Principal's Message

Welcome to the 2021-2022  School Year!!

I am looking forward to working with our school community this year. This is my second  year as Principal of Kathyrn School.

Over the past 20 years, I have worked in three communities in British Columbia as well as at Kathyrn School, Cochrane High School, Chestermere High School, Bert Church High School and Northcott Prairie School. My background is in Special Education and Elementary Education. I have had the opportunity to teach and support students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

I am proud of how our team of dedicated professionals have continued to rise to the challenge and used their collective creative strengths to plan a diverse educational experience that will meet two primary goals: safety and learning. Over the course of this year, we will need to use our collective strength and patience to adapt to ever-changing circumstances. We will need to rely on and support each other as a school community. Together, we will teach our students two important life skills: how to be resilient and how to manage change.

Kathyrn School has literally had generations of families go through its doors. Whether it was in the challenging times of the 1930's or today, the heart of this school has always been relationships. These relationships are developed through every day conversations and school community events that are held in non-COVID times. While we can't hold our traditional in-person events right now, it is the personal relationships (either in person or virtual) that will provide the fuel for the stories that students and staff bring home with them each day. These are the memories that will be carried by students into the future. As a school community, it is our job to make our students feel safe and cared for so that they still can make their own amazing memories despite the challenging times.

Kathyrn is an inclusive environment with a focus on literacy and numeracy, inquiry, and developing resiliency. We embrace diversity and personalize programs to meet the needs of each child. Technology is integrated into curricular areas and provides students with real life opportunities to realize their learning. This is a school and a community that has achieved so much in its history, and we will adapt and thrive as we continue to provide a rich and rewarding educational experience

There are a few additional items that I hope everyone can add to their school supply list this year: patience, flexibility, deep breaths, calmness, humour, cooperation, positivity, compassion, respect and kindness.

Wendy Ruzicka

Principal