A long-time Portage la Prairie School Division teacher and leader is moving on after 27 years.
Tracy Vanstone, the principal of École Arthur Meighen, will be taking on a new role with the Manitoba Teachers' Society (MTS) as of October 8, where she will work as the Staff Officer of Professional and French Language Services.
"I have loved all of the work that I've done with MTS. And I have been on the receiving end, being trained through a lot of leadership courses since the beginning of my career," continues Vanstone. "That's how I became a school leader. I took certification courses in school principalship, and administration, so it's been, really, the last six years, my work with Council and being on the board really fueled my engine and just made me want to give more."
She notes the position will have her working with many different organizations.
"The role entails work with the union in supporting, advocating and training teachers and school leaders. So, my focus will be working closely with COSL, which is the Council of School Leaders. It is a group that I've been very involved with for the last six years. I served on the board; I was in charge of principal support, listening to principals across the province, so now I'll serve as a support role. I'll be the Staff Officer assigned to council school leaders. My role will be to support their group, support their professional needs and help in their endeavours. One of the big endeavours that's happening this year is the National Principals Conference will be in Winnipeg."
Vanstone describes one of the aspects of the new position which excites her.
"My passion is around mentorship and supporting new leaders and so part of my role will be to teach the field-led courses. So, in Manitoba there are seven field-led courses, one is taught by the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents and then I will be teaching the other six. So, my very first course starts next Saturday, and I'll be teaching personnel in administration. So, I'll be teaching students from across the province that are attending University College of the North, University of St. Boniface, Brandon, U of M, and U of W. So, students that are in their post-baccalaureate programs, aspiring to be school leaders or currently are and are in the training process and students that are in the Master's program."
She adds that École Arthur Meighen will be in good hands as she prepares to leave.
"I really believe in Natalie (Guimond-Low). She is an outstanding leader. And so, we've been working closely. We made the transition just last year. It was our first year at École Arthur Meighen together and she's been leading up a lot already on her own. I believe in shared leadership. I wasn't the boss of everything. We shared it equally and she she's been doing a great job."
Vanstone began her work in the Portage la Prairie School Division in 1997.
