Go west, and help young students learn.
Foothills School Division’s new superintendent, Chris Fuzessy, headed west after serving as regional director of schools at the Lester B. Pearson School Board in Montreal.
“There’s a tradition of excellence in Alberta education and I wanted to be part of that professionally,” Fuzessy said. “And we as a family wanted to settle in the west eventually.
“This was an area we had looked at as a family for a number of years.”
The family has made the move and have settled in Okotoks – the Fuzessy children enrolled at FSD schools.
The francophone Fuzessy has a master’s of arts degree in educational studies from Concordia University and a doctorate of philosophy, curriculum, teaching and learning from the University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
It was a long-time returning to the Wild Rose Province for Fuzessy who came to the province in his early 20s working in the Jasper area.
“My friend and myself got a VIA Rail pass and ended up in Jasper, working at Maligne Lake. I spent about eight or nine months in Alberta and I have had a calling to come back to the mountains ever since then,” he said.
While excited to start his new position, it will be as challenging as trying to travel in Alberta by rail these days.
“One of the challenges for me is the learning curve, learning about the provincial context,” he said. “I have been learning about the upcoming changes to the Education Act – I will be reading it again…Situating myself in the context of Alberta Education and the culture and traditions of the Foothills School Division and learning about the communities we serve.”
One of his top priorities is to visit each of the schools in the division as soon as possible.
“Walk through every school to get to know the different communities we work with, to get a sense or where we are as an organization and to build a vision together,” said Fuzessy, who took over the reins of the division from Pam Rannelli in June.
“Part of that includes those changes that are on hold right now. Perhaps curricular changes are coming from Alberta Education. We would like to be ahead of the curve on that.
“Look at concept-based instruction and start working with our teams to start bringing that approach. It’s started to a certain extent, but continue to bring that approach to the schools and learn more about it collectively… so we can be ready if and when those changes do come.”
There has been a change to the provincial government from the NDP to the UCP since Fuzessy applied for the job with some of the finer points of the Education Act being passed in mid August.
“We need to look are we in alignment with our policies, are we in alignment with our administrative procedures?” Fuzessy said. “The regulations were finalized, and we are still acquainting ourselves with those changes, talking to our trustee team about what would our process be in terms of policy changes.”
He said the division has been assured by Alberta Education there is an understanding the policy process can play out within the division.
He added the division, like all divisions, across Alberta, are waiting for the provincial budget to be announced in the fall.
Fuzessy said he could not speculate on the budget but said the division will work as a team to make any adjustments.
The welcome mat has been laid out for the Fuzessy family in Okotoks and at the division.
“Without question the people that we have met have been welcoming, kind, helpful, it’s a different dynamic,” Fuzessy said. “It’s a bit of slower pace where people will take time to give you advice – point out who the best vet might be was one example.
“Professionally, it’s a very collegial environment with really a deep and enthusiastic commitment to improving student learning on an ongoing basis.”
