Scott Stinson, the new superintendent for the Sooke School District, feels the District’s strategic plan has created a platform to build from to address its three main goals: learning, engagement and growth.
“The three areas of setting the learning agenda, supporting the growth in the District, and getting stronger. It excites me to be part of that,” Stinson said.
The strategic plan is a four-year plan that was in the planning stages last fall.
Stinson replaces Jim Cambridge, who announced his retirement last fall, and finished his post at the end of July.
The District wants to ensure teachers are in the best position to deliver specific curriculum requirements. The District will look at the curriculum agenda for students in kindergarten to Grade 8, assessment practices for kindergarten to Grade 9 students, shifts in the graduation program for students grades 10 to 12, and the grades 11 and 12 curriculum draft.
On the engagement front, the District will determine employee engagement with students and student engagement, done through satisfaction surveys. The trend is that student engagement drops as they get older, so the District will examine flexibility of the school system and how that appeals to student choice.
The long-range plan looks to put the District in a position towards long-term success and Stinson said the District will use the last school year as a resource to see what worked.
Stinson took his new post Aug. 1, after finishing six years as the assistant superintendent with the Saanich School District.
“The thing that really entices me is that my experience in Sooke [School District] a few years ago was such a positive one,” he said.
Stinson has worked throughout Greater Victoria for more than 30 years, including five years in the Sooke School District where he was the principal at David Cameron Elementary school in Langford and served as the District principal for student services.
Time has passed, but he still sees familiar faces from when he was last in SD62.
“Many of them are still around. It’s a strong starting point for us as a team,” he said.
He will draw on his years of experience for his new role while being mindful that each District’s culture is different. Within the last month, he’s experienced a collaborative approach at work.
“People are very engaged and willing to work together, which is a real strength for the school district and that extends to teachers and support staff,” he said. “Serving students in the best way possible, everyone has that in mind.”