Another Airdrie school will be under new leadership come August.  

Rocky View School (RVS) Superintendent Greg Luterbach has appointed Jason Billings to the position of Principal of R.J. Hawkey Elementary School.

Jason Billings is the new Principal at R.J. Hawkey Elementary School (Photo Courtesy: Rocky View School Division)

Billings is currently the Assistant Principal with East Lake School in Airdrie, arriving in 2016 from the Peel School Board in Ontario where he was a Principal, Assistant Principal, and teacher since 2005.

Prior to that, he was a teacher and team leader with the Seoul International School in South Korea.  Billings said he'll bring some of that international passion with him to his new position at R.J. Hawkey.

"I think that education's changed so much that we need to prepare kids for the future and global citizenship is a big piece.  I guess working with young kids and giving them the chance to experience education around the world is a huge piece of what we do in education these days.  It's always nice when we work with kids you're working around local issues but also giving them opportunities to talk about other things that are happening in the world and we can do that even at a young age."

Billings started his education career as a math and science teacher for the Calgary Board of Education.  He was with them from 1999 to 2002.

Billings possesses a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Farmington State College, a Bachelor of Education from Lakeland University, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario. 

Billings believes that the first year at any new school is one where you should do all you can to learn from the staff and administration at that school, and he intends to do that at R.J. Hawkey.

"I know that the school has gone through some changes over the last little while, some kids have moved to other schools and the programs are changing a little bit there.  I think the first year of the work I'll be doing is following the lead of the staff they've got there.  They know the community really well and it will give me a nice opportunity to see what's worked well in the community.  I think in the first year it's really about trying to make connections, build relationships, get to know the kids, get to know the parents and staff really well.  That's probably going to be a really big focus for next year."

 

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