Leslie Cooper-Shand

Key Roles

Greetings!

I love my role as the Principal of River Valley School! I have worked within administration at the school for the last ten + years, and feel privileged to work with such an amazing group of students, families, and staff – they teach me something new every day.  I have four children who were all River Valley kids, so have had both a professional and personal stake in ensuring we are offering the best education to be had in the province and beyond.   I truly believe that the success of what happens in a school is a result of what we value…

 At River Valley School we value:

• People:  Big, little, young, old, staff, students, parents, specialists, community members – everyone has something to offer the learning environment.  We recognize, encourage and appreciate this.
• Potential:  What’s possible? We engage with each individual student. We consider where they are at academically/ socially/ emotionally right now, but are always pushing them forward with encouragement and support. Kids are the greatest potential that we have. 
• Learning & Leading:  Everyone is a learner and a leader in some capacity.  Recognizing and capitalizing on this builds a school community that promotes respect, responsibility, collaboration and innovation. Deliberate focus on Academic Excellence, Social-Emotional Wellness, and Career Connections initiatives provide the focus for many leading and learning opportunities.
• Community:  Developing a strong school community, parallels and promotes involvement in the civic community.  The focus moves beyond developing ethical, engaged, and entrepreneurial citizens here and now, to developing citizens who will take these skills to new and innovative levels in the future.

Finding opportunities to ensure these values become a reality occurs not just through my administrative role, but I also have the pleasure of teaching a variety of classes.  Over the years that has included Kindergarten Phys. Ed, Grade 6 Art, Grade 7/8 Robotics, and Grade 8 Simply Being Human – a course on learning, the brain, and reaching our potential as human beings. This year I am pleased to be continuing with a Gr 6 Health class that also teaches lots about the human brain and general wellness. Lastly, and very near and dear to my heart, is managing the Career Connections program in the building, which is mainly focused on Gr 6-8, but I am considering the many ways we could start engaging even our youngest learners in thinking about what the future may bring!  Spending time with kids is the best part of everyday…They never fail to impress me with their insight, skill (need help with Snapchat??), resiliency and humour – what gifts.   

Thank you for choosing to trust us with your children – I commit to doing my best to help them succeed, and so look forward to working with you to ensure they have a great River Valley experience!

Cheers,

Leslie Cooper-Shand