Mrs. Joyce Villadiego

Middle School Spanish Teacher
Joined Meadowridge in Fall 2006 

What brought you to Meadowridge?
I had just returned from Spain and was eager to start my teaching career. I’d recently finished my elementary education training and was encouraged to apply to Meadowridge because of my Spanish skills. This was my first exposure to the city of Maple Ridge and to Meadowridge School, so I wasn’t fully prepared for the interview. However, Meadowridge saw my enthusiasm and allowed me to join their community even before I graduated.

Since then, Meadowridge has become my home. I grew up here, graduated from university, got married, found a family, and learned to teach middle and high school. Meadowridge is where I’ve found my footing and grown as a teacher and a person.

What does a typical day look like for you?
No two days are the same, and I love that. I begin by preparing for my classes and greeting students. Working with middle schoolers is always entertaining—they’re at this unique stage where they’re part child, part teen, and their conversations are endlessly exciting and funny.

Teaching my classes is the best part of the day, but the quieter moments are just as meaningful. Whether taking a much-needed lunch break with my colleagues or chatting with students about their latest adventures, those little connections bring me so much joy.

What are the best parts of your job?
The students. Middle schoolers are curious, funny, and always full of surprises. Another highlight is the relationships I’ve built with my colleagues. Many have become close friends; we share a supportive, collaborative environment. It’s a privilege to work with such a great team.

What’s your favourite Meadowridge tradition?
The Christmas Assembly is my absolute favourite. It’s a beautiful way to unite as a community before the holidays. Each grade has a designated colour and students perform and sing the "12 Days of Christmas" with increased energy as the song goes on. That energy is contagious, even though we’re all a bit tired from the busy season and ready for the Winter Break.

In Spanish 8, we developed a tradition of creating a unique presentation based on the song Feliz Navidad including dancing, singing, signage, and the infamous student-made Christmas tree pyramid.

What would surprise us about your position?
How much it involves. Although my title is “teacher,” I also feel like my position helps me to embrace being an ongoing learner, emotional counsellor, general manager, chaos coordinator, and party planner. Supporting my colleagues and students often goes far beyond the classroom.

When I started teaching, I didn’t realize how much I would continue to learn and grow. It has been a constant developmental journey, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Favourite Meadowridge memory.
There have been so many great trips, fun experiences and memorable moments that I can't choose just one. To name a few… I really enjoyed the school field trip to Belize where I calmly swam through a smack of jellyfish and came one foot away from a lionfish while spending time learning with high school kids. It was fun learning how to knit with my colleague’s knitting CAS club because it helped me learn a life skill that I enjoy in my free time. Watching my Spanish 12 classes perform at school assemblies the dances, like merengue, salsa, and bachata, that were taught in class.

Something recent is being able to put into practice my SFU Post-Graduate studies project about Belonging. I was able to integrate Kindness as a theme into my units and my teaching; I have seen the impact in my teaching and my students. I've become so passionate about this, together with other graduates from the program, we published a teacher resource book about belonging and kindness.

I have embraced creating this sense of belonging with my Advisory groups, by having group themes each year. Whether they were pineapples, avocados, llamas, tacos, cactii, or villagers, it really connects us into a community. This year we are the cute fruits of the Villadiego Fruit Basket. What will we be next year?

Spring or fall?
Spring, for sure. I’m a warm-weather person, and I love seeing the flowers bloom and feeling the days get longer. Spring also means badminton season, which I always look forward to.

Favourite meal?
Noodles of any kind, whether it is Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or, of course, Malaysian. One of my favourites is Assam Laksa, a Malaysian noodle soup that’s spicy and full of seafood; my mom makes the best one. Born in Malaysia, the flavours always bring me back to my home country.

Best way to spend the day?
Any day is well spent when I spend it with my nieces and nephews! I take pride in being the best aunt I can be, and I genuinely enjoy spending time with my family. Every moment is unique, whether playing with the little ones or going out for food and drinks with the older ones. I love my nieces and nephews!