students to become the best version of himself.