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Principals on the move

Whistler and Pemberton Secondary schools getting new principals in September
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STRICT PRINCIPLES School District 48's elected leaders announced a series of senior school management changes this week and one change means Whistler Secondary will have a new principal in the fall. File photo

Schools throughout Sea to Sky country are going to have some new leaders in the fall. When students go back to school in September five schools will have new principals.

Nolan Cox is going to take over at Whistler Secondary School (WSS), replacing the current principal, Bev Oakley, who is taking on a special project based out of the school district office in Squamish.

Pemberton Secondary School (PSS) vice principal Krista Bowes is going to take over the position being vacated by Cox. For the last six years Cox has been running PSS. He will return to a school he knows well from the two years he served as WSS vice principal before taking on the role of principal at PSS.

“It’s going to take some time to see how things are going at the school,” said Cox when he was asked if he has any big plans for change.

Oakley’s new title is Human Resources advisor but she said she will continue to be a principal. Her new assignment is a contract position that will take her through to June of 2015.

“I will be spending some time down at the board office getting started on this but I will still be the principal at Whistler Secondary until the end of the school year,” said Oakley.

Cox will officially take over as WSS principal on Aug. 1 and Bowes will move to her new position on the same day.

A few changes are on the way for Squamish schools also. Paul Lorette is taking over as principal at Garibaldi Highlands Elementary (GHE) to replace Gerri Galloway, who is retiring. Galloway was the principal at Spring Creek Elementary for many years before she moved to GHE.

Angela Uren will leave Stawamus Elementary to take over as principal at Brackendale Elementary with Lorette leaving that position. Seb Amenta is leaving as principal at Valleycliffe Elementary and he is being replaced by Ji Ai Cho, who is currently the vice principal at Howe Sound Secondary.

The changes at the Squamish schools are set to take place Aug. 1.

Academies approved

The school district board of trustees has approved three new sports academies for Sea to Sky high schools.

Pemberton, Whistler and Howe Sound Secondary Schools are all going to offer hockey academy programs in the fall for Grade 10, 11 and 12 students. Howe Sound is also going to have a cycling academy.

The school district is partnering with the Pacific Rim Academy (www.rpmhockey.com), a company running hockey academy programs in more than 10 other B.C. schools. The cost of the academy is $256-per-month. The RMOW has dedicated ice time at Meadow Park Arena for the program.

Howe Sound Secondary and Cycling BC have developed a cycling academy that includes a comprehensive cycling skills program, cross and sport-specific training, exercise physiology and metabolism, personal growth and leadership.

The program is available for students in Grades 10 through to 12 at a cost of about $600.

The school trustees approved the new programs at a regular meeting of the board on Wednesday, March 12.

Coast Mountain Academy in Squamish is also offering new academy programs in September. The independent school has created programs offering hockey, music, dance and soccer.

Check back with Pique on Thursday for more details.