The Board of Trustees of Palliser Regional Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Cynthia Gietz as Director of Learning
for the 2014-15 school year.
Gietz has served as Palliser’s Co-ordinating Principal of School Development for the past two years, overseeing the division’s literacy focus, school review process and sharing responsibility for supporting school administrators with their annual school goals.
“In this new role, I’m looking forward to continuing the important work of supporting student literacy and school improvement,” Gietz said.
Prior to joining Central Office as Co-ordinating Principal, she served as principal of R.I. Baker Middle School in Coaldale for three years, and was vice-principal prior to that. She has been part of the Palliser Regional Schools’ team for more than 20 years. In 2006, Gietz obtained her master’s degree from the University of Lethbridge, specializing in educational leadership.
Gietz was selected following a recruitment effort facilitated by education consultant Dr. Leroy Sloan. The competition was decided by a committee of five Board trustees, who took over the interview and hiring process after Superintendent Kevin Gietz declared a conflict of interest at the outset of the competition. The Board interviewed several candidates who had applied for one or
both of two director level positions available in Central Office — Director of Learning and Director of Human Resources. Filling these two vacancies will bring Central Office staffing back to the four directors it last had in the 2011-12 school year.
“Cynthia has done some excellent work for Palliser in leading our literacy efforts and, in particular, in facilitating school reviews across the division,” said Board Chair Colleen Deitz. “We’re looking forward to continuing to work with her in this new role.”
Outside of school, Gietz enjoys travelling, reading and playing accordion. She has two daughters: Claire, who recently completed her second year at the University of Lethbridge; and Evyn, who attends a Lethbridge high school.