It’s my privilege to welcome you back from winter break. I hope you had time and space to rest, recharge and are ready to embrace the learning journey that awaits us.
As we begin the new calendar year, our Leadership team is embracing transition with a couple of significant changes occurring for the Executive team over the winter break. Monica Braniff stepped into the role of Deputy Superintendent, and we welcomed D’Arcy Deacon as an Associate Superintendent. D’Arcy will be the Associate Superintendent for middle and secondary schools and David Strange will be the Associate Superintendent for early learning and elementary schools. Finally, I stepped into the role of Superintendent when Scott Stinson retired on December 31.
I have had the pleasure of being part of the Sooke School District family since 1992 and now I embrace the opportunity to serve as your Superintendent. I am looking forward to this exciting and challenging role in a place I have called home for the last four decades.
I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the over 2,100 staff that serve across our school district. I am appreciative of the care they undertake in service to our over 13,000 students and their families. I want to acknowledge and highlight the important role families play in supporting their children on their learning journey. Successfully supporting our students is a team effort and I encourage you to connect with our staff whenever possible and work as allies to support your child’s success. For parents/guardians looking to get more involved, our school PACs are a great place to build relationships and to help create a memorable school community for students.
Over the next few months, I will be visiting every school where I look forward to connecting with students and staff.
Paul Block
Superintendent/CEO