When the kids are away the teachers will play...

Every year near the end of June, the East Side of Vancouver is host to a legendary event. An event so extreme, so intense that it is the stuff that urban legends are made of.

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the Britannia High school staff social. Put on your costume, check your sobriety at the door and see what happens.

This year's theme was Britannia through the ages (in keeping with the school's 100 year anniversary). I had the privilege of being in the "early 60's" group with costume diva and drama teacher extraordinaire Ms. Sarah Ng. Thanks to her I got one freaking fab. buffont hairdo and a wicked excuse to break out my fave pair of red high heels (there really isn't enough opportunities to wear read open toes these days).


This is me with the beatnik music teacher, everyone's favorite, Mr. Brad, Brad Dean. Me and him spent 3 hours hitting up every vintage store in the downtown core trying to find a beret to complete the outfit. As you can see, we were successful, all that blood, sweat and tears paid off. We also got to buy a pack of cigarettes so that we could look "authentic". It was quite thrilling for 2 non-smokers to waltz into the smoke shop and declare "give us your cheapest pack of smokes!" Quite thrilling indeed.

Ms. Sarah Ng rocking it out. I caught her in a rare moment when she wasn't in character as the "special ed, greaser smoke pit kid"

Teachers across the ages, 50's, early and late 60's. Look at me and the Deanster rocking those cigarettes. Of notable mention is the fact that Brad wrote a beatific beat poem to go along with his costume and performed it for the masses to much finger snapping.

This is what happens when you misread the "queen of the school" costume suggestion. Clearly she hasn't seen "Mean Girls"


When you're wearing short shorts one beer is never enough. This man is legend.

The early 60's philosophizing for the masses. Please note The 80's infusion in the back there.

Team Early 60's. The mathlete, the drunken janitor, two of the teacher's worst nightmares, The Templeton High Cheer brigade and no school is complete without a naughty nurse.

The party was legendary. Multi-venue (including the parking lot of science world where we had to run around, make fools of ourselves and chug beer out of the back of some guys pick-up truck. The legion for Karaoke and everyone's favorite Bar The #5 Orange for peelers and wheeler and dealers).

Watch out world, Teachers on the Loose

Cheers from the Early 60's
J