April, 2026

Good morning, Horizon! 

I hope you had a restful and meaningful Easter break and found time to recharge with family and friends. I spent some time in the office over the break, but also got to enjoy time with my grandchildren. I cherish those moments with family, as I know each of you does across our system.

I want to begin “This Week” reflecting on the Humboldt Broncos bus crash that claimed the lives of 16 people and injured 13 others. It is hard to believe it has been eight years since the tragic accident that claimed the lives of 16 members of the Broncos family, and left 13 others injured. In so many ways, it seems much more recent than that, as the impact was felt by so many of us across our school division, province, country, and the world. From the darkness of that time have come so many great things in our world, including incredible successes of those who survived the crash, and initiatives like Green Shirt Day. These moments continue to remind us of the strength, compassion, and unity that continue to define our communities.

As we return to our work together, I am reminded of Phil Jackson’s words: “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” The week leading into the spring break offered many opportunities to see that spirit in action across our division.

March 30-April 2, 2026

Directors’ Leadership Team

We kicked off the week with principals and vice principals gathering in Humboldt for a day of professional development. I spent time working through the distinction between open and closed school systems, and we reflected on the idea that “culture isn’t just the vibe; it’s the operating system that determines whether a school thrives or survives.” We talked about how closed systems can become isolated, rigid, and resistant to change, while open systems are more permeable, adaptive, and collaborative. Leaders considered how their own schools are positioned and identified practical ways to continue fostering openness, trust, and responsiveness within their teams.

We also received a comprehensive budget update from Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO Sarah Reding, along with a session on performance leadership from Superintendent of Human Resources Cory Popoff, both of which supported transparency, effective resource management, and the ongoing development and recognition of our staff. 

Superintendent of Learning Jeremy Rolheiser shared updates on Saskatchewan Student Assessments, helping school leaders better understand current data and next steps to support student achievement. Along with Superintendent of Indigenous Education Bryan McNabb, we further discussed Indigenous Education priorities and student attendance, emphasizing the importance of relationships, belonging, and culturally responsive practices in creating safe and engaging learning environments. The day concluded with leaders working in smaller groups to share strategies, address common challenges, and strengthen coherence across schools.

Pink Day at LeRoy School

I had the honour of joining LeRoy School’s annual Pink Day on Tuesday, an event that brought together 18 Horizon schools with around 450 students, staff, and community members in a powerful show of unity and support. Pink Day continues to be an important reminder that kindness, inclusion, and respect are choices we make every day.

A sincere thank you to LeRoy School for their leadership in organizing such a meaningful event, and to BHP and the Broncos Memorial Golf Tournament for generously sponsoring this year’s guest speakers. We were privileged to hear from Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash Survivor Ryan Straschnitzki and motivational speaker Ian Tyson, who shared impactful messages of resilience, perseverance, and the importance of showing up for one another.

Board of Education

The Board’s Audit Committee met on Tuesday afternoon. Trustees Jim Lissinna (Committee Chair), Cheryl Norleen, Albert Pinacie, Pamela Wintringham, Linda Mattock (ex officio), and Mark Fedak (ex officio) were in attendance, along with Sarah and me. We were joined by representatives from MNP, who presented the 2025–26 Audit Service Plan and outlined the scope and timelines for the upcoming audit process. A full recap of the committee meeting will be shared in the next board newsletter.

Later in the afternoon, Board Chair Linda Mattock and Vice Chair Mark Fedak joined Sarah, Executive Assistant Marni Sogge, Communications Officer Jesse Green, and me to review the agenda for the April 15th Board meeting.

School Visits

On Wednesday, I spent time at Muenster, LeRoy, and Lanigan schools, where I had the opportunity to connect with principals, students, and staff, and to experience the important responses to emerging needs in these learning environments.

I spent most of Thursday in the office, attending to ongoing priorities and supporting divisional work, including the memo to families about the upcoming schedule for Saskatchewan Student Assessments. 

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

April 13-17, 2026

Good morning, Horizon. 

I hope everyone had a tremendous week following our spring break, including Monday’s personal professional day, which gave school staff time to reflect and focus on their professional growth to support student learning. As Hal Borland reminds us, “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” Even as we continue to see more snow than most of us likely hope for, there is peace in knowing that the spring renewal is occurring, even if we don’t always see it. This same sense of ongoing renewal mirrors the momentum we see built in our schools every day as our students rise to the challenges within their curricular and extracurricular pursuits.

Provincial Directors’ Meeting

I had a Monday full of meetings, beginning with time with Ward Strueby from Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, with whom I co-chair the Provincial Directors’ Group. We finalized the agenda items ahead of our in-person meeting on Thursday. 

CASSA Executive Meeting

I also joined the Canadian Association of School System Administrators (CASSA) at a virtual executive meeting on Monday morning in my role as western representative to the AASA. The discussion focused on finalizing our agenda for the upcoming CASSA meeting, which focuses on national priorities in education, such as leadership development, student well-being, and the ongoing work to support strong, responsive school systems in our provinces and territories.

Canadian School Mental Health Leadership

My Monday morning wrapped up in a professional development session for the Canadian School Mental Health Leadership Network, where we discussed national priorities related to youth mental health. Our focus this week was on chronic absenteeism and the behaviours that prevent students from making choices to attend school. The shared insights from thought leaders and members of the network ultimately help initiate the necessary conversations to strengthen student well-being across Canada.

Board of Education - Governance Committee

On Monday, I also joined the Board’s Governance Committee meeting along with Trustees Jennifer Lemky (Committee Chair), Garth Anderson, Rhonda Kayseas, Dana Stefanson, Linda Mattock (ex officio), and Mark Fedak (ex officio). Also at the meeting were Superintendent of Finance Services Sarah Reding and Executive Assistant Marni Sogge. The committee was tasked with reviewing several Board policies and establishing guidelines for the upcoming appraisal processes to be held early in the new school year.

DLT/SLT Meetings

The Directors’ Leadership Team (DLT) met virtually on Tuesday morning, with Senior Leadership sharing key updates and answering any questions from the DLT. Some very important items were shared with principals and vice-principals, and have likely already been shared with school staff. Immediately following the DLT meeting, Senior Leadership met to continue our discussions, review key priorities, and coordinate next steps to support our schools and division-wide initiatives.

Rose Valley School Celebration Lunch

I want to echo a big thank you to everyone at Rose Valley School for the warm welcome on Tuesday! Trustee Jim Lissinna and I joined the staff for lunch, while Division Office staff supervised the noon period. The visit wrapped up with students and staff enjoying a celebratory slice of celebration cake together.

Human Resources

I spent much of the rest of Tuesday with Superintendent Cory Popoff as we interviewed for the vice principal positions at Watrous Elementary School and Winston High School. 

Board of Education - April Meeting

Board Trustees met on Wednesday for their regular April meeting. During the meeting, the Board received updates from the Audit and Governance Committees, as well as a progress and outcomes report from Superintendent of HR Cory Popoff and a board update on classroom complexity from Superintendent of Learning Jeremy Rolheiser. You can get a full recap of the Board’s meeting, as shared in the From the Board newsletter.

Directors Meeting

On Thursday morning, I co-chaired the provincial Directors Meeting in Saskatoon alongside Director of Education Ward Strueby. The session brought together Directors from across Saskatchewan to exchange ideas, reflect on current work, and explore shared priorities shaping education across the province.

Saskatchewan School Boards Association - Spring Assembly

The Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) began their Spring Assembly with an Indigenous Council Meeting on Wednesday afternoon, followed by an Indigenous Constituency Meeting for Indigenous trustees. Horizon was represented at both meetings by some of our trustees who made the trek to Saskatoon.

The Spring Assembly began with a Board Chair Council meeting on Thursday morning, in which Chair Linda Mattocka attended. It was followed by the Public Schools of Saskatchewan meeting, also chaired by our Board Chair, Linda Mattock. The evening SSBA session was opened by President Shawn Davidson, followed by Keynote speaker Niigaan James Sinclair. Dr Sinclair’s talk, “Why Indigenous Education is not the right thing to do… it’s the only thing to do,” was both thought-provoking and impactful. The son of Justice Murray Sinclair, Niigaan, challenged all of us to reflect on our responsibilities and reaffirm our commitment to advancing Truth and Reconciliation in meaningful ways.

The agenda for Friday included an update on the Provincial Education Plan, remarks from education sector leaders, including Education Legislative Secretary MLA Barret Kropf, and sessions focused on governance and collaboration. 

-------------------------------------------

In closing, I want to congratulate our high school basketball athletes who participated in the high school basketball “All-Star Weekend” in Saskatoon. I know you represented your schools and Horizon extremely well!

Have a wonderful 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 evening, Horizon. 

“Spring adds new life and new beauty to all that is.” Even so, last week was a reminder that our weather can still surprise us. I hope everyone remained safe while travelling during the storm, particularly as many roads were placed under travel-not-recommended advisories. I am grateful for the care and caution shown by staff and families, and for the flexibility demonstrated across our schools as we continued to prioritize safety.

Senior Leadership Team

Our Senior Leadership Team began the week with a quick meeting to check in on priorities, share updates from across departments, and align our focus for the days ahead.

CASSA Board Meeting

Following last week’s executive meeting, I joined the Canadian Association of School System Administrators (CASSA) board meeting in my role as western representative. 

2026-27 Budget

Throughout Monday and Tuesday, Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO Sarah Reding, Assistant Superintendent of Finance Services Lori Washkowsky, and I met with superintendents to finalize budgets for the 2026–27 school year for Inclusive Education (Superintendent Jacquie Bergerman), Student Wellness (Superintendent Terry Leibel), and Learning (Superintendent Jeremy Rolheiser). We worked within the Board of Education’s priority areas to align resources and supports.

Human Resources

I spent much of Tuesday afternoon with Trustee Garth Anderson as we interviewed for the term position as principal of the New Horizon Hutterian School. A staffing announcement will be coming out this week.  

Horizon Teachers’ Association (HTA) Liaison Committee Meeting

On Wednesday afternoon, I joined the Board’s HTA Liaison Committee and members of the HTA for a meeting. Trustees Linda Mattock (Committee Chair), Mark Fedak, and Jennifer Lemky represented the Board, while Verna-Lynn Gorrill (President), Robert Lissinna, Patrick Winand, Lorena Sosnowski, and Colleen Whitford represented the HTA. Board regrets were provided by Dana Stefanson.  The meeting was very productive and focused on Artificial Intelligence and the implementation of Edsby. 

Mark of Excellence Awards

On Friday evening, Board Chair Linda Mattock and I attended the 2026 Mark of Excellence Awards Gala, hosted by the Humboldt & District Chamber of Commerce. Superintendent Jeremy Rolheiser was also in attendance with his wife. Horizon was a finalist for the youth category for our student-centred programs and extracurricular activities that extend learning beyond the classroom. We are very proud to be recognized for early years programming, extracurricular opportunities, division-wide initiatives such as Student Agriculture Day, Mining Day, and Mental Health Day, and our strong focus on Indigenous education and rural engagement.

Warm weather is coming. Have a tremendous week ahead, 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