He could wish you a happy birthday in the classroom on a Monday, give you a tongue lashing for something you did on a Tuesday, and then come over to joke around with you at the hockey arena on the weekend.
Bob Foster taught in Norfolk County for many years but he is perhaps known best by many for his long stretch as principal at Simcoe Composite School, and what he believed was a tough but fair approach to leading that school.
Bob was born and raised in Simcoe, going to Elgin Avenue and then SCS, before going off to school for a chemistry degree.
It was in his third year of school where Bob made the decision to go into teaching, saying he could not see himself in a lab coat for the rest of his career and would rather see himself in a classroom.
He loved teaching, and taught across all schools in Norfolk, but said it was just a natural progression to go into a more administrative role as he felt there was a need.
As a principal, he said one of his favourite things was actually something other principals would complain about at the time – seeing his kids in the community.
Whether it was at a store, hockey game, or a dance studio, Bob wanted students to know he was their principal but he was still a person and someone they could come and talk to any time.
He wanted to make sure parents felt secure in their children’s safety while at the school while also ensuring there were fun times for the kids as well.
One of the ways he would connect with kids is ensuring he memorized every student’s name within the school.
He talked about Grade 9 students walking through school for the first week, and having their principal ask them how they were doing by name.
He said, in his mind, this likely helped make them feel like less of an outsider in this new environment and more like a member of the school community.
He would also go visit classrooms on students’ birthdays.
He felt these acts would help if a time came and he had to get harsh with a student as he was still the same man who would freely chat with them in the hallway the next day.
Bob also spoke about the gym fire and how, from that moment, he got to see the true spirit of Norfolk County residents.
Even in retirement, Bob is a busy man, squeezing time in for this interview as part of his morning long-distance walk.
At the request of Bob, his photo is not attached to this story.
His full interview can be heard below: