September 17th was the Grand Opening of the new K-9 school.
The name was chosen in reflection to the wetlands west and north of the school, a future outdoor learning space for students. Existing property setbacks ensure this natural area will remain to provide an environmental legacy.
The school will be home to approximately 900 students.
Foothills School Division is pleased to announce Mrs. Rebecca Forchuk as the inaugural Principal of our newest K-9 school in Okotoks opening in September 2019.
Mrs. Forchuk earned her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Lethbridge. In 2011 she completed her Masters of Education (School Administration) degree from the University of Gonzaga.
Rebecca began her teaching career with Northern Gateway School Division at the middle school where she gained experience in diverse grade levels and subject areas. She joined the Foothills family in 2006 as a teacher and Instructional Coach at École Okotoks Junior High School. In 2009, Rebecca embarked on her administrative career as a Vice-Principal at C. Ian McLaren School before transferring to Red Deer Lake School as the Vice-Principal. Since 2012, Rebecca has been the Director of Staff Development where she supports Teacher professional learning, Support Staff development and Administrator learning to build capacity of all staff to effectively meet the Provincial goals of education in all FSD schools. Her strong understanding of local, provincial and international systems will serve the students and families of FSD’s newest school well.
As a student-centered leader, Rebecca has nurtured collaborative learning cultures that are safe, caring and inclusive which focus on meaningful learning opportunities that engage all students. Rebecca collects information from her communities, listens carefully and considers all voices when designing next steps for learning. Rebecca believes “all kids can learn and it is our responsibility to ensure all kids do learn”. Indeed, students, staff, families and the broader school community can expect Rebecca to undertake fulsome community engagement as she plans for a successful opening and collaboratively cultivates a clear vision for learning in our newest school.
Assistant Superintendent Allen Davidson offers that “Rebecca Forchuk is a leader who has built a high level of trust with staff across our school system. We will definitely miss her leadership on our system team. At the same time, the students and families who attend our new school community will benefit from her breadth of knowledge, innovation, and relentless focus on ensuring every student gets what they need and is successful. We look forward to collaborating with Rebecca and all of our Okotoks Principals as we engage our entire Okotoks school community in bringing our new school into the FSD Family.”