Being the first principal at a new school isn’t as glamourous as it sounds.
Rebecca Forchuk had to forego the professional look of maybe slacks and a blouse for a gym shirt and tights on Aug. 21 as she had a day of unpacking boxes and getting things ready for Meadow Ridge School’s first day of school next week.
“This is the first day for our secretaries and office administration being back, and we still have deliveries — so I never know what could be happening,” Forchuk said with a laugh about her attire.
It’s back to being in a school for Forchuk, who has worked in the Foothills School Division office as director of staff development prior to taking the principal’s duties at Meadow Ridge.
"I loved the work I did as a director, I got to learn a lot by being in all of our schools,” said Forchuk, who earned her master’s degree in education from Gonzaga. “But what I did miss was the connection with students and I missed having a staff to work with, the same group of teachers every day.
“Because I live in Okotoks, I miss being part of the Okotoks community in that sense — knowing the kids.”
She had been a vice-principal at Red Deer Lake School and C. I. McLaren School prior to moving to division office.
Although the new school looks spectacular, the most important aspect of a school is the students and then the teachers.
It looks like Meadow Ridge will have plenty of both.
There were 514 students registered at the Kindergarten to Grade 8 school as of Aug. 21.
As for staffing for the school, the division had an Alberta Fish and Wildlife approach for Forchuk — “No poaching.”
Forchuk, who started as full-time principal in March, wasn’t allowed to go LeBron-James like and try to build an all-star team at the shiny new school.
“We needed people who had to be flexible, that at this point we might have them switch grades with (student) numbers fluctuating,” Forchuk said.
Several of the teachers are coming from Okotoks schools, as Meadow Ridge is being filled by Okotoks students – helping to right size Okotoks schools.
“Because the building is so different and it is a different philosophy we wanted teachers who are open to trying something different,” Forchuk said. “Every teacher that is here applied, there were no transfers.”
Like a child going to his or her first day of school, Forchuk is a touch antsy.
“Am I nervous? No, I’m excited,” she said with a laugh. “There are always things that you are going to run into that you never thought of.
“But Fred (vice-principal Fred Woods) has a lot of experience and being a former director I have a strong connections with the FAA (Foothills Administrators Association) group, strong collaborative with other admin in Okotoks.
“I’m ready.”
Meadow Ridge School has an open house for families to tour the new facility on Aug. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Staggered start
The first days at Meadow Ridge School will have a staggered start. On Sept. 3 it will be Grade 5 to Grade 8 and half of the kindergarten. On Sept. 4 it will the other half of kindergarten and Grade 1 to 4.
On Sept. 5-6 all the students will be there.
“We will see if we have to make adjustments, what do we need to do and do the best we can,” Forchuk said.
The school will also open its doors earlier.
