Enrolment at École H. J. Cody High School is at 640, about where they projected, said Principal Dave Elwood Tuesday.
That’s up 17 from last year. He added there were lots of new registrations — 62 students are new to the school. There are also four Japanese international students.
Grade 10 has the highest number of students at 179, while there are 142 in Grade 12, 157 in Grade 11 and 162 in Grade 9. “We’ve seen that coming for years,” he said of the huge class.
Asked about changes at the school, Elwood said they’re continuing from where they left off last year with teachers focusing on curriculum, assessment, new instructional strategies and personalization of learning.
“Once students start focusing on careers we can tailor their courses to suit them,” he said.
One of the tools that Jas Payne, who’s moved from the vice principalship to the role of counsellor, will use is called myBlueprint educational planner. By recording courses students are taking — the path they’re taking — the program shows the opportunities that are open at the end.
This gets them thinking about what ‘after high school’ looks like, showing them the importance of being successful in courses, said Elwood.
New to the teaching staff this year are Vice Principal Mike Garrow and teachers Tammy Chapman, Daphne Klopstra and Alana Routhier.
Mike Garrow is the vice principal for Grade 11 and 12 and is teaching Grade 11 math.
He’s been a resident of Sylvan Lake for the past six years with his wife Shauna and they have three children, sons Davin, 6 and Cowen, 4, and daughter Lila, 2.
His recent teaching experience has been at West Central High School in Rocky Mountain House, David Thompson High School near Condor and Eckville Junior Senior High School.
Garrow earned his Bachelor of Education at the University of Alberta and Master of Education at the University of Phoenix.
He’ll be involved in coaching some basketball and with the parent council as well as other administrative committees.
Tammy Chapman is teaching 10C math and Grade 9 science.
She’s a recent graduate of the Red Deer College collaborative middle years program of the University of Alberta.
She graduated from high school in Delburne and grew up in Elnora.
She did a practicum at Bowden Grandview School teaching Grade 9 science and math. As well, she was coordinator of Red Deer College’s science camps and in previous years served as an instructor at the camps. She also coached volleyball at Hunting Hills in 2009.
During the 2010-11 year she was Education Undergraduate Society Council president at Red Deer College.
Daphne Klopstra was born and raised in Sylvan Lake, the daughter of Bruce and Darla Bell and has three younger siblings.
She earned her Bachelor of Education from Canadian University College in Lacombe with an English specialization and music minor.
She’s been substitute teaching for the past two years and will be teaching Language Arts 9, Social Studies 9 and CALM 10 at Cody.
Volunteer activities have included ladies choir, education communications rep in college, and musical endeavours in choir and instrumental.
Alana Routhier is teaching Math 9, Science 9, Math 10-3, and Science 14.
She’s in her 17th year of teaching. Her career has included math, science, CALM and CTS teaching at Bowden, Innisfail, Calgary and Fort McMurray.
She resides in Markerville with husband Richard who’s a heavy duty mechanic at Finning and children Jessica, 9, who’s in the French Immersion program at École Steffie Woima Elementary School, Megan, 8, and Austin, 6.
She earned her Bachelor of Education in secondary and Bachelor of Science in math from the University of Alberta and Masters of Educational Leadership from the University of Calgary.
She’s been involved with Rotary, coaching 4-H and grad in the past.
More teacher introductions next week