Jim Sparks has been a teacher at Bradford District High School since 1982.  He attended Princeton Central School, Paris District High School, and then was a student in UW’s Mathematics Co-op Teaching Option.  Through the Teaching Option program, Jim received his Bachelor of Mathematics from UW and his Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario.  During the summer of 1985 he earned an Honours Specialist Certificate in Mathematics from the University of Toronto.  Jim has spent his entire secondary school teaching career at Bradford, becoming department head in 1993.  He is a strong supporter of mathematics contests at his school, coordinating contests and also coaching students.  He returned to UW for several years as a marker for the Euclid and Descartes Contests.  Jim has spent many hours working with fellow teachers to develop curriculum resources so that all students have the opportunity to be successful while being challenged at the same time.  Preparing grade nine students for the provincial EQAO mathematics assessment is his most recent project.  Hard work with fellow teachers has yielded impressive results.  Jim is very interested in sports, particularly golf, fastball and basketball.  He coached fastball and golf at Bradford and refereed basketball in York Region for many years.  Jim still loves a game of golf with friends.  He lives in Newmarket, and is married to Joanne.  They have three sons, Alexander, Stuart and Andrew.