Welcome!

My name is Ryan Olynyk.  I am a high school teacher in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  I have been teaching for about 20 years and still have a passion for the profession.  I graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Education degree majoring in business education.  I am currently a learning leader (curriculum leader or department head) for CTS (Career and Technology Studies).  Our department includes foods studies - both personal and professional, fashion studies, carpentry, computer science, computer applications, legal studies, graphic design, visual communication, marketing and, my area of expertise, financial management.

I live in Calgary, AB with my beautiful wife, Darlene.  We live only 45 minutes from the Canadian Rocky Mountains.  It is amazing to wake up each morning and look outside your bedroom window and see the mountains.

When I am not teaching I am usually doing some sort of physical activity.  I love going to the gym, hiking, bike riding, snow-shoeing, and most team sports.  Hockey is my favourite but football and baseball come a close second and third.

I have always wanted to go into an upper leadership role with the Calgary Board of Education but I didn't just want to take a master's degree in the curriculum/design or an educational leadership.  I wanted something that would make me a leader but at the same time, give me some expertise in a fascinating area of education.  A colleague told me about the MET program at Boise State and I got very excited.  The program is exactly what I am looking for.

When I am finished the MET program, my plan is to apply for supervisory roles within the Calgary Board of Education.  Whether I will be an administrator in a school or a specialist within the Board, this program will give me the expertise to be a leader for my students as well as for our teachers.