September, 2023

Welcome back, everyone! I hope you have had a fantastic, relaxing summer and a restful long weekend. Like each of you, I am thrilled that we are welcoming students back into our classrooms today which signals the beginning of another school year. Our Horizon team is complete and now we can get to the real work of creating a better world one student at a time.

DLT Meeting

The Director’s Leadership Team of principals, vice-principals, managers, supervisors, coordinators, officers, and superintendents met on Thursday, August 24, 2023. There was a great deal discussed on the first day back, including a necessary discussion regarding the directive on “First Names and Pronouns” that was also just announced that week. The matter is being heard before the courts this morning. The main premise for the hearing is to potentially establish grounds for an injunction through determining that by moving forward with the directive, there is a potential for irreparable harm. 

The interlocutory injunction is being heard this morning, and our AP is being vetted by legal counsel. At this time, staff are to bring any related matters that our students present to their principal and they will address it with my office. Staff have engaged parents in matters of this nature, when there was no fear of harm to the student. The issue of parental consent is really the challenge that exists and questions the issues of human rights. While the courts decide this direction,  we will do what we have always done; to care deeply for our students by creating a safe place in our schools and on our buses for every child.

Board of Education Monthly Meeting

Horizon’s Board met for their first regular meeting of the 2023-24 school year on August 28. 

As I’m sure you know, we had some terrible news in late July when we were made aware that our Board Chair and friend, Mr. Jim Hack, passed away unexpectedly. Many of us are still trying to comprehend this news, and I know our thoughts are with Jim’s wife Patti and their family. The board and staff were able to recognize Jim and the contributions he has made over his 45-year education career at Celebration Day last week. His absence will certainly cast a shadow, but I know that Jim would want the show to go on and for us to keep doing the important work that we do. Emily Dickinson put it very well for any who are mourning the loss of a loved one when she said, “Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality.” 

Well, the show did go on as our former Vice-Chair Linda Mattock assumed the role of Board Chair in Jim’s absence, and did a tremendous job during what was a difficult day for so many. It was decided that trustees will elect a Chair and Vice Chair during their Organizational Meeting in November. In the meantime, Linda will continue to do her work as the chairperson. Updates on the meeting will be available in the August From the Board in the coming days. 

Celebration Day

I want to thank all those who joined us in Humboldt for our annual Celebration Day last Wednesday. As always, thanks go to the many staff members whose work made the day such a success. We enjoyed wonderful performances from some of our talented students, and we appreciate them spending their time with us! Congratulations to the many staff who were recognized for their years of service, and to our very deserving Excellence in Teaching award winners. Finally, our former student and the newest addition to the Horizon Wall of Fame, Dr Logan Banadyga, joined us and it was certainly a pleasure and an inspiration to hear him speak. 

I know the non-instructional days last week were appreciated as staff prepared for the return of our students.

Have a wonderful first day with students, and an even better week. You inspire each other, you inspire me, and you inspire our board. Remember what John C. Maxwell said, “A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change a life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. A word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach her potential.” 

And now you get to go and inspire our future. Have a great week Horizon!

-Kevin

Kevin C. Garinger B.Ed., M.A.Ed., Ed.D. (Candidate)

Director of Education/CEO

Horizon School Division No. 205

[email protected]

@kevingaringer

Already the first week of classes is behind us, and I want to thank Horizon staff for a fantastic return to school and extracurricular activities for our students. So much work has already begun towards realizing Horizon’s goals of Safe & Caring, Literacy & Numeracy, and Graduation Rates. 

World Literacy Day

This past Friday was World Literacy Day. As author Frank Serafini once said, “There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.” I hope each of you had the opportunity to enjoy a good book over the weekend, and an opportunity to share your passion for literacy with the young readers in your lives.

First Days of 2023-24

I was able to join the excitement of the first days back with visits to a number of schools on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Thanks to each of the principals and our students and staff for a warm welcome. And much more importantly, thank you for welcoming our children with open arms! They are in such great care. 

PARTNERS Family Services

I met with Executive Director of PARTNERS Family Services, Hayley Kennedy on Wednesday afternoon. We have a great relationship with PARTNERS and I was grateful we had an opportunity to discuss our combined supports for families and youth across our system. Horizon partners with Haley’s organization on a number of initiatives, including the Humboldt Early Years Family Resource Centre (HEYFRC) and family supports across all of Horizon. 

Most recently, we have been included in an application for a service centre to support youth in our area. I want to thank Hayley for including us in this very worthwhile project and I look forward to sharing more about its potential to support our youth, pending the outcome of the application. 

Director’s Leadership Team (DLT) Meeting and Minister’s Directive

The DLT met for a virtual meeting on Thursday morning where we discussed a broad variety of fall topics, including updates to the late-August directive on “First Names and Pronouns”.  that has led to an attempted injunction by UR Pride from the University of Regina. The initial meeting between the chief justice and legal counsel representing school divisions, the ministry, and the plaintiff was held on September 5th, and a court date has been set for September 19th to hear the injunction request. We are required by law to follow each of the three aspects of this directive, while continuing to do what we have always been passionate about in this profession…keeping our kids safe and keeping the lines of communication open with parents. 

There is some question of whether staff is committed to these open lines of communication with parents and I personally find this incredulous. Educators know very well that effective relationships with parents provide significant value in supporting the education and well-being of our children. The issue being addressed is whether a child under 16 has a legal right to change their name and pronoun without signed consent from their parents. I am certainly not a lawyer so we will let the courts decide the outcome of the injunction, but I know that in every situation addressing gender that I am aware of, there have always been conversations with parents and where necessary, we have always engaged outside agencies to work with the family. 

Whether the injunction is supported, or whether the government is able to temporarily adjourn the case, our work to keep our children safe in our schools will continue to be our most important responsibility. And as we have always done, when children do not feel safe, we will follow the laws in our province and country and continue to engage agencies of our government to ensure we protect their safety. 

At challenging times like this, I remind myself of how grateful we need to be. As professionals and paraprofessionals in Horizon, you do a commendable job of looking after the nearly 6,600 children who attend our schools. You have always exhibited deep care and commitment to their needs. I have been witness to this every day in my nearly 30 year career in education. And as teachers, you know and have always known that you are required to follow the same laws that serve to protect our kids, and to do what a “kind, fair, and judicious parent” would. It is not the reason you do what you do, but it supports what you do for kids every day. So when I hear someone say “just teach reading, writing, and arithmetic,” they do not understand the moral imperatives of our jobs and the complex nature of our classrooms. If it was that simple, it would not be the most important profession in the world. 

So I will always be thankful that our children are in our schools. After all, along with many of their homes, it is without question the safest place our students could be. And I’ll keep you posted as this case unfolds. 

Have a great week, everyone. Thank you for continuing to inspire our children and youth. 

-Kevin

Kevin C. Garinger B.Ed., M.A.Ed., Ed.D. (Candidate)

Director of Education/CEO

Horizon School Division No. 205

[email protected]

@kevingaringer

Welcome to the last week of September, Horizon. I hope and trust everyone had a great weekend. I know I spent mine doing some volleyball referee supervision and development at Lakeland College and getting the chance to watch some of our former graduates play the game they love.

Henry David Thoreau wrote, “There are two seasons when the leaves are in their glory, their green and perfect youth in June and this their ripe old age.” I hope you have been taking advantage of the beautiful, warm September days. It is almost bizarre to think that this past week was the last day of summer and that we are full steam ahead into fall. Probably like most, I can wait for the onslaught of winter and could take an autumn like this for the next couple months at least. 

Governance Meeting

On Monday last week, the Board’s Governance Committee met to discuss both the Board and Director  appraisals, as well as upcoming strategic planning and policy review. The committee’s report was shared by their committee chair Jenn Lemky at the Board Meeting on Wednesday. A great deal was accomplished in the few hours the committee met, including the agenda for the strategic planning session being held in the middle of October. 

School Meetings

On Tuesday I traveled to Englefeld and LeRoy schools, spending time with principals Cori Harcourt and Patrick Winand and some of their staff and students. I just happened into LeRoy while their bus evacuation drills were taking place. It is such a good thing to make certain we practice these drills. In the event of an emergency, knowing what we are to do is often the difference between safety and injury. 

I always enjoy getting to spend time in classrooms watching our students and teachers and support staff engaging in learning. I regularly marvel at the excitement that is felt by both students and staff as they journey towards learning. I spent a little extra time in the PreK/K classroom in LeRoy and was thrilled to be able to help some of the little ones with their learning goals. 

September Board Meeting

We met for our regular monthly meeting on Wednesday where the Board agenda included numerous items including an update on the new Lanigan school project, Horizon’s 2023-24 budget, a review of the annual work plan, and a review of staffing. A recap of the meeting will be shared in the September From the Board newsletter.

Langian school project

COO Justin Arendt, Manager of Facilities Services Kam Kiland, and I met with project leaders and representatives from the provincial government to review the new Lanigan school project including the tender packages and current budget. We are crossing our fingers that the installation of pilings continues to go well with few boulders being found during digging.

Golf

With the SHSAA Provincial Golf Championship taking place this past weekend, this year's golf season comes to a close. Congratulations to HCAA District Champions and to the eight athletes who represented Horizon at provincials!

Have a great week, everyone!  

-Kevin

Kevin C. Garinger B.Ed., M.A.Ed., Ed.D. (Candidate)

Director of Education/CEO

Horizon School Division No. 205

[email protected]

@kevingaringer

Good morning, everyone. I hope you had a tremendous weekend. I spent my downtime this past week reading a book called “Valley of the Birdtail”. It has great historical content and tells the true story of a First Nation reservation, a town, racism, and the road to reconciliation. It was written by two Canadian lawyers, Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson, who is a Cree man from Opaskwayak Cree Nation. I thought the book was well worth reading for anyone interested in such a compelling and inspiring story of reconciliation.

Saturday was the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report included this quote, “Too many Canadians know little or nothing about the deep historical roots of these conflicts. This lack of knowledge has serious consequences for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and for Canada.” I thank our staff for working to overcome this barrier and for doing such meaningful work around reconciliation with our youth, families, and communities. 

Indigenous Elders have told me at different times that education is our “new buffalo”. I never understood exactly what they meant until one time I discussed it with our late friend, education advocate, and band councillor, David Crow-Buffalo. He shared with me that the buffalo sustained First Nation people for many years. They roamed the plains and were food, shelter, warmth, and a symbol of prosperity for Indigenous people. And now, as we consider that the buffalo are gone from the plains, education can be the road to the prosperity we want and desire for Indigenous youth and families. We have such an important role in creating a better future, one child at a time.

Cyber Response Presentation

I joined the Saskatchewan School Business Association executive and management team, Board Chairs, and Directors of Education for this virtual presentation on Monday. Regina Public Schools generously offered to present a session to Board Chairs and Directors, outlining their experience, impact, and lessons learned through a cyber security incident. 

Directors Leadership Team Professional Development

During the morning, we heard from Superintendent of Indigenous Education Bryan McNabb, Superintendent of HR Cory Popoff, and the Leading to Learn team. We are looking very forward to digging into this important work throughout the year, and thank Indigenous Instructional Coach Amanda Moosemay and Principals Justine Wheeler (Bulyea), Kalie Hendry (Nokomis), Darryl Dickson (Wakaw), and Terry Braman (Winston High) for sharing their experiences and helping to introduce others on the DLT to the program.

During the afternoon, Superintendents Jacquie Bergerman, Cory Popoff, and Justin Arendt shared their expertise on topics including the role of the Learning Resource Teacher, instructional leadership, and privacy/LAFOIP. It was an excellent day as it always is when we can gather in person to learn together. 

AASA (The School Superintendents Association) Event

As a member of the Governing Board of the AASA, I joined a tremendous opportunity involving a “think tank” event on Wednesday through Friday. As the only Canadian involved in the event, I was able to share our unique context but our similar needs from the perspective of a CEO in Saskatchewan. The opportunity is likely to provide our system with potential support and access to vendors that will meet multiple education initiatives and needs. I look forward to sharing more on the impact of these meetings in the upcoming weeks. 

Provincial Directors’ Meeting

I joined a virtual meeting on Thursday morning where Saskatchewan Directors of Education met for one of our regular meetings. Among many of the discussion points was the focus on some of the challenges with the Sask DLC. We continue to work closely with the DLC in order to iron out the issues and address any concerns with fidelity and for the sake of the students in Horizon taking courses through the crown corporation. We were grateful to have the Deputy Minister join our meeting and take the time to ask questions and respond to those our group put forward. We also heard from our Executive Director of LEADS, Ben Grebinski, who brought a number of updates from our professional organization. 

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

We raised the Every Child Matters flag at the division office on Friday afternoon; our many thanks to Elder George Longman and his son, who sang and blessed the event. Finally, I want to thank Superintendent Bryan McNabb and Board Chair Linda Mattock for speaking at the event. Although I wasn’t able to be in attendance, I am grateful we were able to do a flag-raising ceremony on Friday to recognize the commitment we have to truth and reconciliation. I want to thank Communications Officer Jesse Green for making it happen in such short order. I know it was another way we continue to move from knowing the truth of our past to preparing a future that is wonderful for all of our Indigenous youth.

As I finalize this edition of TWIH, I want to share information regarding the injunction application ruling that was released this past week. Judge Megaw ruled in favour of an Injunction Order, which means that any implementation or enforcement of policies or procedures related to the Minister’s directive on using pronouns and first names shall be stopped until further notice. The hearing on the constitutionality of the Policy is set to go ahead in Court on November 20 and 21, 2023. As a result, we will assume the Injunction Order will be in place until we receive a decision from the Courts on the constitutionality question. I will share more as soon as this continues to evolve. 

Have a great week, everyone. Thank you for all you do in this great profession. I know our parents are very aware that, as much as they are the first educators and the most important people in their children's lives, they are also in great hands in our schools. 

-Kevin

Kevin C. Garinger B.Ed., M.A.Ed., Ed.D. (Candidate)

Director of Education/CEO

Horizon School Division No. 205

[email protected]

@kevingaringer