COCHRANE— The students of Fireside School will be starting the upcoming school year with a new principal.
Dave Banderk will be taking on the role of principal for the Kindergarten to Grade 8 school effective August 2020.
Banderk has been with Rocky View Schools since 2001. He has a background in teaching math, science, and physical education at École Airdrie Middle School and Chestermere High School. He holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership, a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Science, all from the University of Calgary.
He became an administrator with the school district in 2010 when he became assistant principal at Springbank Middle School and later served at Bert Church High School and Sarah Thompson School.
In 2017 Banderk was appointed principal of the Kindergarten to Grade 8 Kathryn School, located 24 minutes northeast of Chestermere.
“Kathryn is an amazing school,” Banderk said.
The Kathryn School has about 160 students, and Banderk said he is delighted to begin working at Fireside because the school has a larger student population.
“I’ve been in Rocky View my whole career,” Banderk said with a chuckle noting he has never worked in Cochrane. “I was pretty excited to get the opportunity to come out to Cochrane.”
Rocky View Schools superintendant Greg Luterback described Banderk as a reflective and adaptive leader who has developed a reputation for his ability to build school cultures that foster personal wellness, risk-taking and connection.
“These strengths, coupled with his commitment to fostering collaborative relationships and helping to build capacity in others, has solidified his reputation across the jurisdiction as an innovative, yet approachable leader. I extend my congratulations to Dave and look forward to seeing his contributions to Fireside," Luterback said in a press release.
Banderk is looking forward to the move to Cochrane, he said because, “I’ve heard nothing but good things about Fireside and Cochrane.”
He is excited to get back into school and meet the kids and their families in-person at some point in the future.
Banderk said he is hopeful they will be able to get back into the classrooms in September and he can get to know the community and kids.
“My first priority is getting to know everybody and how it works out in Cochrane,” Banderk said.
He loves being an educator and said the best part is working with kids and helping them to grow, learn and thrive.
It has been exciting becoming an administrator, he added, because it is an opportunity to expand that mandate and work with students, their families and the community.
“Connecting with people is by far the most exciting and rewarding part,” Banderk said.
He is uncertain what the school year will look like due to COVID-19 public health protocols, Banderk said, but regardless the biggest challenge will be fostering connections with kids and getting to know the community.
He noted that it may be much more difficult due to the virus, but Banderk said he will be able to get to know the students be it in-person or online.
For now, hopefully, they can return to some semblance of normalcy come September and be back in the halls of the school.
“I’m excited to meet everybody and start the year off,” Banderk said.
