The Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division prepared for the start of the 2016-17 school year by hosting activities over the span of several days in late August.
Director of education Gwen Keith said the activities started with a principal’s retreat at Kenosee on Aug. 25, with an emphasis on team building, and a plan for where they are going within the context of Catholic leadership.
The next event was a system leadership day at St. Michael’s School in Weyburn on Aug. 28. The focus of the day was on inquiring.
“This was another piece of putting further skill sets into the tool boxes of our teachers around pedagogy, so that was exciting,” said Keith.
A division faith day was held on Aug. 29 at St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church and at McKenna Hall, both in Weyburn. Archbishop Donald Bolen came down from Regina for a mass at the church.
Bolen and Lyndon Linklater from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner’s Speakers Bureau were among the speakers that day, Keith said, placing an emphasis on reconciliation.
The final event was a co-convention day at Sacred Heart School/École Sacré Coeur in Estevan on Aug. 30. The theme was Building Holy Family School Communities.
“The whole theme for this year is about we are community, and a community of learners, a community of leaders, a community that is one, and so we, in that exciting type of pathway, the leaders created a personal commitment and promises for this year,” said Keith.
The new teachers for Holy Family were inducted into the Holy Family Teachers’ Association and the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF). STF representatives Mark Eggleston and Fay Humbert with the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation spoke to the teachers in small group sessions.
Celeste York, an education services planning consultant, discussed navigating generational dynamics.
“She made people of mindful of the fact that you’re serving a number of different generations when you are in education, especially when you think about parents, teachers and all the different groups that we serve,” said Keith.
There were lots of good stories shared each day, Keith said, and the activities helped the teachers get excited for the return of school.
“There’s nothing quite like having everybody at the opening mass,” said Keith. “It’s just like chickens in the hen house. Everybody’s excited to be back, and that feeling of energy is in the room when we go together and worship together.”
Attendance for all of the events was excellent, she said. All principals, vice-principals and administrative staff were at the retreat in Kenosee. And she believes all of the teachers were at the get-togethers in Weyburn on Aug. 28 and Estevan on Aug. 30.
Keith said she loves to see these events every year. They create engagement among the staff and teachers, particularly since they’re talking about the value of community.
“To have a faith day, and to have everyone there, it feels like you’re part of a bigger team,” said Keith. “You feel important. You don’t feel like you’re an island unto yourself.”
Holy Family can’t talk about being a team if the division doesn’t do anything to build that team spirit.
The first day of classes for schools in Estevan was Sept. 5.
