The South East Cornerstone Public School Division announced that Cheri Haberstock of Westview School in Estevan has been selected as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals for 2017, along with 39 exceptional educators from across the country.
In the Canada’s Outstanding Principals program, Principals are nominated by their peers, school staff and community members in every province and territory. Nominations are reviewed and final winners selected on a representation-by-population basis by a National Selection Committee made up of a distinguished group of Canadian education, community and private sector leaders. Candidates are chosen using the following criteria: leadership and innovation; instructional leadership; professional learning teams; partnerships with families and communities; personal growth initiatives; and corresponding letters of support.
These exemplary leaders in education will receive their awards at the 13th annual Canada’s Outstanding Principals gala dinner event and awards ceremony on February 28 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. They will also participate in an exclusive five-day executive leadership training program at one of Canada’s top business schools, the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, and will be introduced to leadership and management practices presented by business, government and education leaders as well as Rotman faculty. The 2017 winners will become members of the National Academy of Canada’s Outstanding Principals, which now boasts over 400 members.
Cheri Haberstock received her Masters of Education in Administration (2013) and Bachelor of Education, secondary (1993) from the University of Regina. She began her career in education 24 years ago as a teacher at Red Sucker Lake First Nation School in Red Sucker Lake, Man., and joined Westview School in 2001 where she started as a teacher, then moved into administration serving as vice-principal for three years and now as principal for the past six years.
She also held teaching positions in Saskatchewan schools in Viscount, Estevan (Hillside, Hillcrest and Estevan Junior High) and Midale where she taught Core French, English Language Arts and Math, and was also a homeroom teacher.
“I am so honoured to be recognized by The Learning Partnership as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals in 2017,” said Haberstock. “I truly love what I do, and I am fortunate to be able to work with an exceptional group of teachers, support staff, parents and students every day at Westview School. I am very excited to receive this award and attend the leadership course in Toronto at the end of February. I know that I will return with many new ideas and skills that will help me continue to provide strong, positive leaders hip in my school and community.”
A few of the reasons Haberstock was highlighted as an outstanding principal are: she encourages teachers to become involved in Professional Learning Communities and provides opportunities for teachers to meet in vertical teams during the school day to encourage professional dialogue, collaboration, co-planning and school improvement planning, leading to a strong impact on student learning. She utilizes data from the Tell Them From Me survey to create goals around academia, student engagement, and/or student wellness, which recently, under her leadership and through much research, hard work and perseverance in tough economic times, lead to the creation of an inclusive playground, the only one of its kind in Estevan, where all children can play together.
Haberstock is a highly innovative leader who since 2004 has used her playwright skills to write and direct musical dramas (for the senior students) which are wildly popular with the Westview School families. She is a leader in curriculum actualization and is respected as a proactive instructional leader who has authentic relationships with her colleagues. She has been part of Cornerstone’s Safe Schools Committee (2015) and participated in numerous training opportunities including Teacher Training (2013), First Steps Training (2013), VTRA Levels 1 and III (2011, 2013) and OHC Level 1 Training (2012), to name a few. She was selected as South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s provincial representative on the Sask Reads for Administrators Committee.
As a life-long learner she is a master communicator with her greatest strength being in the area of relationship building. She is engaged in her community through her many hours of volunteer work.
