Two new principals have been named to lead Palliser schools in Vulcan and area.
Marty Leach joins Palliser this fall as principal of County Central High School in Vulcan while Kerry Aiken takes on principalship of Milo Community School in Vulcan County.
Leach received a bachelor of science degree in biology and a bachelor of education , majoring in biological sciences with a minor in physical education, from the University of Lethbridge in 2001. This summer, he will complete his master’s degree in educational leadership at the U of L.
Leach has served as principal of Tilley School, a rural, kindergarten through Grade 9 program, since 2013. From 2009-2013, he was principal of Grassland School in a hamlet about 150 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. Before joining school administration, he taught in Peace Wapiti School Division and in a larger inner-city school in Oxford, England. His teaching experience includes science, math, language arts, drama, health and physical education.
County Central High School serves about 230 students in grades 7-12.
Aiken is also a University of Lethbridge alumnus, having obtained a bachelor of arts and bachelor of education in 2002. She completed her student teaching in Palliser and was a substitute teacher with the division. She earned a master’s degree in educational leadership in 2016, also from the U of L.
Since 2013, she has been assistant principal of Summitview School in Grande Cache, about 400 km west of Edmonton, where she began teaching in 2004. While there, she built a successful student-run school lunch program from Grade 6-8 students. She has a strong literacy background and has presented and planned literature workshops for teachers since 2009.
Milo Community School serves about 54 students in grades 1-9.