The identity of the learner continues to evolve in a twenty-first century educational environment. According to McCormick and Davenport (2003), learning is "a way of thinking and doing and being”. The learning journey continues to evolve and unravel for our students, teachers and administrators. The one thing that I am certain about learning is that it is sometimes messy and often unpredictable. The point of balance that I continually reflect upon as an educator is that when we combine our head, heart and hands: learning is possible.
Who is the NEW Principal of Holy Spirit? Simply.....I am an energetic and passionate individual that gets life from serving others. Quality leadership is important and it starts with “learning is the work” and keeping the “best for students at the center” of all our goals and decision making. I am a visible leader that attempts to build trust and respect in a shared learning culture. I am a teacher!
The never ending cycle of learning allows me to try to build a solid foundation where staff and students love coming to school. It is important to promote a safe and caring community where innovation, collaboration and engagement drive the shared decision making. It is in my interest to inspire others to always do their very best work and have a unified direction and vision that allows us to be risk takers, experience failure, and support each other along the journey
My personal learning journey continues to evolve: after 17 years of teaching grades 4 to 12, 3 years as a educational technology consultant, 3 years as a vice principal, and recent completion of a masters program - I am excited to begin the next stage as principal. It is with great pleasure that I am joining the Holy Spirit K-6 school in Cochrane, AB. as part of Calgary Catholic School District. I come from a family that is proud of their learning journey within Calgary Catholic: My wife is a junior high teacher in Calgary while I have 2 daughters in grade 9 and 11 that enjoy their experiences in CCSD schools. “No authentic learning will take place without a connected relationship” (Theodore Roosevelt)
This statement builds the foundation of my professional and personal learning experiences. The root of my search for happiness and learning comes from the importance of my Faith, Family, Friends while maintain a sense of FUN along the way. It is very important to me that our faith is visible throughout the school connecting our learning to lessons and personal interactions. Holy Spirit has evolved educationally in many avenues over the past years and will continue to push forward. The school is very proud of their ability to deliver outstanding education while continuing to discover new ways to reach all of our students.
The twenty first century mandate for teachers, students and learning is to become more innovative “The heart of innovation is people, not stuff” (Couros, 2014)
We are in the business of developing, nurturing, and sustaining positive relationships with people. One thing we know for sure, learning is a social event that comes through sharing, discussing, debating, and exploring with others. Without significant relationships, learning can and will be limited. It is with our Head, Heart and Hands that we will develop a rich and engaging school community where students find the excitement and meaning to their learning journey.
Over the course of the year, I plan on using this blog to Inform, Engage and Celebrate (CCSD - Chief Superintendent Gary Strother's motto) with the Holy Spirit community. I will try to connect the educational experiences of the school with the mandate of the District and province.
FYI - We are incredibly excited to welcome back Kirk Linton as the vice principal and we have hired new staff to support your children. We would like to use our Holy Spirit Website in combination with Facebook and Twitter to provide our community with up to date information and insight into the daily life at Holy Spirit. Also, look for a weekly "Spirit Speaks" newsletter to provide a snapshot into the week ahead and any other school related information. The start of the school year is upon us..... it is a time to connect and grow. We will use our Head, Hearts and Hands to discover new learning and live the CCSD faith theme of "Do Justice, Love Kindness and Walk Humbly with God".
Greg Woitas
Principal: Holy Spirit
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