March, 2026

Good morning, Horizon.

“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live..” - George Bernard Shaw. Over the past week, I was reminded once again of the strength of our educational community and the many people who contribute to it in meaningful ways. Whether through leadership discussions with colleagues from across the province, time spent in our schools with students and staff, care and kindness shown to others in the face of significant adversity, or moments of recognition that celebrated the work of educators, it was a week that reinforced how fortunate I am to be part of such a dedicated and supportive community.

Directors Meeting

Saskatchewan Directors of Education gathered in Regina on Monday afternoon for a Directors Meeting. I act as the co-chair along with Ward Strueby from Holy Trinity Catholic School Division. The meeting allowed Directors from across the province to connect, share updates, and discuss key priorities in Saskatchewan education.

LEADS Annual Spring Conference and AGM

Monday evening, following our Directors Meeting, the LEADS’ Annual Spring Conference and Annual General Meeting began. Along with professional learning and networking, we had the opportunity to hear from a number of speakers and engage in discussions focused on leadership, governance, and the future of public education in Saskatchewan. The conference provided valuable time to learn alongside colleagues from across the province and to reflect on how we can continue to support strong leadership within our schools and school divisions.

At the banquet, Darrell Paproski was honoured with the Merit Award. Darrell retired from his position as Superintendent of Student Services at Horizon in 2022, and received the award in recognition of his many years of dedicated service and leadership within LEADS and Horizon School Division. Darrell was known for his principled leadership, collaborative spirit, and unwavering advocacy for students. It was wonderful to connect with Darrell and see him receive this well deserved honour.

I was humbled to receive the Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes exceptional senior leadership in the PK–12 education sector. I am grateful for this recognition and for the opportunity to serve alongside so many dedicated colleagues across our Division and province. Any recognition like this truly reflects the collective efforts of many people, beginning with the Board, whose vision sets the path for all of us to aspire to. In addition, I am continually inspired by the commitment, care, and professionalism of our administrative, school, and division staff who support our students and families each day. Together, we remain keenly focused on creating safe learning environments and helping every student on their unique paths to success. Thank you to everyone across Horizon for the work you do and the difference you make in our schools and communities. This award is shared with, and reflects all of you.

Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery (HDMG)

Back in Humboldt, I attended a board meeting at the Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery on Thursday morning. It was a pleasure to connect with fellow board members and discuss ongoing work to preserve and celebrate the history of our region. 

A Culture of Care, Compassion, and Kindness

At the HDMG board meeting, I was approached by a city councillor who shared a tremendous story of how administration and staff at HPS made a huge difference for a family in need. The family had recently moved into the community with very little in the form of necessities, and the staff made the transition into the school seamless. They provided all the necessities to attend school, and quite simply, took away any obstacles the child or family might face. Thank you to principal Paul Strueby, Vice Principal Jennifer Showers, and the staff of HPS for making a profound difference for this family. This type of story is consistent with so many from across Horizon where staff go above and beyond to meet the emergent needs of our children and families. In St. Brieux, Principal Michelle Daubenfeld, Vice Principal Cindy Placsko, and staff reached out in support of the children of one of our families who had recently lost their mom. They took time to ensure that the school community was there for the family, placing enormous emphasis on support, compassion, and care. 

I could go on and on, sharing stories about every one of our school communities, and how this form of response is consistently on display. Thank you to each one of you for making care, kindness, and compassion perhaps the largest part of our collective Horizon culture.

School Meetings

Later in the week, I had the opportunity to spend time in some of our schools, meeting with principals and spending time with staff and students. The opportunity to spend time in our schools is always a highlight for me, as they provide an opportunity to see the outstanding relationships built between our children and staff that leads to tremendous learning opportunities. You are the people who make our schools such positive places for students to learn and grow, and you are appreciated greatly for all of your care and concern.

Human Resources

I spent a large part of Friday with Superintendent Cory Popoff and Trustee Garth Anderson interviewing for a leadership position that will be open beginning the 2026–27 school year. These conversations are an integral part of how we continue to support strong leadership in our system, and I appreciate the thoughtful approach to this and all selection processes.

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As you ready for the day today, Horizon, I ask you to think about all those who are dealing with significant adversity in our system. I know all too well that we have multiple children who have lost a parent or grandparent, or others amongst us who are dealing with extremely serious health issues. Our collective energy can only help those in need as they deal with the uncertainties that lie ahead. As always, thank you for your care, kindness, and compassion. 

I wish you a great week ahead. 

-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.

“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.” These words from Henry Van Dyke feel especially fitting as the snow begins to melt and signs of a new season emerge around us. There is a renewed sense of energy and optimism in our schools and communities, reminding us that growth often comes gradually, but with care and attention, it brings meaningful change.

Last week provided several valuable opportunities to connect, reflect, and plan for the work ahead across Horizon School Division.

Senior Leadership Meeting

I began the week meeting with our Senior Leadership Team. These regular meetings provide an important opportunity for us to connect, review current priorities across the division, and plan for the work ahead. 

Board of Education

On Monday morning, Board Chair Linda Mattock, Vice Chair Mark Fedak, Superintendent of Finance Services Sarah Reding, Executive Assistant Marni Sogge, Communications Officer Jesse Green, and I met to prepare the agenda for the board meeting on March 25. We always look forward to these meetings and the important conversations that follow.

Human Resources

I spent the remainder of Monday with trustee Jennifer Lemky and Superintendent Cory Popoff as we interviewed for the principalship of Watrous Elementary School. Following interviews, Cory and I continued our review of staffing needs in the system for the 2026-27 school year. We continued our work on Tuesday morning before I travelled to Foam Lake Composite High School to announce the incoming principal to Principal Nevin Halyk, Vice Principal Pam Kresowaty, and staff. I ended that portion of Tuesday at the elementary school with Principal Cheryl Farrell and incoming FLCHS Principal, Tricia Korczak. At the same time, and with the expansion of administration in HPS, Cory went over to the school on Tuesday afternoon to announce their newest vice principal. On Thursday, I spent time in Schell School before ending my day in Watrous Elementary School where I announced the incoming principal to Principal Pat Borsa and our staff at the elementary. I greatly appreciate meeting with leadership candidates who clearly bring a strong commitment to student learning, a clear vision for safe and welcoming school environments, and a genuine care for the staff and communities they aim to serve. Congratulations to those who will be moving into these school leadership positions. I am grateful that we are making strides to fill these and other staff positions in our schools across our organization. 

Division Communications

On Wednesday morning, I joined Communications Officer Jesse Green as we met with a company to consider future options to enhance our communications in Horizon. A new website with improved design and user experiences is one of our goals, and the product we have been researching certainly does all that, and more. Although this isn’t an imminent change for our division, it is something that we are considering for our organization to more efficiently communicate to our public and staff. I look forward to sharing more in the upcoming weeks and months. 

2026-27 Budget

Later on Wednesday, I attended the annual Budget Address at the Legislative Assembly in Regina with Board Chair Linda Mattock. Following the address, I joined the Ministry of Education’s budget day communication meeting. 

With the provincial budget coming down, Superintendent Sarah Reding and I have been working at discerning its impact on our division budget. There were certainly some positives in the budget as it was good to see the predictable funding in “supports for learning”. Transportation has seen a slight increase in funding, and this will also be positive to support nearly half of our students who need us to get them to school everyday.  Although we have seen a reduction in Preventative Maintenance and Renewal funding (PMR), the budgeted amount is still considerably larger than it was only two budgets ago. We will continue our work to assess the impacts of this budget, and to share the results with the Board to ensure that our finite resources continue to focus on improved student learning outcomes.

S4-6 Childcare: ECE Expansion & Workforce Meeting
On Friday, I joined Superintendents Cory Popoff and Jeremy Rolheiser, Coordinator of Early Learning Kalie Hendry, and Principal of Punnichy Community High School Heidi Linford in Lanigan at the S4-6 Childcare: ECE Expansion & Workforce Meeting. The meeting brought together partners from across the region to discuss the growing need for early childhood education and childcare spaces as our communities prepare for significant population growth connected to the development of the BHP Jansen potash mine.

Sylvite Four-Six (S4-6) is a regional partnership of municipalities, Indigenous nations, and communities working together to plan for this growth. The discussion focused on workforce needs, potential expansion of early childhood education programs, and how partners can collaborate to ensure families moving to the region have access to high-quality childcare and early learning opportunities. Horizon School Division was pleased to be part of these conversations as we continue to support strong learning foundations for young children and their families.

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I wrapped up my week on Friday with Principal Michelle Daubenfeld and her staff in St Brieux, as they played host to the boys and girls regional basketball championships. I was able to join the staff, students, and community as St Brieux boys and girls and Watrous girls competed for the chance to attend Hoopla, the provincial basketball championships. Many of our Horizon basketball teams were competing for this coveted honour this past weekend, and I look forward to hearing how our teams do as they vie for a provincial medal. Congratulations to the students, coaches, and staff members who hosted or competed at various regional championships across the province. 

One final word…

Last week I asked you to concentrate your energy on those who were in need because of loss or serious illness. I spent time this past week with Trustee Paul Crow-Buffalo who is suffering from the effects of cancer. His condition had been worsening, but on Monday, he said he felt an energy from so many people. Later that day, it led to an incredible and positive change in his condition. I have always believed in the power of positive energy, and Paul’s improvement in his health is a prime example of why. I value that each of us will continue to think about Paul and so many others in our schools, families, and communities who are suffering from illness or who have experienced loss of loved ones. 

For your continued care and kindness, thank you, Horizon. Have a great week ahead. 

-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.

“Spring is a time of plans and projects.” As we begin to see signs of the season changing, there is a similar sense of momentum across our schools. There is new learning, new opportunities, and a continued focus on supporting student success.

Student Agri-Food Innovation Challenge

I want to highlight an exciting opportunity underway for Horizon’s Grade 10-12 students. The Student Agri-Food Innovation Challenge invites students to explore real-world issues in agriculture, sustainability, and food systems while developing creative, practical solutions. This is a wonderful example of how we are supporting meaningful, hands-on learning and helping students see the many career pathways connected to the agri-food sector.

With $5000 in prizes available for both students and their schools, and the opportunity for winning teams to present at our upcoming Student Agriculture Day, this challenge offers both recognition and authentic learning experiences. The challenge runs until 15 May and can be integrated into classroom learning or pursued as a group or independent project. I encourage staff to take a closer look at the details and consider how this might fit into your programming.

Senior Leadership Team

This past week began with our senior leadership team coming together to discuss current priorities and emerging developments across the division. A key part of our conversation focused on the Saskatchewan Student Assessment (SSA) program, a provincial initiative designed to assess student learning in a consistent and objective way, aligned with Saskatchewan’s curriculum. The SSA will provide valuable information for educators, families, and policymakers, helping us better understand student progress and identify areas where additional support may be needed.

Board Meeting
On Wednesday, despite very difficult weather conditions in the southern part of our division, our trustees came together for their regular monthly meeting. Their commitment to governance, even in less-than-ideal conditions, speaks to their dedication to supporting student learning and well-being across all of our communities. We will be sharing key highlights from the meeting in the upcoming From the Board newsletter.

Local Implementation Negotiation Committee (LINC) Negotiations
On Thursday, I spent the day with our LINC team as we worked through some final language adjustments to our collective agreement. The HTA will then have the opportunity to consider the agreement in a ratification vote in the coming weeks. This work is an important part of how we continue to strengthen collaboration, share effective practices, and support ongoing improvement in teaching and learning across Horizon.

LINC Chair Rob Lissinna, HTA President Verna Lynn Gorrill, Jennifer Jackson, Patrick Nikulak, and Mark Laurie represented the Horizon Teachers' Association. Joining me from the Division office were Superintendent of Finance Sarah Reding, Superintendent of Human Resources Cory Popoff,  Manager of Human Resources Monica Arendt, and Human Resources Officer Sydney Knaus. 

Athletics in and Around Horizon

I want to catch up on the happenings in athletics over the past weekend for our Horizon students, and I want to start with a competition that took place a little earlier this month. With the world curling championships for women ending recently, and the men’s only just beginning, I want to share the amazing accomplishments of our Horizon curlers. Horizon had two provincial champions and a provincial silver medal this past season. Our kids from Muenster captured a silver in the relatively new sport of Mixed Doubles. In Mixed curling, our athletes from Wadena came back to beat Warman in the provincial final after losing to them earlier in a page playoff game. Finally, in the boys’ action, Wynyard continued their amazing dominance in the sport. For the second year in a row, they won the provincial championship, and with a bronze in 2024, medalled for the third year in a row. Congratulations to all our curling athletes on such an amazing showing throughout the year. Knowing a lady who curled well into her 90s, I am so happy to see our youth engaged in what is truly a lifelong sport. 

Earlier in March, many of our Horizon students competed in the growing sport of archery. A competition was held in Raymore featuring some amazing athletes engaging in this fascinating sport. I am so grateful that our kids get the chance to be involved in these activities, and it doesn’t happen without the efforts of many staff and parents from across Horizon who understand the importance of giving our young people the opportunity to experience these amazing opportunities.

In Hoopla Basketball action over the weekend, Horizon schools once again proved their prowess, winning several medals, including two provincial championships. Congratulations first to HCI, who placed fourth at provincials in the 4A boys category. In 2A girls, Foam Lake won a hard-fought game to capture the bronze medal. The St Brieux girls' team won a medal of a different colour for the third year in a row. Last year in 2A, the girls captured the provincial title, and moving up to 3A, they continued to demonstrate their resilience, winning a bronze medal. They also won silver in 2024. Closing out the medal string, the St Brieux boys won the 2A provincial championship for the second time in three years, winning silver last year. And finally, the 3A girls' title was won for the second straight year by Wynyard, who also won silver in 2024. Perhaps the Cinderella story of the year, the number-12-ranked boys' team from Watrous won their regional and advanced to the provincials, finishing fourth in a hard-fought bronze-medal match. Congratulations to all these teams and coaches on such great accomplishments. Hoopla is the pinnacle event for high school basketball, but so many of our students who are engaged in the sport and are in junior or senior basketball never had the chance to make it. However, they also had personal and team accomplishments that do not go unnoticed by their coaches, families, schools, and school division. Championships are wonderful, but the main point of athletics or the arts is that our young people are involved in activities that they enjoy. Thank you to the coaches, staff, and families who make these opportunities possible. 

Finally, I spent the weekend refereeing the last Sask Cup of the year for 18U Women's volleyball. I don’t usually get to referee as I spend most of my time at these events assigning, mentoring, and evaluating officials, so this weekend was even more enjoyable for that reason. I also had the opportunity to referee the final, which featured two of our Horizon students, Hannah Hoberg from Wynyard and Abby Zimmerman from HCI, competing against each other. While the final was going on, Lanigan’s team, consisting of players from across Horizon, won 5th place. Many other senior girls from across our school division were also competing for placements in the upcoming provincials, while boys from across Horizon were competing in the final Sask Cup in the 15U category in North Battleford. I always enjoy the opportunity to see our students, staff, parents, former students, and even some of my own family at these events. What I really enjoy, like the coaches of the teams, is giving back to our youth through activities they enjoy. 

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As we navigate the busy rhythms of our work together, I wanted to take a quiet moment to reach out and share a personal reflection. I often talk about our shared professional goals and highlight our dedication to our students, but it is equally important to acknowledge the personal journeys we all take outside the walls of our Horizon classrooms and offices. Recently, I have once again been reflecting on the profound impact of loss following the passing of my uncle. Going through the process of saying goodbye continues to remind me of just how deeply these moments shape us, and how much weight we carry when a loved one is no longer with us.

I know that many of you are currently navigating your own experiences, whether it is a recent loss, the long road of grieving, or the difficult process of supporting someone in their final days. Please know that my heart goes out to each of you. Loss is a universal experience, yet it feels incredibly singular when it arrives at your door. I want to encourage us all to hold space for one another with kindness and patience. We are a community and in all times, but especially in sorrow or sadness, that connection is our greatest strength.

Thank you for everything you do, and for the grace you show our students, families, and one another every day. 

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