Cheri Haberstock has mixed feelings about her new role as the principal of Spruce Ridge School.
Haberstock will move into the job at the start of September, replacing Doug Stallard, who is retiring after four years in the role, and 38 years as an educator and administrator in southeast Saskatchewan.
“I’m super, super excited to go over there and try something new and have a new challenge,” she told the Mercury.
But she’s “heartbroken” to be leaving the school that has been home for her for so long. Haberstock has been at Westview for 17 years, and has been the principal for nine. Before becoming principal, she spent three years as the vice-principal.
In 2017, she was selected as one of Canada’s outstanding principals for her work at the school.
Prior to going to Westview, her education career took her to a reserve in northern Manitoba, and then to Saskatoon, Midale Central School, and three schools in Estevan: Hillside, Hillcrest and finally the Estevan Junior High.
She expects the biggest difference between Westview and Spruce Ridge will be the size.
“Already I’ve been looking at time tabling and it’s more than twice as many teachers and twice as many students,” she said. “It’s the challenge of getting to know all of the new families and new kids. I’m very excited about it.”
Over the years, she has worked with the teachers at Spruce Ridge, so she believes she knows most of the staff. Current Spruce Ridge vice-principal Loni Hollingshead worked with Haberstock years ago when both moved from the junior high to Westview.
Meanwhile, she has taught many people who now have children who are students at Spruce Ridge.
“I will have that a little bit over at Spruce Ridge, but not as much as here.”
Spruce Ridge has a larger fleet of school buses, and it serves the rural students as well.
“It’s going to be very, very different, but it will be a nice change, too.”
Adam Wilson, who is the curriculum consultant for South East Cornerstone, has been hired as Haberstock’s replacement at Westview.
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