Family

1. Technology Literature and Music Education • Family Connie Cossar Bio The Great Outdoors Career

2. Literature and Music I have loved reading since I was a little girl. My Mom would often buy me a book as a “treat” when we were shopping. I read whenever I have a few spare moments. I have a few of my favorites posted here. “The Giver” is my all time favorite though! Music has been another lifelong passion of mine – listening to it, singing, and playing a variety of different instruments. I listen to everything from rock to hip-hop to country. The only types I don’t enjoy are Opera, Jazz and Blues.

3. Technology • Technology has evolved greatly in my lifetime and my interest in it has really just emerged within the last 5 years at my present job. • Growing up, we tended to buy the “newest technology” when it wasn’t new anymore (i.e. VCR, microwave, Satellite dish…). I worked my way through high school and most of my Bachelor’s degree on a typewriter. I bought my first computer in 1997 and had a friend come over to set it up and then show me how to turn it on!! • When I was teaching, computer use in schools had not developed a great deal further than when I was growing up. Basically, there was an overbooked computer lab that was generally used for word processing or typing lessons and one new addition was having a computer IN the classroom – oooh – one computer to 30 students!! • My current boss is a real techy and dabbles in programming and loves to keep up to date with the latest toys. When he called me in to ask me about my technology skills a few years ago, I told him they were grim at best, though I was definitely willing and eager to learn. That did not seem to faze him. Since that meeting, my duties have evolved to include new technology implementation and then developing/delivering training on these systems. I have greatly improved my computer skills and have an elevated interest in technology due to the opportunities presented to me at the firm. I have even dabbled in some programming myself with our e-learning software. • I look forward to learning about the vast array of issues surrounding the use of technology in training settings. My view may be different from other members of the class since I am no longer in the classroom and I am not currently in the workforce (though being a Mom is a very tiring occupation at the moment!). My techy skills and knowledge are already being tested with "blogging“, “wikis” and the whole idea of an online training environment.

4. Education 1980-1982: I grew up in White City. Since there was not a school there when I started Kindergarten, I was bused to Balgonie Elementary. 1982-1990: A brand new state-of-the-art school was built in 1982 as I entered grade 2. I went to White City School through to grade 9. My brother and I walked or biked when the weather was favorable and were fortunate enough to have a stay-at-home Mom, who would drive us when it wasn’t and was very involved in our schooling. We actually had home ec and industrial arts in grades 8 and 9, which is rare. Computers, on the other hand, were not commonplace. • 1993 to Present: Upon graduating from Greenall School, I enrolled at the University of Regina, where I eventually decided to become a Middle Level teacher and graduated from the Middle Years Education program in 1999. • In the fall of 2004, I began my Master of Human Resource Development degree. I have been taking night classes and was on a leave of absence in 2007 for the birth of my son. • This semester I am registered in 2 online graduate classes and will then be 4 classes away from completing my degree. 1990-1993 - We were bused to Greenall School in Balgonie for high school. I did take a computer science class in grade 10, but it was the only class that I ever got a mark that was really below average, so I dropped it and stuck with the classes that were being pushed – sciences, math, English, French.

5. Career In the fall of 2002, I decided to take a Receptionist position at Kanuka Thuringer LLP. I needed a break from teaching and some time to decide whether I would return to the profession. Reception was a nice change from my previous position. Within 2 months of being at the firm though, the managing partner called me into his office and told me that they were creating a new position with my skills and interests in mind, called Information Services. The position would evolve with the skills that I brought to it and eventually included: librarian, training, technology implementation, human resources, marketing, firm administration duties…basically a “jack of all trades”. In August of 2007, while on maternity leave, I received a phone call from the managing partner offering me a new position when I returned from maternity leave, again a newly created position, called Operations Manager. It basically means that I will continue with many of my former duties, but will have more authority with human resources and the daily operations of my staff. • Throughout university, I worked an average of 20 hours a week and full time throughout the summer and any holidays at the John Deere warehouse in Regina doing yard and building maintenance and working in Parts. My Dad had also worked there and my brother was a mechanic and is now the Service Manager at the JD dealership in Regina, so we sort of live and breathe “green” LOL. I completed my Bachelor of Middle Years Education in December of 1998, so I subbed in Regina and area. In the fall of 1999, I began my first full time teaching position in Gull Lake, Saskatchewan in grade 7/8 and high school Arts Education. I absolutely LOVED teaching in Gull Lake, but I also loved my future husband and my family, so I moved back to Regina in July of 2001. I took a full time term position at Greenall School (my old high school) in the Bridges room, which was a program designed to help students with behaviour issues resolve some of their problems and “bridge” back into the regular classroom setting. Unfortunately, this room became a dumping ground and the support system for the room was awful, so I left the position and the teaching profession. I cared too much about the students to continue seeing them treated as they were.

6. The Great Outdoors swimming yard work Hanging out with family and friends golfing boating and water sports camping

7. Family • Born in 1975, I grew up in White City, Saskatchewan, which is practically a suburb of east Regina now. My family was very close and spent a lot of time together camping, doing yard work (we had a HUGE yard and garden), ATVing, playing board games, softball, and various other activities. My younger brother, Robert, and I are very good friends. Unfortunately, my Dad died very suddenly in 1995, which changed our lives drastically. • In 1999, I started dating Sheldon, who I had been friends with for a few years. We became the proud parents of Taz, our Shiba Inu/Sheltie cross, in 2002. We were married in June of 2003. We currently live in Regina, close to both of our parents and my brother and his family. In April of 2007, we were blessed with the arrival of our first child, Sterling James. Connie, Sheldon, Sterling & Taz Sterling James