ATHABASCA – When class starts back up at Whispering Hills Primary School (WHPS) in September, it will be with a new principal at the helm following the retirement of Lorna Anderson.
Shona Hunter will take over as principal for the 2023 year, while Sheena Garton will become assistant principal and Treena Michalski will be the new assistant principal at Landing Trail Intermediate School (LTIS). Anderson, who had been at WHPS since 2007-2008, said THIS
“I’m thrilled about the prospect of getting to know the students at WHPS,” said Hunter in a June 21 e-mail. “I’ve had a great experience teaching from Kindergarten to Grade 3, which has given me a real insight into how children in this age group learn and develop.”
Hunter has been with the Aspen View School Division since 2000 and started as a Kindergarten/Grade 1 teacher at Grassland School, before moving to LTIS to teach Grade 4 in 2005. She’s been the assistant principal at LTIS since 2015, which she said highlights the importance of balance in a school.
“My involvement in administration has given me the opportunity to work closely with staff, students, caregivers and community partners. Together we’ve been able to foster strong relationships and create an environment that really supports learning. I’ve come to realize just how important it is to strike a balance a school, always prioritizing academic learning while ensuring a harmonious atmosphere,” said Hunter, who has a Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Alberta.
Hunter will be joined in by Garton, who also got her start at Grassland where she taught from 2007-2011, before starting at WHPS in 2013. In between, she helped coordinate Aspen’s Alberta Initiative for School Improvement on from 2007 to 2013. In 2020 Garton served as the Inclusive Education Lead at WHPS and the Early Learning Services Coordinator for Aspen View this last year.
Garton also has a Bachelor of Education from the U of A and is nearing the completion of her master’s in educational research from the University of Calgary.
Michalski, who also started her Aspen View career at Grassland School, also taught at Edwin Parr Composite School, the Centre for Alternative and Virtual Education (CAVE), and most recently at LTIS, where she was teaching Grade 6.
Michalski, who had previously worked in the children’s services field, also holds a Bachelor’s in Education from the U of A, as well as a Bachelor of Management from the University of Lethbridge, and is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Educational Research from the U of C.
