Endorsements

Gail Bowles

Former Student (Physics)

University Student (Engineering)

I am incredibly excited to hear that Mr Guest is running for a position on the school board, and as one of his former students, I am delighted to be able to recommend him as a candidate. I was fortunate enough to take his Physics 30 class the year before he retired, and it remains one of the highlights of my high school career; as a teacher he was engaged, thoughtful, understanding, motivational, and effective. My decision to pursue physics and astronomy in university was influenced strongly by his persistent belief in my abilities; he encouraged me to think deeply about what I was learning, pushed me to go further than what was on the page, and answered my interminable stream of questions with patience. I watched him interact with students from many backgrounds, and he was there to meet and support each one with whatever they needed.

Outside of the classroom, he was engaged in extracurriculars, organized science opportunities for students at the U of S, wrote letters of recommendation for anyone who asked, and approached students dealing with stress or anxiety with compassion and sound advice. I remain incredibly grateful for his support.

Mr Guest’s concern for gender equality in the classroom was impactful for many of his students. We renamed the unit for momentum after an influential woman of colour – our class chose Vera Rubin, and henceforth used VR as an abbreviation for kg*m/s – and one wall of his classroom was covered in posters and biographies of women physicists throughout history. These seemingly small gestures were both intentional and meaningful, and I am confident that Mr Guest will continue to advocate for women in STEM as a board member. I am glad to say he is feminist and ally.

I have met many educators who could not have been more passionate about teaching, but Mr Guest stands out to me due to the insightful, well informed way he approaches his teaching. While his grading methods were somewhat infamous at Walter Murray, his choice to remove numerical grading from his classroom in favour of a more nuanced rubric is an excellent example of his determination to approach education with the goal of broadening students’ understanding and skills. I believe strongly in his pedagogy, and hope that it will move beyond his classroom should he be elected. I am confident that Mr Guest will utilize his experience in the classroom to address the growing discrepancies between grades and real learning in schools, and to help other educators make choices that will allow them to do the same.

In conclusion, vote Guest for Ward 5!

Amy Zhang

Former Student (Math and Physics)

University Student (Biomedical Engineering)

I had the pleasure to have Mr. Guest as both my Pre-calculus 20 and Physics 30 teacher during my sophomore and senior years of high school, respectively. In my mind, Mr. Guest stands out not solely for his exceptional pedagogy, but also because of his pivotal role as a mentor throughout my high school journey. Although I am now a sophomore at Harvard College, I am proud to say that I am still in frequent contact with Mr. Guest. Whether that is through offering him updates on my academics and extracurriculars, or speaking with him about personal development and future goals, Mr. Guest is still an important mentor to me.

From the moment I stepped foot in one of Mr Guest's classrooms, I noticed how much of an active role he plays in the learning of each of his students. While everyone in the classroom was at different levels in their learning journeys, Mr Guest took care to meet everyone at where they were, leaving no student behind. I remember being encouraged by Mr Guest to pursue new intellectual opportunities, whether that was through attending a series of physics workshops at the University of Saskatchewan (outside of class), or participating in the weekly Canadian Math League through Walter Murray's Math Club. I often would come to Mr Guest for advice, whether that be academic or personal, and I would never leave disappointed. Many of Mr Guest's wise words and mantras are still staples in my mindset today.

Mr Guest is also a terrific teacher. One of the most innovative learning environments I've ever been in was Mr Guest's Physics 30 class. Not only did the class teach me to appreciate and enjoy physics, but the unique grading scheme of the class, where numerical grades were withheld until report cards or progress reports required them, taught me to appreciate learning as a intellectual as opposed to a purely numerical game of simply getting full marks without fully appreciating the learning journey.

Above all, Mr Guest is a mentor and teacher with remarkable dedication and compassion. Through many conversations with Mr Guest I have seen firsthand how passionate he is for his students, for education, and advocacy. He is not afraid to make issues clear, and to go about solving them with wittiness and brilliance. I am confident that Mr Guest would bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and sincere commitment to the trustee role, along with his unique, unwavering commitment for students, teachers, and the education system in full. I wholeheartedly voice my support.

Janelle Tang

Classroom Teacher

As a Ward 5 parent with two young children attending Silverwood Heights School, I endorse Murray Guest with full confidence.

I first met Murray 24 years ago, when I was fortunate to teach in the classroom next door to him at Marion Graham. He was well-respected by the students and parents, and advocated for improved programming for students who struggled with math.

As a parent, I want someone on the school board who understands education from the inside, values the voices of families and educators, and will approach important decisions with experience, integrity, and care.

I encourage my fellow Ward 5 parents to learn more about Murray and consider supporting him. I believe his experience in education and governance, combined with his genuine commitment to improving learning, would make him a strong representative for Ward 5 and a strong advocate for our children.

Meng Sun

Classroom Teacher

I have had the great pleasure of knowing Murray Guest since the beginning of my teaching career. He was a great mentor to me when I was a substitute teacher at Marion Graham. His passion for teaching and supporting students and staff was an inspiration to me. Later, I was fortunate enough to be his neighbor at Walter Murray Collegiate. His classroom was always busy with students. It was a safe place where students felt at ease asking questions, making mistakes and learning from them. I also felt that Murray was a safe person whom I can turn to for teaching advice. He was the calm voice of wisdom and reason, when I had difficulty with certain students, or was stuck as to how to teach something differently to address the needs of various students. Murray was also someone I can turn to when I had questions about teacher benefits and rights. He is a strong advocate for teachers and substitute teachers. He deeply understands the challenges we face. He is thoughtful and empathetic towards students and teacher needs. His wisdom always left me with some a-ha moments. Murray’s leadership is evident in the school and community. He listens thoughtfully and responds with understanding and compassion. I cannot think of a better person for the position of Trustee. I know he will work tirelessly for our schools and community.

Dianne Woloschuk
Board Member, Education International
Former President CTF
Former President STF
Retired teacher and Vice Principal

Throughout his teaching career, Murray Guest has been an inspiring teacher, recognized for innovation and excellence in the classroom. Having served as a member of Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation executive for several years, he has also distinguished himself in his commitment to teacher professionalism, his advocacy for necessary funding and resources for the publicly funded education system, and his dedication to ensuring a fair collective bargaining agreement. I have known Murray for almost thirty years and am confident that he has much to contribute to any work dedicated to the advancement of public education in this city and province.

Brent Keen
Former STF Vice President

Retired Classroom Teacher

Murray Guest is a great candidate for the Saskatoon School Board. I’ve known Murray for many years and served for years with him in a governance role. Murray is principled, curious and intelligent, and he is excellent at understanding the big picture. Murray is deeply grounded in the education world and very knowledgeable about it from the classroom level to the level of provincial policy making. If elected he would bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the school board. Murray is a strong choice for the Saskatoon School Board.

Ben Goby

SPTRB Chair
Former STF Board member
Classroom Teacher

In the 15 years I have worked with and around Murray, I have known him to be honest, thoughtful, driven, and professional. Whether his work finds him engaging students in the sciences, leading educators through professional development, serving teachers as an executive board member of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF), or protecting the public trust chairing the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board (SPTRB), Murray challenges people and systems to improve, to collaborate, and to aspire.

I have seen his commitment to the things that matter in education: to children and youth, to truth and reconciliation, and to the careful stewardship of financial resources. Murray gets it. He insists on driving towards the future without sacrificing the challenges we face today. As I was fortunate to experience over the years, he mentors at every available opportunity. Murray’s involvements have left him highly aware of the challenges across the educational system, from the struggles facing our youth, through to the chronic underfunding of the sector, and everything in between.

A vote for Murray is a vote for someone who will bring his best to his preparations, his interactions, and to his decisions. I unreservedly endorse his candidacy for Trustee of the Saskatoon Public School Division.

Jo Boots
Classroom Teacher

It is with great joy that I endorse Murray Guest for the Ward 5 trustee position for the Saskatoon Public School Board. I was fortunate enough to work with Murray during my time at Walter Murray Collegiate, where I regularly observed his dedication to helping students navigate the seas of complex concepts and calculations of math and physics (two subjects he approaches with deep passion and energy). I always admired how Murray challenged students to go beyond what they thought they were capable of: encouraging them and cheering them on as they built their skills, gained confidence, and discovered the satisfaction of working through difficult problems. That same care and encouragement extend to his colleagues; Murray believes in the positive influence teachers have on the next generation of learners and leaders, and he understands that the support for those teachers is just as critical. Through his years of teaching, his work as an STA/STF rep, his leadership in accreditation workshops, and his everyday mentorship and support, Murray has shown his commitment to our teaching community. He understands the challenges and possibilities in our classrooms, and I trust him to bring that understanding and care to his work as a trustee.

Michael Veszi

Former Student (Physics)

Classroom Teacher of 17 Years

I met Mr. Guest at Marion Graham, where he was my physics teacher and my in-school soccer coach. Teaching physics to a room full of teenagers all day takes real energy, passion and charisma. Mr. Guest had all three. He had a way of making everyone believe they could succeed with effort and the right support, and he backed that up personally by giving up his own time to stay after school or meet at lunch to help students one-on-one. I know this because I was that student. He did this because he genuinely cared about all of us. That kind of care shapes students and members of the school community. It is part of what pushed me to work harder in his class.

Murray also always made a point to show up for his students outside of the classroom. He came to sporting events, school activities and kept tabs on our accomplishments outside of the collegiate. The same genuine, trusting, relationship he built with me, I know he did that for all his students year after year, and it showed in how much kids wanted to be in his classes.

He is also a very intelligent person who knew his subject deeply, which allowed him to effortlessly explain the content in a variety of ways until it landed. He grounded his teaching in practical, real-world examples, which made it stick. His classes were never about chasing a grade, but about real learning and curiosity which is so important in education today.

Years after graduating, if I ran into Mr. Guest anywhere in the city, I would always make sure to stop and catch up (I wouldn’t do that with every teacher I had). We would have real genuine conversations about life, family and the past. It was easy because I knew he cared and students in the public-school division need that connection. I hope one day my children have an opportunity to have an educator in their lives like Murray Guest.

He is what Ward 5 needs on its school board. Mr. Guest is someone who listens, who has spent a career actually inside classrooms and understands what students, teachers and the school communities need. He cares about real learning and long term-growth. Murray has spent his career showing up for kids, and I believe he will do the same for Ward 5 on the school board.

Nick Fanner

Former Band Teacher

To say Murray is "throwing his hat in the ring" for the by-election for Ward 5 would misrepresent him. Murray is stepping into the space, joining the dialogue and in doing so, turning the competition into a conversation. Murray is well positioned for such a conversation given the fact that he has served SPS students as a well respected teacher, which I can attest to first hand as he and I were colleagues during many of our years at Marion Graham Collegiate. Murray also served teachers through his work with the Saskatoon Teachers' Association and the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation. Equally as important, he and Vanessa entrusted SPS with the education of their two children. I am confident that Murray will work hard with all stakeholders to ensure we get it right for the students he will continue to serve. Murray brings a wealth of experience and commitment to students to the table, and he knows what's at stake!

Dan Mielke

Former STF Councillor

Principal - Porcupine Plain Comprehensive School

I am pleased to offer my wholehearted support for my friend and colleague, Murray Guest, in his campaign to serve as a trustee with Saskatoon Public Schools.

Murray possesses a rare ability to see an issue from multiple perspectives. He listens carefully, looks beyond his own experiences, and genuinely tries to understand the circumstances and viewpoints of others. This is complemented by what I would describe as practical empathy: Murray cares deeply about people, while recognizing that effective leadership sometimes requires difficult decisions grounded in context, evidence, and the needs of the broader community.

Murray also has a brilliant mind for pedagogy, particularly in the areas of lesson design and assessment. He consistently places the needs of students at the centre of his thinking while maintaining high expectations for proficiency and excellence. His commitment to students is matched by an unwavering dedication to the integrity of the curriculum and the quality of its delivery.

I had the privilege of working with Murray while we served as councillors with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation. I was continually impressed by how well-informed he was and by his willingness to engage in genuine, thoughtful debate. There was never any question about where Murray stood on an issue; however, his convictions never prevented him from listening. He considered dissenting perspectives seriously and was willing to reflect on his own position in light of the experiences and insights of others. As a result, his contributions to council were powerful in both their depth and their balance.

Murray’s extensive knowledge of the education system, sound judgment, and commitment to active listening would make him an exceptional school board trustee. He would bring a clear focus on providing the highest-quality education possible for every student in Saskatoon Public Schools. He would also take seriously the board’s responsibility to provide effective oversight and hold the system’s leaders accountable for maintaining and continually improving educational quality.

Murray is thoughtful, principled, knowledgeable, and deeply committed to public education. I endorse his candidacy without reservation and believe he would serve the students, families, staff, and communities of Saskatoon Public Schools exceptionally well.

Professor Chary Rangacharyulu

University Of Saskatchewan Professor of Physics

Co-founder of the Nobel Prize Symposium and the Let's Do Nuclear! radiation physics workshops

The Trustee of a school division should have at least one of the below attributes:

a teacher who deals or dealt with students on nearly daily basis to understand them, to engage them and to mentor them as they should grow to become good citizens
a teacher who understands the constraints of teachers as they juggle with their instruction chores in addition to several extra curricular activities they are responsible for and all with limited resources
a parent whose child/children have been or going through this process as they set their goals for their future
an administrator engaged at several levels of interactions with senior administrators and teachers at the province levels in addition to local administration.

Mr. Murray Guest is a personification of all the above qualities and an award winning teacher, mentor of teachers and students, who continues to collaborate in outreach to high school students along with his peers and the university community.

Without hesitation, I endorse his candidacy for the trustee position.

Shayne Meggs

Former Chair - Pension and Benefits Board of Directors
Former STF Councillor
Former Classroom Teacher

It would be hard to imagine a more well-suited candidate for a place on the Public School Board. Murray possesses an exemplary resume, having served as a teacher for three decades, been involved in teacher governance at the highest levels, served on the teacher regulatory board as its chair, and won awards for his teaching. Then there is his character. He will fight for the supports students need, is thoughtful and reflective on his positions, but is also willing to seek compromise and be practical when necessary. He will give anyone a chance to make a case about a particular issue, but will also seek out the truth and admirably defend it. It is for all these reasons that I find Murray to be an outstanding candidate for being a trustee on the public school board and wholeheartedly endorse him.

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