Local Westmount teacher Brett Taylor is calling it a day after 33 years of teaching.  After starting as a teacher in 1986, Taylor worked at SIAST, Riverview, Peacock, Central, Lindale, John Chisholm, and in Mortlach, and will be closing his books for the last time after this semester. 

Taylor talked about the biggest changes he’s noticed in teaching throughout his career.

“The first school I taught at was in a small town up by Yorkton. We had 6 computers and only had one person in the room who knew how to use them, and that wasn’t me. And now I look and the kids in my grade 4 class all know how to surf the web and do PowerPoints.”

Friday, June 28 will be Taylor's last day in the classroom, but says he doesn’t think it will really hit him that he isn’t going back until sometime in the summer.

Taylor has seen a countless number of kids enter and leave schools throughout his 33 years, but he says some of those students have turned into long term friends.

“It's rewarding short term - that you see kids learn stuff and finish up at the end of the year, but then long term – I had a call from a guy that I taught 20 years ago, those are the kind of long term relationships I really value.”

“Thank you to all the people in Moose Jaw and the surrounding areas, I had a fabulous couple of years out in Mortlach and those people still say “hi” to me. All the people I have a connection with, I can’t thank Moose Jaw enough for the career I’ve had here and the people I’ve met.”

Shaunna Taylor, co-worker and wife to Brett, says he’s made the most of his career.

“Just to know that he made a difference. In the end that’s what we tell our own children, is we want to have made a difference in the world, and he truly has.”