Name: John Pasia
Place of Birth: Toronto, ON
Elementary School: St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School (TCSDB) (Closed now)
High School: St. Patrick’s Catholic Secondary School (TCDSB)
1. Could you please describe how you came to be in Canada?
I was born in Canada on February 21, 1976.
2. Describe your experience of growing up, living, and/or working in Canada?
Before I started school in Canada, at age three I went back to the Philippines with my parents. So when I returned to Canada to start school my English was not that good. Also at home I spoke Tagalog but at school it was English.
3. What are some of your major accomplishments? What were/are some of your major struggles?
My most major accomplishment is I am the first Filipino Canadian principal for the TCDSB. Struggles would be there were hardly any Filipino teachers like I was in school. I had one in elementary, she was a special education teacher and one in high school, she was a religion teacher.
4. What are some of future goals that you envision for yourself and for the Filipino community in Canada?
Some of the future goals I envision for the Filipino community is to see more Filipino teachers in the classroom as well as in administration. There are many Filipino Early Child Educators, Educational Assistants, secretaries, and custodians but not many in administration like me.
passocproject.com 