They are running the gamut of emotions within the Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division these days with senior administration and staff having to deal with a number of challenges.
The priority, however, remains the children, even as the division's management and administration are grieving the loss of their assistant director of education, Keith Thompson who lost his life in a tragic vehicle accident near Moose Jaw just a few days before the new academic year.
The system had just been introduced to their new director of education, Gwen Keith, who began her duties in an official capacity, on Aug. 1, taking over from the recently retired Shelley Rowein.
Another challenge?
The addition of 45 students throughout the system that includes a consolidation of classrooms in Weyburn and a new central office location in that city.
What is important to remember though, is the need for stability, said Keith who spoke with The Mercury via telephone on Sept. 5.
As far as the enrollment increase is concerned, Keith said Holy Family will be able to handle it, but first they must sort out what the implications are in the growth sectors.
"It's a decent increase in numbers. We'll know more as the numbers sift out during the next couple of weeks," said Keith who said the total enrollment in the division's five schools which include two in Estevan, currently stands at 1,170.
As for the loss of the assistant director, Keith said "Keith (Thompson) was heavily involved in the operations side of the division, so right now others in administration are picking up the additional work loads and responding to the needs. The board is meeting next week and I will be prepared to give them a recommendation as to what I believe could be a direction to take but they will decide."
Keith said that while she was very new to the Holy Family position, she knew Thompson through professional contacts and administrative sessions over the past several years, especially through a principal's short course program they had been engaged in over the past seven years. She said Thompson was very dedicated to the profession and the two had been doing a lot of transition work and interfacing frequently over the past several months as they prepared for a new school year.
"We've just had the funeral and we're meeting with his family today. These are very difficult times for them, for us, for the division, but we'll get through them," she said.
On the academic and facility side of the Holy Family operations, Keith said they were prepared to align themselves with the Ministry of Education with a student first focus that will use individualized instruction when necessary.
"We need to improve graduation rates in this province and to do that we must reach higher levels of student achievements and the way we can do that is by engaging the children in the schools. The staff is there to identify those who need help and should be prepared to provide them with life-long skills they can take with them as they go," said Keith.
The experienced educator/administrator said Saskatchewan is blessed with some powerful school divisions and she has always been a believer in focusing on strengths rather than always looking at weaknesses.
"Focus on strong, not always on wrong," she said. "If we can work from a base of talent and a base of where we know we have strength, then we create a hope-filled environment that lets us all journey together and that includes the child, the parents, the teachers, support staff, the community and the parish," she said in conclusion.
