Christ the Redeemer (CTR) School Division's new superintendent Andrea Holowka is looking forward to another great school year.

Since officially becoming the superintendent on June 19, Holowka said she's been busy visiting all the CTR schools and learning about the schools' and communities' needs.

"Our theme for the upcoming year is based on continuous improvement. As a division Christ The Redeemer is very strong, it has outstanding academic results, it has a very strong basis of faith formation and visible Catholic presence for each of our schools, so it's really about building on that and refining it," she said.

Holowka believes her fresh, new perspective could help enhance what CTR already does well, and emphasized her goal is improvement, not drastic change. Because she believes in CTR's strength she isn't looking to build something completely different; rather, she wants to see what opportunities there are to be even better.

"As much as the schools are strong and the division is strong we know that our students' needs are always changing, so we look at: what are the goals that have been set out in the education plan, and how are we doing compared to the way that they've been set out?"

"Although our results are strong, they won't be 100% so we know that there are going to be students that we need to look at serving in different ways."

As for what she's looking forward to, Holowka pointed to the fantastic research CTR is doing in regards to core subject materials, early literacy, numeracy, and more. She looks forward to sharing this research and data with teachers to find ways to continue to enhance the students' learning experience. Beyond the textbooks, mental health and supporting students' wellbeing is another huge priority for her, and says the research and data will help CTR build a plan on how they can further improve their student supports.

"We'll be really working on ensuring our staff are well-prepared for the school year and looking at ways we can continue to build their capacity and their confidence in dealing with those needs of our students."

When Holowka first stepped into her role as CTR's new superintendent she said she quickly noticed how CTR's school are intertwined with the community and its parishes, and she hopes to continue building this community connection

"Our schools are very connected to our parishes and to the greater community, so I just want to make sure that we continue to nurture that, I think our schools and our leaders within schools are doing an exceptional job in ensuring they're working with our parishes and working with our families and really getting to know our students well."

The first day of school for CTR is September 5.

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