Vanessa Vanclief

It’s just after 3:30 pm when Vanessa Vanclief finishes teaching her final class of the day. At this hour, the students have cleared out and the usual bustle has been reduced to the faintest clacking of keyboards and swishing of papers as teachers prepare for the second phase of their day, whether it is brainstorming with colleagues, coaching or advising. 

Vanessa types away at her desk with admirable posture. The desks in the classroom are clustered together into small groups, the walls are adorned with colourful student work, and the day’s learning agenda is still written on the white board, capturing a brief glimpse into a student’s day. “I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher,” Vanessa says. “At the age of four or five, I would be excited to ‘teach’ my stuffed animals. Naturally, it happened with people, too.” 

Growing up on a farm in rural Ontario, she never thought she would find herself in the largest metropolitan centre in the country. But in 1996, she stepped through the oak doors of BSS for her first teaching job and hasn’t looked back since. Vanessa began teaching history in the Senior School. She was offered part-time work in Boarding in addition to her part-time teaching role, which afforded her the chance to be involved in another part of the school she otherwise never would have seen. 

After working in Boarding for a year, she moved into a full-time teaching role in Canadian and World Studies and eventually became the Department Head. “I wanted to teach high school when I first started teaching,” Vanessa admits, “but as you may note, we are currently sitting in a Grade 8 classroom.” In an effort to equalize her team’s workload and try something new, Vanessa began teaching Grade 7 and 8 humanities. “As it turns out, I loved it,” she says. “Grade 7 and 8 students are at the stage where they can communicate their ideas and still have the enthusiasm to shoot their hand in the air to ask questions. Their energy is invigorating. Their ideas and insights often surprise me.” 

After 28 years at BSS, it’s no surprise that “teacher” isn’t the only hat that Vanessa wears. BSS has always encouraged employees to develop their career and passions through different positions at the school. Vanessa collaborated with Prefects on school affairs, coordinated the Advisory Program, coached basketball, was the Director of the Summer Academy and currently leads the Community Engagement Program for Grades 7 and 8. 

Vanessa developed this program to engage students in meaningful volunteer work. In Grade 7, students are partnered with a primary class in the Junior School to strengthen connections between the grades and help maintain a sense of belonging. However, Grade 8 students didn’t have the opportunities for service leadership that high school students did. This sparked Vanessa to create the Community Engagement Program. 

Addressing this gap in continuity required a little bit of innovation and legwork. She reached out to local organizations where Grade 8 students could visit once a week, for a five-week term, to figure out what they enjoy doing, learn from other volunteers and build valuable relationships. “The power of building relationships is to build them over time,” says Vanessa. “True impact to the community requires students and communities to get to know each other instead of having a one-time visit.” 

Vanessa believes the most powerful aspect of these volunteer opportunities is the chance to shed light on why students are volunteering. “If we participate in a food drive, I want to educate students on why it’s not just about donating food, but also why the food is necessary. We want to get to the root of the problem,” Vanessa explains. “I love to see the minds and hearts of my students open up. At the end of the day, I want them to be good citizens, learn to think critically and care about the world around them.” 

Her passion for the intersection of education and community service is where her teaching philosophy was born. The value of leadership was something she saw demonstrated at home and in her community. “Growing up, my dad always said that you can lead from a place of service,” Vanessa recounts. “In different leadership roles at BSS, I found that there’s joy in serving others. It’s also the reason why I teach. It’s exciting to help light the fire.” 

Between researching after work and on weekends for her lesson plans and finding volunteer opportunities for students, what does Vanessa do in her downtime? “My family would tell you that I’m a teacher everywhere,” she laughs. “They roll their eyes every time I go for a run and come back telling them about a podcast I just listened to. But in the constant moving parts of school and community life, spending time outdoors and with my family is what grounds me.” 

At BSS, Vanessa feels like her growth and learning as an educator are never ending. “Teaching and learning are part of my identity,” she says. “I’m constantly learning through conversations with colleagues in the hallway, or reading in the summer, or finding new ways to ask questions. I feel so grateful to be surrounded by such dedicated and passionate teachers.” 

And Vanessa isn’t slowing down. In her experience, the future is constantly changing and even after decades of service, there are still students who surprise her each day. So what does the future have in store for her? “Twenty years from now, I’d love to travel around the world,” she says. “But before that, I want to keep volunteering in my community. Toronto is a big city, but it’s made up of little neighbourhoods. I feel so lucky to be able to make a difference in my own backyard.”