Palliser Regional Schools welcomes three new administrators to the division.
Joining Palliser in 2017-2018 as principal of Menno Simons Christian School in Calgary is Philip Knafla. Knafla completed his bacholor of science at the University of Calgary in 1998, and a bachelor of education, with a middle school focus, from the University of British Columbia in 1999. He earned his master of arts in leadership from Royal Roads University in Victoria in 2014.
His 18-year teaching career has been spent largely with the Calgary Board of Education where he taught junior high math, science and French, and later high school courses including math and marketing.
He isn’t entirely new to Palliser Regional Schools. His children attend Trinity Christian School, another of the division’s faith-based alternative programs.
Greg Thompson joins Palliser as vice-principal of Picture Butte High School.
Thompson earned his bachelor of education from the University of Saskatchewan in 1993, and his master’s degree from the University of Lethbridge in 2015. His 23 years of teaching included teaching middle and high school in Saskatchewan, Calgary and Taber. He has served as vice-principal of W.R. Myers High School in Taber for the past eight years.
Also new to Palliser school leadership is Kris Van Wieren, who will serve as vice-principal of Kate Andrews High School in Coaldale.
Van Wieren completed her education degree in biology and physical education at the University of Victoria in 2001. She completed a master of education degree in school leadership and administration from Gonzaga University in 2011.
She began her teaching career in Palliser at Picture Butte High School and Noble Central School in 2002 and 2003, respectively. She later joined Lethbridge School District No. 51, spending nine years as a learning support teacher in middle and high school and then as a classroom teacher.
All three positions are effective Aug. 28, 2017.