Wednesday, July 2

 

Ian Krips, Associate Executive Director, Educational Leadership, Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF)

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.

Brad Nichol, Representative, League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents (LEADS)

Brad is the Learning Superintendent with Prairie Spirit School Division.  In addition to supporting principals and vice principals across our school division through the Admin Planning Team and our Administrative Leadership Team, it is my great privilege to hold the portfolio for Indigenous Perspectives, Partnerships and Outcomes.  I have worked in education in three provinces, numerous schools and grade levels, and have 10 years of experience as a school principal.  I am very excited to be learning alongside so many great people at this year’s SPSC.

Lydia Sunchild, Director of Education, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN)

Lydia Sunchild is a nêhiyaw iskwew, mother, and proud member of the Thunderchild First Nation, located in the Treaty 6 Territory. Growing up, Sunchild learned about the importance of how to walk with her traditional teachings as an educator, administrator, author, and advocate of Indigenous education.

As a parent, she remains strongly connected to her culture and is firmly rooted in community practices that aim to nourish her holistic teaching approaches, and practices.

Sunchild graduated from the Indian Teacher Education Program (ITEP), in 2010 and received a Master of Education in 2019, with a focus on ITEP's Leadership and Organization, from the University of Saskatchewan.

Lydia is currently the Director of Education at the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Sunchild recently published her first academic journal article with Sage Journals based on a collaborative self-study, which detailed her journey in relationship-building informed by an Indigenous Research paradigm. Her work has led her to become a sessional lecturer for the First Nations University of Canada and Niagara University, in Ontario.

Sunchild remains dedicated to enhancing First Nations education and strives toward inspire the next generation of youth and future educators.

Jill Welke, Director of Communicares and Strategic Services, Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA)

 

 

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Our sessions will lead participants through a "day in the life" conversation of two perspectives of leadership: urban and rural. The overarching topics for discussion will be related to the following:

  1. School Culture
  2. Instructional Leadership
  3.  Student Support
  4. Parent and Community Engagement
  5. School Safety and Security
  6. Leading School-based Professional Development
  7. Communication and Leadership
Bio: Arlene is currently the principal of Loreburn Central School, a small K-12 school located in Sun West School Division. Her role as an educator has allowed her a variety of career opportunities that range from high school classroom teacher, learning coach and consultant, Vice Principal of the Distance Learning Centre (currently known as SaskDLC). She has a passion for innovative practices that relate to Instructional Leadership.  In her spare time, she loves directing plays, camping and live music!  

Bio: Tricia Erlendson has been an administrator in the Regina Catholic School Division, since 2011. Community Education holds a special place in her heart and collaborating with teachers to support students fills her bucket. Tricia is the principal at Deshaye School in Regina, the 10th school in her teaching career.

 

Thursday, July 3

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Friday, July 4

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Impact Session Descriptions

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Description: Being vulnerable and taking time to build a strong foundation helps to nurture the change you want to see in your school.  As leaders, we really have to think about who we are, who we want to be, how we want to work with our staff.

Bio: Tansi, my name is Jackie Durocher, an Indigenous Educator, leader and advocate for Northern Saskatchewan. I am a proud member of Lac La Ronge Band and Buffalo Narrows is my home community. My two children and 4 Grandchildren are what drive my passions in creating a better Saskatchewan for them and future generations.

For the past 32 years, I have navigated the education system in Northern Lights School Division #113. Serving in diverse capacities ranging from elementary teacher, Principal, and currently serving as the Superintendent of Education. I have served over 14 communities in Northern Saskatchewan in the past 7 years. My passion for education is rooted in Mental Health Education and the Decolonization of Education.

Description: Dr. Sawchuk will lead participants through a series of perspectives on parent and family engagement.  Participants will develop skills in developing their own framework to work with community to support learning outcomes for students.  Family, school, and leadership components of family engagement will be explored based on both research and practice.  The four articles that this presentation is based upon are attached for participants' consideration. 

Bio: I am a researcher interested in anything to do with education, building community, and the social determinants of health. I am a social justice theorist and a mixed methodologist. I completed my master’s with a thesis in Curriculum Studies at the U of S and recently completed a Ph D in Health Sciences from the College of Medicine.
For the last 34 years I have worked in the context of elementary schools while going back to university. I have been a school-based administrator for the last 22 years. My husband Barry and I have five daughters in a blended family, a grandson, and I can’t forget our dog, Daisy!

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Description: The session will overview the role of a school principal when managing fundraising revenues and school-based funds. We will also discuss the types of fundraisers that are acceptable and how to manage public perceptions when requesting funds.

Bio: Joel Lloyd joined Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools in 2013 in the position of Chief Financial Officer and Information Technology. In his role, he has executive responsibility for the school division’s finances, facilities, transportation, payroll, insurance, and legal matters. Joel has always promoted transparency in school finances and the prioritization of funding to support classrooms whenever possible. Prior to joining Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, he worked for Living Sky School Division and Light of Christ School Division which are both located in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Joel resides in Saskatoon, with his wife Ashley and two children, Maya and Hudson. When not working, Joel can be found at his family cabin, the rink, or the ballpark.

Description: "From Classroom to Office: Navigating Your First Year as a Principal" is designed to equip new school leaders with the essential strategies and insights needed for a successful first year. This session covers setting a vision, building relationships, managing time effectively, and addressing common challenges, to ensure a smooth transition into your principalship role.

Bio: Dallas Puto (B.Ed. M.Ed.) is a retired high school & elementary school principal in Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools and Red Deer Catholic Schools. He has also served as an Executive Director for a non-profit and an Educational Advisor for the WHL. Raised on a farm near Hafford, SK, Dallas now works as a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan, as a consultant and copywriter.

Description: This session will focus on graduate programs in educational administration (leadership) in the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Newton will speak about the value of graduate education in the career development of school leaders, outline the different graduate programs of the department, and answer questions participants might have about graduate degrees, admission, and graduate-level acadmic expectations. This session will present information about the Master’s programs (course-based and thesis), the Indigenous Educational Leadership Cohort (IELC), the Doctor of Education (EdD), and Phd Program in the department.

Bio: Dr. Paul Newton is Professor and Department Head in the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Saskatchewan. Formerly, he was an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta and a rural school principal in Saskatchewan, Canada. He serves as editor in Chief of the Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy and is Past President of the Canadian Association for the Study of Educational Administration. His research interests include administrative practices, the principalship, sustainability and social justice in schools, educational improvement, teacher leadership, and theoretical constructions of leadership and administration.

Description:  Learn about how a request from Boards of Education for a resource to support at all levels, strategic improvement planning in Indigenous education resulted in the creation of the Indigenous Education Responsibility Framework. This session also provides an overview of Indigenous education in the provincial education system. Topics and linkages covered include:  the Government of Saskatchewan’s

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Bio: Susan Plant began her career in education in Meadow Lake in 1997. She has over 15 years of instructional leadership experiences as a school administrator, math catalyst teacher and learning coach.  She holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and has conducted research on effectively supporting the professional development and growth of teachers through a research grant from the McDowell Foundation. Currently serving as Superintendent of Learning for the North East School Division, she works with an amazing team of leaders to support learning and assessment. She balances her work life completing home improvement projects with her husband, golfing with her family and enjoying her new grandson!

Description: 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.

Bio: I get to be a Learning Superintendent with Prairie Spirit School Division.  In addition to supporting principals and vice principals across our school division through the Admin Planning Team and our Administrative Leadership Team, it is my great privilege to hold the portfolio for Indigenous Perspectives, Partnerships and Outcomes.  I have worked in education in three provinces, numerous schools and grade levels, and have 10 years of experience as a school principal.  I am very excited to be learning alongside so many great people at this year’s SPSC.

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Description: How can you create conditions for teachers to thrive? This session explores collaborative leadership strategies that harness educators' unique strengths to drive professional growth and improve student outcomes. Through interactive discussions and case studies, participants will gain insights into effective communication techniques, mentorship, peer coaching, and aligning professional development with teachers' innate abilities. Get ideas to form/transform your leadership approach, support teacher potential, and cultivate a vibrant, collaborative school community.
Bio: I have the privilege of being a Superintendent of Schools with Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division.  In this role I get to support our school-based leadership teams here in our division as well as develop community engagement and communications at the division level.  I have spent most of my career in education in Alberta having taught and been a school-based administrator in two divisions there. I have a passion for creating compassionate learning communities in the spaces I serve and completed my Doctoral research in this topic using Integral Theory.   I moved to Prince Albert in 2022 to join the incredible work being done in Sask Rivers and to be able to live and play in both the prairies and the forest. 

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Bio: Amy Orth has been an educator for 20 years, working in a number of rural communities.  She is currently the principal at Aberdeen Composite School and was recently elected as a member of the STF provincial executive.  Amy is passionate about adult learning, public education and leadership.  In her spare time, she can be found making snacks for the small people that live with her.