The following is the abbreviated text of my opening address to our staff. Before I begin my opening comments, I want to take time to welcome to our Holy Spirit family, St. Michael’s Bow Island . Over the past couple of years our borders have continued to expand through parents desiring Catholic Education and using the …
Category: Educational Updates
Jun 04
Opportunity for Communication
The following article was published in the Lethbridge Herald on June 4th. This is my last submission to the Lethbridge Herald for the 2013-14 school year. With the month of June arriving, the end of the school year is not far behind. This will be my last superintendent’s column for the year and so I …
May 01
Staying the same is not an option!
The following article was written for and published in the Lethbridge Herald on April 30, 2014. A couple of weeks ago, I attended a conference in Saskatoon hosted by Educational Research and Development Corporation (ERDI). This organization brings together about 50 superintendents from across Canada twice a year. Our plenary keynote was given by Queen’s …
Apr 13
Schools adjust to parenting styles
I was born in the early 60’s and grew up in a traditional family setting for the time. Dad worked and for the majority of my school days, especially when I was young, I had a stay-at-home mom. We always had time for family supper and found time to attend church. I had a fairly …
Apr 10
Relationships…always!
I’m sitting in Olds High School in advance of my presentation on high school redesign. Instead of sitting in the area where we will be having lunch, I chose to sit in a common area with students all around me. As a superintendent I don’t get enough opportunities to be around students so it is …
Mar 26
Curriculum Redesign
The following article was published in the Lethbridge Herald on March 26, 2014. During the last couple of years, the Lethbridge Herald has offered local superintendents an opportunity to write a weekly column on education. Each of us has written about our own local initiatives, as well as the changing face of education. This consistent …
Mar 23
Science and Innovation Summit- Berlin 2014
Last week, I wrote about my experience travelling with EF Educational Tours Canada to Germany. I have yet to write on the main purpose of the trip which was the Science and Innovation Summit, held in Berlin. I have now had time to recover from jet lag, a nasty cold and have been able to reflect on …
Feb 23
Accountability and Assurance
There has been considerable conversation about the topic of accountability in education. Often pundits stand on either side of the debate without addressing the real issues or worse, without any semblance of common sense! Our division, although relatively small compared to our metro counterparts, still has a budget of approximately 53 million. The vast majority of this …
Feb 09
Continuous Improvement Plan Reviews
This year, I’ve been more intentional in working with our schools with their continuous improvement plans or CIPs as they are commonly referred. At one time in our division’s history, the school had little flexibility in the design of their plans. There was a strict format and all plans adhered to it. I believe that this …
Jan 26
Discomfort
“The road to comfort is crowded and it rarely gets you there. Ironically, it’s those who seek out discomfort that are able to make a difference and find their footing. Discomfort brings engagement and change. Discomfort means you’re doing something that others are unlikely to do because they’re busy hiding out in the comfortable zone.” …