Teacher Spotlight Matt Smith
Hailing from Wingham, Ontario—located approximately two and a half hours northwest of Toronto—Matt Smith taught Math and Science at his alma mater, F.E. Madill Secondary School. Wingham, with a population of approximately 3,500, is home to the only high school in the region. As a result, Madill Secondary welcomes students from rural communities within a 35-kilometer radius across southwestern Ontario. With recent changes in school population size, it was announced that Matt would be transferred to another high school within his school board for the 2022-23 school year. The move would require a 45-minute commute—manageable, but far from ideal. The challenge, compounded by the area’s proximity to Lake Huron, as this region is famously known as the “snow belt,” where frequent highway closures and hazardous winter driving conditions are a yearly reality.
In May of 2022, Matt Smith and his family found themselves visiting relatives in Quebec City. When he shared his concerns about the upcoming school year and the position he was facing, a family member half-jokingly said, “Hey, why not take a sabbatical and come teach here in Quebec City for a year?” The seed was planted—and it didn’t take long to grow. QHS principal at the time, Warren Thomson, did a fist pump when he heard the news that Matt was asking for approval from his employer to take some time off. With a job opening in the Math-Science department still unfilled, Thomson was overjoyed at possibily having someone with 16 years of experience apply on the position. After receiving approval for a one-year leave of absence without pay from his school board, Matt applied for a Math-Science position at Quebec High School. One thing led to another, and before long, the moving truck was rolling down Highway 401 toward a new adventure in Quebec City. While Matt began teaching at QHS, his children—Claire, Tessa, and Elliot—were enrolled at Holland Elementary School. His wife, Lindsay, an occupational therapist, continued her work remotely for her Ontario employer. QHS teacher D.J. Awalt mentioned that a condo was available for rent in his building, conveniently located right across the street from QHS. Just like that, Matt went from potentially facing a 45-minute commute in Ontario to a 45-second walk to work—shorter if he caught the light on René-Lévesque or St. Cyrille (for those who know the area!). In their first year, the Smiths dove into all that Quebec City has to offer. “There are so many things for young families—it’s a great city to raise a family,” said Lindsay. That positive experience led Matt to request a second one-year leave of absence from his Ontario school board. Year two only deepened their love for the city, leading Matt to call a family meeting to discuss their future— whether to return to Ontario or make Quebec City their permanent home. “We’re not voting to stay for just one more year,” he told them. “It’s either we pack up and head back, or I cut ties with my Ontario board and we commit to staying.” The outcome is clear— since you’re reading this story, you know which way the vote went. “Quebec City offers so much for our family, and my kids
are embracing every opportunity,” said Smith. “Learning a second language has been a challenge, but it’s pushed them out of their comfort zone—and they’ve truly grown from it.” Matt, too, is embracing this big change. Now in his fourth year at QHS, he has become an important part of the QHS family. He helps spearhead the annual Open House and has played a major role in bringing volleyball back to the school. This year, QHS proudly has two teams officially enrolled in the RSEQ league. “We started small, but the numbers have grown over the past two years, and this year we knew we could commit to registering teams in the league,” he said. “This was made possible
Coach Smith (left) and his junior girls volleyball team proudly pose for a photo in their brand new volleyball uniforms. Helping coach this year is secondary 5 student, Laurent Joseph-Desruisseaux (right)
through support from the Quebec High administration and the athletic director, Mr. Ricky Dwyer,” added Smith. Ontario’s loss is Quebec High’s gain!
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