We are pleased to announce that Tom Hamer has been appointed to the role of Associate Superintendent, Learning Services for Palliser Regional Schools commencing August 20, 2018.
Tom joined Palliser in August of 2014 as a Director of Learning. While he will maintain his responsibilities in the areas of technology and international students, Tom’s new role will also see him oversee all the school division’s Directors of Learning.
“I’m really looking forward to working with the Directors of Learning and developing that sense of team cohesion and partnership between the schools, the principals and Central Office,” he says. “My ideal goal is to have the students, communities and schools see Central Office as a support of what they do on a daily basis to encourage the best education possible for our children.”
Under his guidance, Palliser has seen considerable growth in the area of international students. Tom brought the program under the Palliser Beyond Borders umbrella and helped develop a Palliser brand to aid in recruitment. For the first time, Palliser students have the opportunity to gain even greater cultural awareness of the global stage as they will travel to, and be educated in, Japan and Chile.
Tom has spearheaded the updating of Palliser’s technology infrastructure, as the division moves to a 2-to-1 Chromebook ratio for students, and puts Chromebooks in the hands of all teachers. He has also brought in the transition to cloud-based Google apps for education.
Tom brought with him to Palliser a proven record of significant, measurable improvement in student achievement and leadership in technology integration and community engagement as a teacher, vice-principal and principal at an English language school in Cowansville, Que.
He led his school through a process of improvement “accomplished one student and one teacher at a time” that resulted in a dramatic rise in student achievement on provincial exams and graduation rates.
Tom and wife Debbie have two daughters, Makenzie and Bronwyn. The family enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking and skiing.
Congratulations, Tom!