Staff at C. P. Blakely School are seeing lots of growth, according to Acting Principal Anne Frey.
Their student population was over 400 last Thursday, up from 370 the previous year. The Kindergarten class has grown to 82 students, up from 59.
Frey, who will also be involved in special education, is joined on the administrative staff by Acting Vice Principal Jeff Renfrew who will also continue teaching music.
Principal Trevor Sanche is working on a special project for Chinook’s Edge School Division during the next year, she said.
Staff members are looking forward to continuing collaborative learning and strengthening practices around literacy, supporting families with literacy, Frey said.
They’ll also continue to provide a variety of fine arts activities as well as great programs like Go Girls and an expanded program for boys. Both are for Grade 5 students.
Otherwise it’s just steering the course they were on last year.
New to the teaching staff at C. P. Blakely are Michelle Natusch, Cara Penman and Janet Stoesz.
Michelle Natusch will be teaching inclusive special education, physical education and French.
Her previous experience included resource room and Kindergarten to Grade 6 at Eckville, special education teacher in Lacombe and outreach teacher in Rimbey.
She earned her Bachelor of Education with distinction from the University of Alberta with a major in elementary education and minor in special education.
A resident of Eckville she’s married with three wonderful kids and a dog.
Volunteer activities include soccer and Sunday School.
Cara Penman is teaching Grade 3 students. A resident of Sylvan Lake, she’s married with three children who attend C. P. Blakely, Fox Run and H. J. Cody.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts with a major in music and After Education Degree from Concordia University College of Alberta.
She’s previously taught with Peel School Board in Mississauga, Ontario and Edmonton Public Schools.
Air Cadets and Camp Kannawin are among her volunteer activities. She was a polar dipper in support of Air Cadets earlier this year.
Janet Stoesz is teaching Grade 4 students. She’s been a substitute teacher with Chinook’s Edge School Division for the past six years and prior to that taught Grade 5 in Saskatchewan for two years.
She earned a Bachelor of General Studies and Bachelor of Education After Degree from Brandon University.
A resident of Sylvan Lake for the past 10 years, her husband owns his own business in town. Her son started at École Fox Run School this year and her daughter is in her last year at C. P. Blakely School.
Among her volunteer activities is helping with the Family Education Support program at Sylvan Lake and Area Community Partners Association.