November, 2024

Good morning, Horizon. 

This past weekend, Canada observed Remembrance Day on November 11. This significant day of remembrance offers us all a chance to honour the bravery and sacrifices of those who have served our country in times of conflict and peace. I had the privilege of attending the Remembrance Day services of Winston High and Cudworth schools on Wednesday last week. Watrous Elementary staff and students joined Winston to be part of their ceremony. It was heartwarming to see students so thoughtfully engaged in this meaningful commemoration, as I know it happened in all of our schools this past week.

I perhaps shared some of this in years past, but the day brings up vivid memories of my grandparents. Both my grandfathers fought in the Second World War, while my grandmothers were actively keeping their families and communities operating. My Opa Vic was a Corporal and then a Sargeant on the heavy artillery gang, while my Grandpa Ken was a private who was shot in the back at the battle of Dieppe. Videos that were shared from the perspective of veterans echoed the same sentiments that my grandfathers used to share. They didn’t talk much at all about the war, but they did talk about how hard it was to have friendships when those closest to them were dying. 

To this day, conflict in our country and abroad continues to tragically result in the loss of Canadian service people. There is a great deal of unrest in our country and in our world and it continues to be my greatest hope that every last person can live in harmony without fear of persecution, oppression, and violence. Is it too much to ask for? Is it too much to call for, in the same way the Maple Leafs do in their stadium, “Love Not Hate“? I will do my part and am confident you will too. And maybe, just like what happened in Mauritius, as a conflict ended when their people created a human chain to denounce the hatred, our province, country, and world can do something equally significant. Our children, their children, and all future generations will need us to stand up for what is good and right in our world. I know my grandparents believed just that. 

Directors’ Leadership Team

We began our week with a virtual Directors’ Leadership Team meeting with updates from superintendents and me on topics including the 2025 Public Schools of Saskatchewan Student Citizenship Awards, School Community Councils, and much more. A lot is going on in our schools and Division, but we were able to power through the meeting in record time and get on to the busyness of the first day of a school week. 

Horizon’s annual Christmas Hamper Project

Established in December 2014 by our Board of Education, the Christmas Hamper Project has made a significant impact over the past ten years, providing gifts and grocery certificates to 1,259 families and 3,309 children across the division. As the need has grown each year, so too has the importance of this initiative in supporting our communities.

Last year, project costs were more than $42,000, with funds going toward many items such as grocery gift cards, warm winter items, books, toiletries, and a present for each child in the family. We are indeed grateful for the ongoing support of the project from our many business partners and volunteers. However, we are equally appreciative to our staff and union members who donate so selflessly to this cause. If you want to make a tax-refundable donation, please contact Todd Gunther, Supervisor of Payroll Services, Assistant Superintendent of Finance Service Lori Washkowsky, or CFO Sarah Redding. Thank you for your consideration to support this important cause. 

Board of Education

The Board of Education held a special meeting to review and approve Horizon’s 2023-24 school year annual report. The report has been approved pending minor adjustments, and our communications and finance team will continue working with the Ministry of Education to finalize our report. Once it is tabled in the legislature, the report will be available on our website.

In advance of this meeting, trustees met in Lanigan to tour the new school. Thanks to COO Justin Arendt, Manager Kam Kiland, and their team for coordinating the tour and allowing our trustees a sneak peek of the new construction they have had a significant voice in advocating for since 2020. 

This meeting marked the final gathering of this fantastic group of people as the current Board of Education. I cannot express enough gratitude for the unwavering support this board has shown for public education, their dedicated advocacy, and their leadership through both challenging and rewarding times. 

Foam Lake Celebration Day Lunch

I joined Trustees Dana Stefanson and Garth Anderson and Superintendents Cory Popoff, Bryan McNabb, and Justin Arendt at Foam Lake Composite for the year's second school celebration day lunch. The trustees joined the staff for a meal while division office staff supervised the lunch hour. Immediately following lunch, staff and students enjoyed cake just before afternoon classes resumed. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the hard work of Marni Sogge, Kim Loose, and Shelley Schell, who made sure the day was organized to a tee. Congratulations, Foam Lake Comp and thank you to all at the school for the warm welcome! 

Provincial Education Plan

Superintendents Jacquie Bergerman and Trish Maxwell joined me as I met with Deputy Minister of Education Clint Repski and his team on Wednesday evening to discuss the Provincial Education Plan Implementation Team’s role in setting out assessment guidelines. There is a great deal of work that is being planned, and I look forward to sharing the next steps in upcoming weeks. 

Invitational Shared Services Initiative (ISSI)

I spent Thursday in Saskatoon with Superintendent Bryan McNabb, meeting with the Ministry of Education and Saskatchewan school division leads to continue learning and sharing around the ISSI agreement that currently exists with Day Star First Nation. The initiative has a good purpose, and we are grateful to be in this agreement that supports children from the First Nation attending schools in our Division. 

Board Agenda Meeting

Board Chair Linda Mattock and Vice Chair Mark Fedak met with me, Executive Assistant Marni Sogge and Communications Officer Jesse Green on Friday morning to prepare for the November organizational meeting and regular Board meeting later this month. I want to thank Linda and Mark for their leadership this past year and for taking on the role of Table Officers with such passion and commitment to Horizon. 

Board and Municipal Elections 

Election day for Boards and municipal governments is being held on November 13th. I just wanted to remind everyone to get out and vote for their candidates of choice for both elections. After all, this is one of the most important freedoms we get to exercise in our country…the right to democracy. 

I am again ending ‘This Week’ on a deeply sad note. The passing of Senator and Judge Murray Sinclair marks a profound loss for Canada, including Saskatchewan, where his work on Truth and Reconciliation continues to resonate deeply with all of us. As Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Senator Sinclair played a pivotal role in revealing the painful legacy of residential schools and advocating for justice, healing, and renewed relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. His dedication to truth-telling and tireless efforts to elevate the voices of survivors have left an indelible impact on our province. His legacy will live on in the hearts of those who continue to champion his vision of unity and healing. 

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, Horizon!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Mine was filled with sporting events, from football to volleyball to hockey. I was in Briercrest College from Friday to Sunday, watching my son coach a U17AAA boys hockey team out of Fort Saskatchewan, AB. The hockey was fun to watch, but it was predominantly an opportunity to spend time with my son. I also took in the Mitchell Bowl at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday as former students of Horizon competed for a chance to go to the Vanier Cup. Former teacher Morris Sokul and former trustee Dr Cheryl Vertefeuille had sons competing with the University of Regina Rams. While this was happening, I watched how our teams were doing at the 1A - 4A Girls’ provincial volleyball championships held across the province.

Last week was short but eventful, with municipal and school board elections occurring. I want to thank everyone who put their names forward in the Board of Education elections. Your willingness to serve our students, staff, and communities reflects a deep commitment to public education and makes a meaningful difference in our division. I also want to thank Returning Officer Patti Hack, Deputy Returning Officer Sarah Reding, and each one of their team members. They worked extremely hard over the last few months to ensure the election went smoothly for everyone involved. 

Congratulations to our newly elected trustees. The role of our Board is crucial, as education leader Ronald Heifetz from Harvard University has stated, “We need partners to exercise leadership, to compensate for our blind spots, to act as a sounding board.” We look forward to collaborating with each of our trustees as we support the success and well-being of all our students. 

Finally, to the former trustees who are not returning to our Board table, I extend my deepest gratitude for your work in supporting our students, staff, and communities. You have demonstrated exceptional professionalism and outstanding stewardship. You have advocated at the government level, both provincially and nationally, to ensure our students have the best options for present and future success. Thank you for your dedication to shaping the future of our schools and our communities. You will be deeply missed. 

Learning Improvement Plans

We began the first of the year's two Learning Improvement Plan (LIP) review meetings. Superintendents Jacquie Bergerman, Trish Maxwell, Bryan McNabb, and Terry Leibel serve as LIP contacts for their assigned schools, joining me to meet with principals and vice principals from their LIP schools each fall and spring. During this first round of meetings, we review the plans, ensuring we dig deep into school data, plans to promote continuous student learning, strategies for supporting literacy, numeracy, safe and caring, and transitions and graduation rates and SCC involvement in the LIP process. These meetings are both valuable and enjoyable, as they allow us to connect with our Director’s Leadership Team members and discuss the core elements of education while gaining insights into how their school teams are focused on enhancing student outcomes.

This past week, we met with administrators from Ituna, Foam Lake Composite, Foam Lake Elementary, Wadena Elementary, Wadena Composite, William Derby, Bulyea Elementary, Drake, Viscount Central, Schell, Imperial, Watrous Elementary, Winston High, and Nokomis schools. 

Lanigan School Project

The Lanigan School project has entered an exciting phase where visible progress is evident with every visit. Seeing the installation of drywall, flooring, and fresh coats of paint makes it feel like everything is coming together swiftly and seamlessly. While I was in LIP meetings, Superintendent Justin Arendt and Facilities Manager Kam Kiland met with our ownership team to discuss any outstanding issues related to the construction. They also took time to review the budget that has been provided, ensuring the project is on track based on the funds provided to us by the government. 

Horizon Teachers’ Association

I met with Horizon Teachers’ Association President Verna Lynn Gorrill on Thursday to reflect on the first months of the school year and explore our plans for future collaborations. I truly value these conversations, as they provide an opportunity to share insights, discuss challenges, and identify ways we can continue to support our students, support staff, and teachers across Horizon.

And last but certainly not least, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate all the sports teams who competed in the fall season. We are awaiting the 1A-4A volleyball provincials, but this portion of the season has been another tremendous success. We have a record number of athletes engaging in team sports in Horizon, which is an enormous success on its own. However, this year, we have provincial champions in each women’s category from 1A provincials (Annaheim never lost a set at provincials and beat LeRoy, who came away with the silver medal), 2A provincials (champions were Wakaw School), and 3A (Lanigan won provincials). Our girls’ team from Humboldt Collegiate also competed in the 4A championships, narrowly finishing out of the medal count. Wynyard (3A) also finished just out of the medals in 4th but handed Lanigan its only set defeat of the entire tournament. Other teams that represented Horizon at the provincial championships were Watrous Winston (3A), Wadena (2A), and Ituna (2A). 

Again, congratulations to each of these teams, coaches, schools, and parents who saw their student-athletes compete at the highest level of high school sports. We look forward to winter sports picking up as volleyball ends.

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

November 18-22, 2024

Good morning, and welcome to Education Week! This year’s theme, “Education is a Journey”, resonates deeply with our work in Horizon School Division. We strive to guide our students, staff, and communities daily along a path of growth, curiosity, and achievement. These journeys never have a straight path or simplistic obstacles to overcome. Learning is one of the most important things we do to help our students achieve, but it is genuinely one of the most challenging things to do well. 

We also celebrate School Bus Driver Appreciation Day today. Our dedicated bus drivers play an essential role in this educational journey, ensuring our students travel safely to and from school daily. Let’s take a moment to thank them for their commitment and care.

Dr Debasish Mridha, physician, philosopher, and author, beautifully reminds us, “Education is not a destination, but it is a curious journey to enjoy the beauty of life”.

Horizon Indigenous Education Team at Agribition

Superintendent Bryan McNabb and his team will be at Agribition all week! If your class is visiting, stop by Booth 315 at the Brandt Centre to connect with them. We are incredibly proud to be the only Indigenous education team to have a booth at Agribition, and we’re thrilled to showcase our land-based learning perspectives in collaboration with Métis Nation – Saskatchewan.

A special thank you goes to Sandra Hessdorfer, administrative assistant, whose invaluable connections with the Agribition organization made this opportunity possible.

Board of Education

We welcomed the 2024-28 Board of Education trustees to the division office on Tuesday for a day of orientation, including a session with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA). Ted Amendt, Director of Board Development and Indigenous Education at the SSBA, joined us to deliver a session on corporate governance. The following day, trustees met for their regular monthly and annual organizational meetings. We are thrilled to welcome back incumbent trustees, engage with our newly elected members, and congratulate Board Chair Garth Anderson and Vice Chair Mark Fedak on their positions for the upcoming year. We also want to thank former Board Chair Linda Mattock, our vice chair since 2016 and chair since 2023, for her leadership in supporting our Division. 

As part of the Board’s regular meeting, Superintendents Justin Arendt and Trish Maxwell presented our “outcomes and progress” reports on facilities and learning, respectively. Superintendent Cory Popoff also highlighted our vital work on professional development, including university practicums, induction programs, and aspiring leaders program. 

Learning Improvement Plans

Superintendents Jacquie Bergerman, Trish Maxwell, Bryan McNabb, and Terry Leibel joined me in meeting with Horizon principals and vice principals again last week. We discussed school data, student learning strategies, and SCC involvement. These sessions are both productive and enjoyable, offering valuable insights into how school teams are working to meet the goals of Horizon and achieve student outcomes.

Last week, we visited Humboldt Public, LeRoy, Lake Lenore, St. Brieux, New Horizon Hutterian, Wynyard Elementary, Wynyard Composite High, Lakeside Colony, Watson, and Englefeld schools. Thank you all for the warm welcome and the exceptional work that has gone into your school-level plans.

Finally, Horizon had four boys teams at volleyball provincials in the 1A (Annaheim and LeRoy),2A (Englefeld), and 4A (HCI) categories. Congratulations to all four teams as LeRoy narrowly lost the bronze medal, Englefeld lost in the quarterfinals, and Annaheim and HCI lost in the provincial finals and got silver medals. Impressive accomplishments all of them, and that brings to close the volleyball season for our high schools. Many of our student-athletes and others will switch to basketball almost immediately. 

Again, thank you to the coaches and the parent drivers for supporting volleyball and all the fall sports this season. We couldn’t provide fantastic opportunities for students without you!

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, Horizon!

I hope you were able to find some relief from some of the frigid temperatures we were faced with this past week. It is hard to complain with such a wonderful fall, but I don’t think anyone would have been upset if winter had taken a little more time to hit us. I have been asked why we don’t close schools like they did in other school divisions. The simple answer is that we are far too geographically diverse to be able to make a call for the system, and often our students are able to get to school, even if buses are unable to run. That said, if parents keep their children home during more challenging weather days, they are always welcome to do so and are supported in their decisions. As long as our students and staff are safe, that’s all that matters.

Last week was focused a great deal on professional learning and planning at the division office and beyond. Whether through team discussions, planning sessions, or professional learning events, these opportunities strengthen our ability to provide meaningful learning experiences for every student. In the words of teacher, author, and poet Robert John Meehan, “The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives.” Collaborative practice has been one of those non-negotiables in Horizon School Division. However, after this past week of learning, I was certainly affirmed in our current and prior direction. Listening to what teachers are asking for and knowing what research states about collaborative practice, it is without question, a very impactful way to improve teaching and learning. We need to ensure teachers have the opportunity to work together with those who teach common grades and subjects in order to develop shared curricular and assessment understandings. We will need to adjust the structure to make it more effective than it has been before as our geography certainly requires it. 

Collaborative practices are alive in our schools and through other professional opportunities in our division. However, we have an opportunity to bring it to life again, because the collective efficacy of teachers matters in driving learning. I look forward to sharing more as the year unfolds, and discussing it with the Horizon liaison committee the board has reestablished.

Provincial Education Plan and Directors Meeting

I spent the first part of last week in Regina, beginning with the Provincial Directors Meeting on Monday morning. This gathering brought together directors of education from across Saskatchewan to discuss shared goals and challenges in education and to engage in discussion with the Deputy Minister’s Office.

Monday afternoon and Tuesday were dedicated to the Provincial Education Plan Implementation Team (PEPIT) meetings. Our discussions centred on key priorities for the future of education in Saskatchewan, including supporting student success, enhancing mental health and well-being, and strengthening connections between schools, families, and communities.

These meetings provided an excellent opportunity to collaborate, exchange ideas, and ensure that Horizon’s goals align with the broader provincial vision. One of the announcements that came out of these meetings was a provincial assessment plan that will see us continue to focus on grades 1-3 reading, grades 4, 7, and 10 reading and writing, and grades 5 and 9 mathematics. Outside of the earlier years focus on reading, the other grades will have assessments that tie directly to the curriculum. I look forward to sharing more about this in the near future. 

Directors’ Leadership Team Professional Development

We gathered for a two-day professional learning event, bringing together our Directors' Leadership Team for meaningful collaboration and growth. The agenda was packed with engaging sessions to inspire innovation and strengthen our leadership practices.

The first day focused on nurturing balanced assessment systems, with an insightful session led by Katie White, internationally-acclaimed author, consultant, and teacher and system leader. Katie did a tremendous job of making the big rocks in assessment, the big rocks and she reaffirmed many of the things we are and were doing in our system. I look forward to expanding upon this work in the upcoming days, weeks, and months. 

Day two began with a deeper dive into instructional leadership and a session on innovative teaching with Dr Sean Maw from the University of Saskatchewan. Our Learning Team guided the DLT through focused discussions on assessment practices, helping us align our goals and strategies to our assessment and reporting practices. We wrapped up with a session on governance, reinforcing our commitment to effective leadership. I always thoroughly enjoy connecting, collaborating, and building on our shared vision for education with our leadership teams. 

Agribition Week

What an exciting week in Saskatchewan with Agribition in full swing. This year, for the first time ever, a school division was asked to lead a session on Indigenous Ways of Knowing. Superintendent Bryan McNabb and his team led literally thousands of students, teachers, and families through their hands-on booth and even had First Nation dancers perform every day at 1:00 pm. I had the chance to visit the centre on Saturday and was so impressed with the outstanding learning that children would and could receive. I want to thank Bryan and Coaches Amanda Moosemay, Lester Gardiner, and Patrick McNabb, along with our Agriculture Education lead, Sandra Hessdorfer, for providing such an exceptional experience to students and families across the province. 

On Friday morning, I had the pleasure of meeting with leadership from BHP, thanks in large part to Sandra’s work in building and enhancing partnerships. We have already set up another meeting to discuss further partnership opportunities in support of student learning. I look forward to our continued engagements and the impact this work can have on our youth.

Audit Committee

Our Board’s audit committee met on Friday afternoon to review draft financial statements, forecasts, and reserve allocations for the 2023-24 school year. Committee members Jim Lissinna (Chair), Albert Pinacie, and Garth Anderson were part of the meeting along with Vice Chair Mark Fedak. CFO Sarah Reding and Executive Assistant Marni Sogge joined me to present and respond to the audit findings. It was an exceptionally smooth audit and I want to thank my staff and the Board for their work in having excellent financial processes and practices in place in Horizon.

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