A new school season has begun and here in School District 5, the board of Education has announced a few changes in their staffing throughout the region.
Chris Catherall has been promoted to principal for Steeples Elementary School (SES) and David Martin, the outgoing SES principal, has been appointed as principal for Gordon Terrace Elementary School (GTES).
Originally from Kamloops, Catherall has called Cranbrook home for most of his life, 23 years of which have been devoted to public education and 21 of those have been spent working in SD5. He most recently served as vice principal at Highland Elementary School.
“Steeples school is blessed with an exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate group of teachers and support staff,” Catherall said. “I look forward to working with them and adding my support to the amazing projects that are currently happening at the school. I’m also very excited to get to know the students and the rest of the school community.”
Beyond his passion for education, Catherall is also an avid outdoorsman who likes to camp and kayak and just generally get outside as much as he can.
Martin was born and raised in Kimberley and has 25 years of public education experience under his belt, with all but two of them spent with SD5.
Martin said that he looks forward to stepping into the new challenge of a larger school population.
“I’m excited to get to know the students, staff and parent community of Gordon Terrace and being a resource for teachers and support staff to continue all of the wonderful work that’s taking place there,” Martin said.
Martin, like Catherall, has a passion for the outdoors and loves to utilize all the camping, fishing and other outdoor activities his home of the East Kootenay has to offer.
As well as Catherall and Martin’s appointments, Highland Elementary School is also welcoming Christie Johnson as their new vice principal.
Johnson was born in Calgary but spent much of her youth growing up in Whitefish, MT. At 18 she came back to Canada and has been teaching within SD5 for 23 years.
“I’m excited to take on a leadership role; everyone has been so welcoming at the school, and I’m looking very forward to getting to know the students and school community, and working collaboratively with staff to support the wonderful work they are currently doing at Highlands,” Johnson said.
SD5 board chair Frank Lento said that Catherall, Martin and Johnson are all good fits for their respective new schools.
“Each school has its own unique culture,” Lento said. “This culture is taken into consideration whenever the Board appoints a new principal to a school. Chris and David are excellent additions to their schools.”
For a list of Cranbrook principals and vice principals for the 2019-2020 school year visit sd5.bc.ca/schools or contact the school in question directly.
