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Written by: Madeleine Homer
Photo by: Madeleine Homer
Contributor: Zara Ahluwalia
Here at TAB, there are countless individuals who work tirelessly to ensure that students have the best possible high school experience. Among these dedicated individuals is Ms. Carkner. While many students may not be familiar with her, she plays a vital role in supporting both students and staff at TAB. From organizing important documents to providing emotional support to those in need, Ms. Carkner goes above and beyond in her role as the Guidance secretary.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the contributions that Ms. Carkner makes to the TAB community and the impact that her work has on students and staff alike.
Ms. Carkner has a passion for fashion!
Initially, Ms. Carkner studied fashion merchandising in university. She was inspired by fashion shows in highschool: “I loved dressing up. I was the student wearing the wild outfits,” she says about her time in high school. After graduating from university, she moved on to fashion as a professional career; setting up window displays and dressing up mannequins in different stores: “I felt like fashion was my area of calling.”
Regarding her time in guidance at TAB, she actually started as a volunteer before being informed that she could get paid for what she was doing. She began volunteering at her children’s elementary school, and stayed there for 12 years before moving to Blakelock.
For Ms. Carkner, a typical day at TAB involves getting up at 7:00 to start getting ready for school, arriving at 7:45 to open up the offices and check her emails, and then working on helping the counselors, filing paperwork, and doing registrations for the rest of the day. Depending on what time of the year it is, registrations can be time-consuming. At the end of the day, she goes home to her dog Poppy, who is a miniature schnauzer: “She’s so sweet, she’s my baby.”
To students who are hesitant to speak to the guidance counselors, she says, “Please come in. If they have any issues they want dealt with, we have great guidance counselors. There’s nobody we would turn away, and every issue, big or small, we're here to help.”
One book that Ms. Carkner would recommend is Where the Crawdads Sing. She saw the movie, but prefers the book. She loves romance novels and watching her favorite movie, Pitch Perfect: “They cheer me up, they make me sing, I love Pitch Perfect.”
In summary, Ms. Carkner has had a fulfilling career in the fashion industry and now as a valued member of the Guidance team at TAB. Her passion for helping others shines through in her work, and she encourages all students to reach out to the guidance counselors for support. Ms. Carkner’s dedication to her job and willingness to assist students with any issue is a testament to her kindness and commitment to helping others.
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