Change leadership has the potential to have a positive impact on our school worlds. Some changes can be anticipated ─ some changes will be large ─  some small (but no less important), change consciousness and foresightedness are important leader assets. In this session, educational leaders will answer questions related to change leadership and offer advice on how to lead in a time of unprecedented change.

Presenters:

Kevin C. Garinger, President, Saskatchewan League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents (LEADS)  
Kevin began his tenure as Director of Education for Horizon School Division in May of 2014. He also served as the Director of Education for Englefeld Protestant Separate School Division until the division amalgamated with Horizon in 2018.

In the seven years preceding his return to Saskatchewan, Mr. Garinger was a superintendent in Alberta and helped lead the district in becoming one of the top performing jurisdictions in the world. Kevin completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Saskatchewan and followed that up with a master’s degree from Phoenix, Arizona. He also holds a graduate certificate for the teaching of Calculus and Pre-Calculus, is a certified Franklin Covey Seven Habits Facilitator, and is level two Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) Certified.

Kevin began his Doctorate in Education (Educational Leadership) in the late fall of 2017 and will begin his dissertation following completion of his final course this August. Beginning in the fall of 2018, Mr. Garinger took two years off from his doctoral work to address his personal trauma in response to the Humboldt Broncos accident that killed 16 people near and dear to him. As the president of the Broncos, Mr. Garinger felt an immediate responsibility to try and help the families, organization, school division, province, and country through the aftermath of that unprecedented bus crash.

Mr. Garinger is currently the President of the Saskatchewan League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents (LEADS), a responsibility he assumed in March of 2022. Along with numerous other provincial and national organizations he has belonged to, Mr. Garinger is currently on the executive of the Canadian Association for School System Administrators and is a founding member of the Canadian School Mental Health Leadership Network.

Darren McKee, Executive Director Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA)
Darren McKee is originally from O-Chi-Cha-Ko-Sipi First Nation in the Interlake region of Manitoba, but completed his formal schooling in Saskatchewan. Darren has a B.Ed. (with Distinction) and M.Ed. from the University of Saskatchewan and has been a classroom teacher, in-school administrator, Superintendent and Director of Education.

Darren served for a number of years with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education as a Superintendent, Director, Executive Director and Assistant Deputy Minister. In 2011, he became the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association. Darren has presented at a number of national and international conferences on leadership and Aboriginal education and currently sits on a number of national boards including C-21 Canada; Canadian Education Association (Council Member); and, the National Selection Committee with INAC.  He also is the Board Chair for the United Way Regina.

Darren’s knowledge and experience makes him a highly sought-after coach, consultant and speaker. Specifically, Darren provides these services in the area of education, government, First Nations or Indigenous peoples relating to change, leadership, relations and strategic directions.

Darren has completed the following: Leadership Training and Development through the University of Saskatchewan; Crucial Conversations; Expedition Coaching (Certification in Progress); and, Kouses & Posner Leadership Practices Inventory.  Darren has been recognized with various awards and achievements including Valedictorian of the College of Education (First Indigenous person), Promising New Professional IPAC, and recently inducted to the Wall of Honour at the University of Saskatchewan College of Education in Indigenous Initiatives. Most recently Darren was awarded the “QuantumShift Fellows Community Leadership Grant” upon successful completion of the Community Shift Program at the Ivey Academy.

Perhaps Darren’s greatest accomplishment is the raising of his three beautiful daughters and his relationship with his partner Ivy, without whom all of this would not be possible or relevant. 

Ian Krips, Associate Executive Director, Educational Leadership, Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation 
Ian Krips worked for Saskatoon Public Schools for 16 years teaching secondary Music, English and Creative Writing.  Ian was Associate Director of the Saskatchewan Professional Development Unit from 2006-2012 and has facilitated professional development opportunities throughout Saskatchewan and internationally. 

In 2013, Ian joined the Senior Administrative Staff of the STF and worked in the areas of labour relations, governance and initiatives in support of teacher professionalism and professional growth.

In 2017, Ian was given the opportunity to develop the Professional Issues portfolio which coordinates Federation work relating to teacher professionalism, professional growth, codes of conduct and ethics, new teacher supports, principalship supports, social justice programming, educational accountability and trends in education affecting teacher professionalism and practice.

In October 2019, Ian was appointed Associate Executive Director, Educational Leadership.

Moderator and Host:

Dr. Keith Walker, Professor, Educational Administration, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan
Keith Walker is a professor in the Department of Educational Administration. His academic interests, expertise, and activity revolve around executive leadership, organizational development, positive organizational studies, governance, and applied ethics in education, public administration, and not-for-profit sectors.  He most identifies with his roles as husband, father, grand-father, teacher-scholar, apprentice, colleague, mentor, and friend.  Keith is married to Viv (M.D., C.C.F.P., P.C.), who works as a physician (family and palliative medicine). His formal education has been in several disciplines and fields of study, including physical education, theology, philosophy, education, and educational administration (B.P.E., B.Ed., M.Ed., Ph.D., Dip C.S., D.D. (honoris causa)).

Brad Nichol

Eventually all leaders need to provide feedback to colleagues, peers, and individuals. Yet, providing feedback is not a natural skill set for many people and can be become a point of stress and anxiousness as much for those who receive it as it is for those who provide it. Good feedback is a necessary and important step in workplace leadership and can be a source of improved outcomes, strengthened relationships and healthy workplace cultures. This session will explore some models for providing feedback and identify some good resources for learning more about conversations that matter.

spsc/direct-conversations.pdf

Celia Deschambault

This session will allow you to see an overview of how to incorporate onasawēwina (laws) and values as a foundation of education. This session will allow you to see theory into practice and provides an alternative to planning for Indigenous students.