ATHABASCA – Aspen View students are going to see some new faces in the hallway when they resume classes in September.
Outside of the usual teacher turnover, two changes at the administrative level mean parents will be dealing with some new principals this fall.
Long-time Landing Trail Intermediate School teacher and principal Joe McIsaac will be taking on the role of director of curriculum and student achievement at Aspen View after spending the last 30 years at the elementary school.
During his time at LTIS, MacIsaac picked up some admin experience, including a role overseeing second languages from 2005 to 2015, work on the math curriculum and assessment team form 2010-2015, and a four-year stint helping Alberta Education with Provincial Achievement Test development and assessment from 2006-2010.
“I consider myself a quick and agile learner with excellent communication skills, who has a clear vision of how to effectively collaborate with stakeholders to implement key priorities,” said MacIsaac in a late June press release.
“I am keen to deepen my knowledge regarding the unique culture of each school and to use my expertise to help each school improve and to thrive in accordance with Aspen View’s three core priorities.”
During his own time at school, MacIsaac got his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta and the University of Ottawa, and a Bachelor and Master of Education from the University of Alberta.
Replacing MacIsaac will be Elizabeth Siemens, whose work at Rochester School over the past 11 years, including the last six as the principal, leaves her well-suited for the role.
“I am deeply committed to helping every student reach their full potential by providing meaningful experiences and rich learning opportunities,” said Siemens.
“I believe this is best achieved when a school functions as a cohesive team, where staff and community collaborate with a shared purpose and dedication to student success.”
Rochester School will not be re-opening in the fall after trustees voted to close the school due to low attendance two years ago.
Prior to her time at Rochester, Siemens worked at Pembina Hills at both R.F Staples School, as well as the now-closed Alberta Distance Learning Centre.
She holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Edmonton, as well as a Bachelor of Science and as a Master of Education degree from the University of Calgary.
