International experience mixes with familiarity for Millarville Community School’s principal.
Karla Davis stepped into the role this year, after several years in the vice-principal's seat. She has been at the school for over a decade and has 26 years of teaching experience.
Having taught internationally in Zimbabwe and South Africa, Davis uses that experience at the Millarville school, the only International Baccalaureate (IB) school in the Foothills School Division. Students in the kindergarten to Grade 8 school go through the primary years IB program and learn to be part of the global community.
“We have a kind of a global awareness and international mindedness that we try to do with all our learning,” Davis said.
A teaching principal, Davis currently teaches Grade 5 students and said being in the classroom helps her stay current.
“Sometimes, you have to be a little flexible, but I like it,” she said. “I know what's going on in classrooms.
"I'm trying to do the same things the teachers are doing.”
Teaching during the pandemic was an odd time for the school, and she is excited to see things becoming more hands-on again.
“We're so used to having the parents and the community in the school, learning with the kids, that it was a very different time for us," she said.
Parents are being encouraged to visit the school again, she said, and it's fun to be back in the classroom.
“The ‘community' is back in Millarville Community School,” Davis said.
The momentum and excitement around the school means there couldn’t be a better time to move into the role of school principal.
“This is a beautiful time to take a transition into the role of principal and open the doors again and start learning with the community,” she said.
The school is a big part of the community. She said everybody goes to its Christmas concert.
“It’s a tradition," she said. "People come, who don’t even have kids in the school.”
During the pandemic, the school became more reliant on technology, and Davis plans to continue using it to supplement what is done in the classroom.
For example, there are a couple of students in rodeo who are sometimes away from class.
“They can still go to the Google Classroom, they can still participate in the rodeo, they can still see what we did in class,” she said.
The number one wish-list item at the school is a new playground, and fundraising has been going to make it a reality.
“Our playground is the oldest one in the division,” Davis said. “We have to raise a lot of money to put in new equipment.”
