Suspension for BC vice principal who called himself ‘grad dad,’ sent students messages on social media

A BC vice principal who repeatedly messaged students on social media after being cautioned has been issued a three-week suspension.

According to a Sept. 8 BC Commissioner for Teacher Regulation, Abbotsford vice principal Michael David Hendricks regularly sent multiple messages to more than half a dozen students and took some of them out for lunch after graduation.

It appears the students he messaged were all on the high school’s girls volleyball team. 

“Hendricks repeatedly violated professional boundaries with students and engaged in conduct that had the potential to compromise students’ emotional safety and wellbeing,” the Commissioner said in the decision. ”Although Hendricks’ frequent attendance at the Volleyball Team’s games did not constitute professional misconduct in and of itself, such conduct added to a perception of undue favouritism towards team members and to their potential discomfort from his other boundary violations.”

The decision says Hendricks had been teaching in BC since 1994, and previously had been cautioned to be careful about messaging students on social media when he was put in charge of graduation events in the 2024 and 2025 school year.

However, he invited students to contact him on Snapchat and frequently messaged them about things unrelated to school, late at night, and on weekends. 

Hendricks also attended most of the season’s girls volleyball games and sat with them on the bench.

In one message, he referred to himself as their “grad dad,” saying he had lots of daughters, as he did every year.

In messages, he commented on students’ photos and invited some for a grad dinner.

In an incident, he put his arm around a student wearing a strapless dress for a photo, “briefly touching her bare skin.”

In another, he gave a student a side hug.

“Hendricks arranged for the volleyball team to attend a college volleyball game which he attended with the volleyball team, the coach, and parents,” the decision reads. “At the game, members of the volleyball team were looking at male college volleyball players’ cards and talking about which player was their favourite or ‘fine shyt.’ Hendricks participated in a conversation between (the) student and other students regarding which of the player… fine “shyt.’”

The decision says Hendricks also attended a student’s hockey game on her invitation, and gave her a fist bump after the game. On another occasion, Hendricks visited a student’s home where she’d set up a nail business. He stayed for 10 to 15 minutes.

More messages followed.

“Hey birthday girl, I hope you have a great day with a moderate level of craziness with your girls. My gift to you is an essay extension,” read one message. 

“Hey have a fab euro adventure with the whole crew. And make sure you come and show me the things when you’re back,” read another. “Pass this along as needed… I know there are things this weekend. That’s cool. I hope there is a plan for staying safe and looking out for each other. That’s really cool. Everyone makes it home. Everyone has fun. Everyone is back on Tuesday. Grad Dad….Dads always worry about their kids.” 

Hendrick also messaged students about going to university.

“I have a soft spot for my W Abby girls. Life is sometimes unfairly hard. Not cool. I see how hard the girls work and how sometimes that’s not recognized. So I’m super protective for them. I want the best for them. That’s what grad dad do,”

After the students graduated, Hendrick took several of them out for dinner and lunch.

He retired in May 2026 and signed a consent agreement with the regulator admitting to his conduct.

The regulator said that if he returns to teaching, his licence will be suspended for three weeks, and he will have to undertake numerous courses.