Anne Cook's final day at Senator Myles Venne School is June 28. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

storied career

Cook retiring after more than four decades in education

Jun 18, 2024 | 12:27 PM

After a career in education spanning 46 years, Anne Cook is ready for retirement.

Cook was born and raised in Brampton Ont., before moving to Prince Edward Island when she 12 years old where she graduated from high school. That same year, her family relocated to Imperial, Sask., and, shortly afterward, she began studying geological engineering at the University of Saskatchewan.

After three years of study in the field, she changed gears and earned a Bachelor of Education degree in 1986, followed by a diploma in special education in 1988.

“I decided to switch because I absolutely love the bush and every summer I was employed in the bush,” Cook said. “I absolutely loved it, but I realized being in the bush was probably not going to get me a family and I really wanted a family.”

Cook began her education career in 1978 at La Ronge’s Gateway School and relocated to Kitsaki School two years later. Throughout the next 15 years, she taught at Sturgeon Lake Central School, Little Red School, as well as the Prince Albert Indian Residential School.

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In 1995, she began working with the Saskatchewan Indian Federation College teaching post-secondary classes in Red Earth, Shoal Lake, Prince Albert and La Ronge. In 2000, she moved back to La Ronge to teach at Senator Myles Venne School (SMVS), where she taught for eight years before spending another eight years teaching Adult 10 and 12 with the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies.

Cook then spent a period of time working as a literacy consultant for the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, whom she is a member of, before returning to SMVS as a science teacher in 2019. During her time before returning to SMVS, she managed to complete a masters in curriculum development (2015) through the University of Regina.

Anne Cook worked at Senator Myles Venne School for 13 years. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

As for why she spent her career working with Indigenous students, Cook said it just made sense.

“My children are Indigenous and I am part of the community,” she explained.

“I’m sure a lot of parents who are teachers kind of come at it this way. If you see some things you want to change or affect in the classroom and your kid is going there, it makes a world of difference because then you’ll make sure it is up to what your standards are for good education. My standards have always been really high.”

With more than four decades as teacher behind her, she has advice for future teachers. She noted it’s important to keep an open mind and think outside of the box. She believes that way teachers can make a better world for children.

“Physically, they can be open to new ideas and bring forth new ideas. I’ve brought forth many proposals to our school division at the band office, and don’t be afraid. There should be open lines of communication and make sure you have a voice. That you can be heard because oftentimes it’s that thinking outside the box that really changes things,” Cook mentioned.

“Education is always in flux and always is changing. We go from one thing to the next. Right now, we are just in the midst of finding out what is the best way of doing things correct. It’s really quite amazing.”

Cook added now is the right time to retire because she is 70 and she has plans to focus on her business and other interests. She wants to work with crystals, beadwork, as well as drum making. Cook hopes to be more visible in the community by providing her expertise in those areas.

Cook’s final day at SMVS is June 28 and she has a departing message for the staff there.

“I love them all. They are an absolute wonderful bunch of people. I couldn’t ask for any better people to work for, just really amazing.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com