Holy Spirit Catholic School Division is pleased to announce that the following individuals have accepted new roles in our division for the 2022/2023 school year.
June 16, 2022 Release
Josh Gatner, Associate Principal, St. Catherine School, Picture Butte
Mr. Gatner has been in education for 23 years and has served the St. Catherine’s School community since returning to southern Alberta in 2006. Teaching a multitude of subjects at the junior high level, Josh is known for being a quiet leader who both supports and builds Catholic community at the school. While he is very excited about the new challenges this position will bring, he is pleased that he will still have the opportunity to teach and remain closely connected to his students and their families.
June 9, 2022 Release
Kristy Ruaben, Principal, Trinity E-Learning School
Kristy has served the community of St. Catherine School in Picture Butte since 2013. With her extensive experience in online course development and implementation, she is looking forward to continuing her career as the next Principal of Trinity E-Learning School, though she will certainly miss her St. Catherine's family! “Relationships are so important in any school, but become even more imperative in an alternative education environment. I’m looking forward to building those connections with staff, students, and families. I feel so blessed that I have the opportunity to help develop a strong online education program within the school division.”
May 20, 2022 Release
Jill Weatherhead, Associate Principal, St. Michael's School, Bow Island
A long time resident of Bow Island, Mrs. Weatherhead has been an educator in the region for over 15 years and an integral part of St. Michael’s School for the past 8 years, serving as both an Inclusive Education Liaison and classroom teacher. She is passionate about rural revitalization and believes strongly in the importance of choice, faith-based and local education for all children. Committed to professional growth, she is looking forward to beginning her Masters of Educational Leadership with the University of Lethbridge this coming summer.
May 12, 2022 Release
Mark DeJong, Principal, St. Michael's School, Bow Island & St. Mary School, Taber
Mr. Mark DeJong has agreed to serve as Principal for both St. Michael’s School in Bow Island, as well as St. Mary’s School in Taber. Mr. DeJong has been a leader with Holy Spirit Catholic School Division since becoming Associate Principal at St. Mary’s School in 2017. He took on the role of Principal at that school in 2020 and continues to demonstrate a desire for innovation and a true commitment to excellence in Catholic Education that will unquestionably benefit both school communities.
April 29, 2022 Release
Daniel Vanden Dungen, Principal, St. Catherine School, Picture Butte
Mr. Vanden Dungen has agreed to serve as Principal of St. Catherine School in Picture Butte for the upcoming school year. Mr. Vanden Dungen brings 30 years of educational experience to this role and has served the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division for the past two years, working as the Associate Principal of St. Mary’s School in Taber before becoming the first Principal of the division’s new Trinity E-Learning School.
April 6, 2022 Release
Carla Ferrari, Associate Principal, St. Patrick Fine Arts School, Lethbridge
A teacher at St. Patrick’s Fine School in Lethbridge since 2004, Ms. Ferrari uses her background in art and CTS to imbue creativity and faith in her lessons. Having completed her Master of Education in Leadership and Administration from Gonzaga University in 2009, Carla is looking forward to expanding her leadership capacity while continuing to serve the school community.
Bruce Gal, Associate Principal, St. Joseph School, Coaldale
Bruce began his teaching career with Holy Spirit Catholic School Division in 1999 at St. Joseph School in Coaldale. Over the past 23 years he has taught multiple grades and subjects, coached volleyball, and organized various faith-based social justice projects. He is known in the community as an educational leader who provides unique learning opportunities to his students.
Justin Harper, Associate Principal, École St.Mary, Lethbridge
After completing his Bachelor of Science and Education from the University of Lethbridge in 2009, Mr. Harper had the opportunity to teach a variety of grades from elementary to high school in Fort Macleod, Picture Butte, and Nobleford. He accepted a position teaching math and science at St. Francis Junior High School in Lethbridge in 2015 and has been very involved in curriculum development over the past 6 years. In 2021 he applied to the University of Lethbridge to pursue a Masters in Educational Leadership program that will begin this summer, and he is very excited about working with the amazing community at Ecole St. Mary this coming September.
February 28, 2022 Release
Kiera Bouchard, Principal, École St.Mary, Lethbridge
An educator since 2005, Kiera gained experience in a variety of educational settings before beginning her career with Holy Spirit Catholic School Division in 2009 as French Immersion teacher at École St. Mary. She accepted the role as the school’s Associate Principal in 2018 and looks forward to serving as Principal this upcoming school year, noting, "I feel honoured and blessed to continue to journey with such incredible students, staff, and families."
View the Press Release, "Principal of École St. Mary Announced."
Brent Christensen, Principal, St. Joseph School, Coaldale
Brent began his teaching career in Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, serving the community of St. Mary in Taber in 2005 before joining Catholic Central High School as a science teacher and coach in 2006. He later accepted the role of Associate Principal at St. Joseph School in Coaldale in 2015 and will begin his tenure as Principal this coming August 2022. "I am so humbled to have the opportunity to continue my leadership journey at St. Joseph School.”
View the Press Release, "Principal of St. Joseph School Announced."
Joanne Collier, Learning Coach, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division
Mrs. Collier began her career by pursuing an accomplished music portfolio in voice performance. She received a Bachelors of Music Performance from the University of Manitoba in 1985 and went on to receive a Masters Degree in Music from the University of British Columbia in 1988. She later returned to the University of Lethbridge to attain her Bachelors of Education in 2012 and immediately began work for the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, first at Catholic Central High School and then at Children of St. Martha School. Joanne looks forward to using all of her past experience in her new role as Learning Coach, which will begin this August 2022.
Sheri Thomas, Coordinator of Early Learning, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division
Sheri Thomas started her educational career with Holy Spirit Catholic School Division in 1999, working as a teacher at St. Catherine School in Picture Butte. She entered administration in 2005 as St. Catherine School's Associate Principal and, in 2009, as Principal. In 2014, she moved to Lethbridge to serve as Principal of Children of St. Martha School. In 2017, Sheri sought a new challenge and accepted a position as Early Learning Lead Teacher, which recently evolved to become the Early Learning Program Coach. She is excited to take on the role of Coordinator of Early Learning this coming 2022/2023; ensuring the learning needs of the division's youngest children and providing new vision to the Early Learning Department as a whole.