Leanna Garner was born in Quesnel, B.C., raised in the Cariboo graduating from Quesnel Secondary School in Quesnel. Her post-secondary included UBC, University of California, Berkely and San Diego State University, graduating with a Masters degree in Educational Leadership.
Leanna has been a Primary Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Special Education Director, and an Elementary Principal in Quesnel and Parksville /Qualicum Beach School Districts. At one point in her career, she immigrated to the United States and received her teaching credentials to be able to teach anywhere in the USA.
This allowed Leanna to be a TOC in Elementary and Special Education in San Francisco. She has three sons of whom she is most proud. Two live in BC and one in Charleston, South Carolina. She has two grandsons who are most successful adults and two very young grandchildren who live in Charleston, South Carolina. Every time she thinks of them, she smiles. Leanna visits them very often, delighting in their stories and achievements. Leanna is absolutely passionate about seeking new learning and living each day to the fullest. Constantly curious about everything in life and everyone and that is why she became an educator, loving every day in her career. Laughing, loving, giving and living.
Describe your involvement in education
My involvement started in 1977 and morphed into many realms of education where always the focus was addressing the needs and wants of students, staff, parents and community. The BC Principals’ and Vice-Principals’ Association and the Network of Performance-Based Schools created pathways for ongoing growth in professional learning. I believe in continuous learning and to this day I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given in many education networks provincially and internationally.
5 Words that Describe Me
Joyful. Loving. Artistic. Creative. Determined. Creativity thrives in a space without rushing to complete or perfect; it’s about the process.
Two things I am passionate about
Music! I love to sing. I have recorded one CD titled ‘Stormy Blue’. I am now in the process of recording 5 songs which will be on Apple music and Spotify by July 2025. I am working with Vancouver Island studio musicians and recording at Summit Sound.
My second passion is Yoga. I practice my yoga daily and I am very excited about attending 2 Yoga retreats this year one in Punta Mita, Mexico in February and another in Findhorn, Scotland in the fall of 2025. Yoga has been a great way to see the world and meet new people. I see many more exciting retreats to come!
What drives you up the wall?
People who look at life through a negative lens. Are you kidding me! Life is so adventurous and wonderful.
Dreams you have or want to achieve
I want to travel, write and sing all at the same time.
I want to spend part of the year in a tropical paradise. I have a recurring dream. I am standing on the porch of a house which overlooks a horseshoe shaped beach. The sand is white, the water turquoise. There are children playing at the water’s edge with my adult family, which I value from the bottom of my heart. I am older. I am healthy. I am in good shape. I am tanned. I look down at my knees and the skin above my knees is brown and kind of folds over the kneecap!!!! Love the aging process!
Goals I hope to achieve in the next year
I love to write. I recently saw the film” Completely Unknown” and in the film, Bob Dylan was asked where the words and music come from to create the songs he wrote. His answer, “It just comes.” It just comes to me, too.
I have written two children’s books. One a tribute to my grandsons, at the time they were under 5 years old. The book is, ‘Daryl the Dragon’.
The second book, ‘The Land’ is about my grade one teacher’s chickens. I am most proud of this writing. Beth and her husband Brian live on 10 acres up the road on the way to Port Alberni. ‘The Land’ is beautifully illustrated by Crystal Burgess, the same artist who painted my CD cover of ‘Stormy Blue’.
I want to live a life where laughter and love abound. Where gratitude is a daily practice and peace of mind envelops my being.
I have learned, since I have retired, that relationships bring forth the most creative outcomes as it did when I worked in education with teachers, parents and community. Oh, what we can do when we are curious and dream! Life is wonderful, so go and enjoy your retirement!
Our thanks to interviewer Jessica Antosz for sharing Leanna’s story with us.
