Trust is not a soft skill—it is a leadership imperative. For principals and vice principals, trust directly shapes culture, instructional leadership, staff engagement, and the capacity for meaningful change. Often, leaders confuse being trustworthy with intentionally building trust. This session is designed for school leaders who want to deepen, refine, and intentionally strengthen trust in their leadership practice, using a simple model.

Grounded in Charles Feltman’s The Thin Book of Trust, the session explores the four dimensions of trust—Sincerity, Reliability, Competence, and Care—through the lens of school-based leadership. Participants will examine how trust is built, eroded, and repaired in everyday leadership interactions, particularly in complex and high-pressure environments.

Using real-world scenarios, guided self-reflection, and structured peer dialogue, participants will analyze their current trust-building practices and identify practical leadership practices they can apply immediately in their roles as principals or vice principals. The session honours participant expertise, prioritizes collaborative learning, and focuses on actionable strategies for leading with clarity, credibility, and care.

While the session is specifically grounded in Fostering Effective Relationships and Managing School Operations and Resources, there are also aspects of additional LQS competencies that give relevance to this session:

• Leading a Learning Community: Creating conditions of trust that support professional dialogue, collaboration and collective responsibility for student learning.
• Developing Leadership Capacity: Supporting others by fostering trust, psychological safety, and confidence in shared leadership structures.
• In addition to firm roots in Feltman’s work on Trust, elements of foundational trust from Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of Team will also be explored.

The session content will align with the following goals for Leading for Learning:

• Role-Differentiated Leadership (Principals & Vice-Principals)
  the session will support differentiated learning for principals and vice-principals while also examining how the two roles work together to strengthen effectiveness and efficiencies within school leadership teams.
• Psychological Safety & Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
  The session will explore leader self-awareness, and strategies for cultivating psychologically safe, emotionally intelligent school environments.

Participants will have opportunities to reflect, by applying Feltman’s Four Domains of Trust, on how they extend trust to others, how others extend their trust to them, and how they can resolve situations where trust may have been broken.

At the end of the session, participants will build a “Trust Plan” to assist them in attending to this critical leadership skill in the 2026-27 School Year.

Corrine Thorsteinson recently retired as Associate Superintendent-People Services with Red Deer Public Schools. She feels fortunate to have worked in Human Resources Leadership, for over ten years, where she had opportunities to facilitate mentorship, empower others to navigate tricky personnel issues and oversee the implementation of vital HR processes and employment conditions. After 30 years in the roles of teacher, assistant principal, principal, and division office leader in Lacombe, Clive, Ponoka and Red Deer, Corrine started Agiliteams Leadership Consulting where she fills her cup with opportunities to support school and division leaders. Corrine’s BA, BEd and MEd were all achieved at the University of Lethbridge. Corrine gets joy and energy from helping others build their capacity in leadership. Corrine has been happily married to Gary for 26 years and they are the proud parents of two amazing daughters, aged 21 and 24. As a family, they’ve travelled the world. Corrine grew up in Southern Alberta and has made Central Alberta her home for the past 31 years.

Karen Rancier is the Associate Superintendent of Human Services with Horizon School Division in Taber, Alberta. She brings more than 30 years of experience in education, having served as a teacher, vice-principal, principal, and director with Lethbridge School Division before joining the Horizon leadership team in her current role. Karen is passionate about building trusting relationships, learning alongside colleagues, and supporting the growth and capacity of both emerging educators and experienced leaders. She is a proud alumna of the University of Lethbridge, where she earned her BA/BEd and Master’s degrees. Karen has been married for 31 years and enjoys spending time with her husband, a retired teacher.

Leadership is not a neutral endeavour and is meant to have significant impact on measurable student outcomes. Whether you are new to your role, division, or school, a lens of continuous improvement is always required. Session participants will be led through leadership content and reflection to sharpen leadership skillsets that can create conditions for change. The session will explore ways to shift the mindsets of those you lead, moving from an inclination to rationalize data to entering into a state of curiosity and wonder. These strategic activities, rooted in theory and practice, will allow leaders to leverage the talents of those working most closely with students, while providing opportunities for assurance and celebration of the success of both students and staff. Participants are asked to bring a copy of their school’s latest Alberta Education and Childcare Assurance Measures (from the Alberta Education Extranet) or their Annual Education Results Report (AERR).

As a result of participating in this session, participants will have the opportunity to understand the importance of instilling a lens of continuous improvement among staff, driven by data-informed goals, strategies, and reflective practices.

Dr. Andrea Holowka is the Superintendent for Christ The Redeemer (CTR) Catholic Schools, serving approximately 10,500 students in Okotoks, High River, Brooks, Strathmore, Canmore, Drumheller, and Oyen. Since 1995, she has led as teacher, principal, associate, and chief superintendent, including system leadership roles with the Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District. She holds an EdD (Western), and an MEd (Leadership), BEd (Honours), BSc (Cellular, Molecular & Microbial Biology), all from UCalgary. She has served as President of the Council of Catholic School Superintendents of Alberta (CCSSA) and President of the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS). Andrea’s leadership emphasizes collaborative and system-level change, through service and within the lens of a Catholic worldview. Andrea has led professional development and has been featured as a conference presenter on the topics of organizational change, academic achievement, data-informed practices, governance, student mental health supports, Catholic education, faith formation, rural education, and educational leadership.

Experienced school leaders know that competence alone does not guarantee impact or sustainability. Too often, leadership teams struggle not because of a lack of skill or commitment, but because people are misaligned in how they contribute, collaborate, and lead the work forward.

This interactive session introduces participants to The Six Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni through the official Working Genius training experience.

Facilitated by Certified Working Genius Facilitators, the session blends engaging video content, hands-on activities, structured reflection, and collaborative dialogue to help leaders better understand how work actually gets done—and why some work energizes while other work drains.

Participants will explore their own Working Genius profile and examine how the six types of genius, frustration, and competency show up in leadership teams, decision-making, and school improvement work. Special attention will be given to how Working Genius can strengthen trust, reduce friction, and increase clarity within administrative teams and across the organization.

This session provides both personal insight and practical strategies that can be immediately applied to leadership practice and team effectiveness.

While the session is specifically grounded in Fostering Effective Relationships and Leading a Learning Community, there are also aspects of additional LQS competencies that give relevance to this session:

Fostering Effective Relationships
Participants will deepen their understanding of how individual differences in contribution and motivation influence collaboration, trust, and psychological safety. Working Genius provides a shared language that supports respectful dialogue, empathy, and stronger professional relationships within leadership teams.

Leading a Learning Community
By understanding how different types of work energize different people, leaders are better equipped to leverage collective strengths, distribute leadership intentionally, and build high-functioning teams focused on shared goals and improved student outcomes.

Providing Instructional Leadership
Participants will examine how Working Genius impacts problem-solving, initiative design, implementation, and monitoring—key aspects of instructional leadership. Leaders will reflect on how aligning people to the right work enhances the effectiveness of school improvement efforts.

Developing and Facilitating Leadership
This session supports leaders in intentionally developing others by recognizing strengths, minimizing unnecessary frustration, and creating conditions where individuals and teams can do their best work.

Corrine Thorsteinson recently retired as Associate Superintendent-People Services with Red Deer Public Schools. She feels fortunate to have worked in Human Resources Leadership, for over ten years, where she had opportunities to facilitate mentorship, empower others to navigate tricky personnel issues and oversee the implementation of vital HR processes and employment conditions. After 30 years in the roles of teacher, assistant principal, principal, and division office leader in Lacombe, Clive, Ponoka and Red Deer, Corrine started Agiliteams Leadership Consulting where she fills her cup with opportunities to support school and division leaders. Corrine’s BA, BEd and MEd were all achieved at the University of Lethbridge. Corrine gets joy and energy from helping others build their capacity in leadership. Corrine has been happily married to Gary for 26 years and they are the proud parents of two amazing daughters, aged 21 and 24. As a family, they’ve travelled the world. Corrine grew up in Southern Alberta and has made Central Alberta her home for the past 31 years.

Danica Martin has over 20+ years of experience in educational leadership roles at the school and system level. Danica was an assistant superintendent of education services with a central Alberta school authority. She has led a variety of complex teams and worked strategically with them to build leadership capacity and cohesion. Danica holds a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership as well as a Bachelor of Education degree. Additionally, she is a certified Working Genius facilitator and a certified professional and business coach. Danica believes strongly in the impact of leadership and the ripple effect that leaders can have throughout their organizations. Danica is the founder and principal coach of Danica Designs Coaching and Consulting.

This session explores how leadership practice must continuously adapt through engaging with new knowledge, letting go of approaches that no longer serve, and refining actions based on context, feedback, and impact. Participants will examine shifts in leadership and apply them within their own context to lead with greater clarity, intention, and impact.

As a result of participating in this session, participants will have the opportunity to:

• Examine how their leadership practice is evolving in response to new learning, context, and feedback
• Identify practices or assumptions that no longer serve their current leadership context
• Explore and apply shifts in thinking and practice to lead with greater clarity, build capacity, and create conditions where others can thrive
• Determine one or two priority shifts to strengthen their leadership within their context

Colleen Symyrozum-Watt is a CASS Leadership Consultant. With over three decades of experience in the education sector, she has held a variety of roles including classroom teacher, elementary school principal, division consultant, director of learning, deputy superintendent, and superintendent.

Before joining CASS as a Leadership Consultant in 2017, Colleen worked for Alberta Education and served on numerous provincial committees, as well as the CASS zone and provincial executive. In addition to her work in the education sector, Colleen has also completed executive coaching through Royal Roads University. Throughout her career, she has shown a commitment to improving educational outcomes for students and a passion for leadership development.

For many new school leaders, the transition to leadership in the areas of human resources (HR) and people services can feel overwhelming. Hiring, supervision, conflict resolution, staff wellness, crucial conversations, absence management and role assignments aren’t covered in traditional teacher training—yet they are critical to a school leader’s success.

This engaging and practical session will explore 21 essential HR and People Services skills that every principal needs. Through case studies, real-world dilemmas, research insights, and interactive discussions, participants will gain immediately applicable strategies to recruit, support, and retain great staff while building a positive school culture.

These skills are essential to understand LQS Competencies 1 & 8, as they reinforce how strong people leadership elevates instructional leadership. Join us for a high-energy, solution-focused session filled with insights, tools, and real-life lessons to help you lead your team with confidence and clarity.
Past participants in this session have appreciated the practical tips as well as the helpful ideas shared from leaders, researchers, and the facilitator’s own mistakes. Come join us and be ready to share key ideas from your school and jurisdiction as well. Together, we will not only identify issues and challenges, but actual solutions that help us manage our most important resource, our people.

Although our time together will focus on LQS 1 (Fostering Effective Relationships) and LQS 8 (Managing School Operations and Resources), we will also explore how a comprehensive workplace wellness framework is foundational to HR and people services leadership. It should also be noted that highly effective people services and HR skills also ensure that we can focus on instructional leadership as well as positive school cultures.

In preparation for this session, participants should review their school division’s policies and administrative procedures in the area of personnel, staffing, and employment.

Ray Hoppins thoroughly enjoyed his thirty-three year career as a teacher, vice-principal, principal, and central office leader in Vegreville, Innisfail, Sundre, and Olds. Ray, a proud alumnus from U of L and U of C, retired from the role of associate superintendent of people services with Chinook’s Edge School Division in 2024. His teaching and leadership experiences transcend all grade levels from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. For the past twenty-seven years, he has facilitated workshops, short-courses and sessions for leaders on topics such as instructional leadership, communication, staff health & wellness, human resources, relationships and culture. Today, he continues this passion as a leadership consultant serving school divisions, post-secondary institutions, municipalities and other provincial organizations. Ray was raised on a family farm in Central Alberta, is active in his community, and currently resides in Olds with his wife Sandi. They have four grown children who regularly reach out for help with laundry, finances, and auto repair. Ray has presented at the CASS Start Right and/or Leading for Learning Short Courses for the last 20 years.

Workshop Overview
This interactive workshop is designed to empower school leaders with practical strategies for fostering psychologically safe and emotionally intelligent environments within their schools. Participants will explore the critical role of leader wellness and self-awareness in shaping school culture, and engage in hands-on activities that model effective approaches to building trust, collaboration, and staff growth.

Objectives

• Increase self-awareness and emotional intelligence in leadership practices.
• Understand the impact of psychological safety on staff well-being and student outcomes.
• Experience and practice rituals and routines that promote a positive, supportive school climate.
• Develop actionable strategies for integrating wellness, reflection, and conversation into daily leadership.
• Leave with tools to create environments where staff feel valued, heard, and empowered.

Workshop Structure

1. Opening Reflection: Guided self-awareness stretches and personal leadership inventory.
2. Understanding Psychological Safety & EQ: Brief presentation and dialogue on the research and benefits of emotionally intelligent leadership.
3. Modeling Rituals for Meetings and Learning Days: Facilitated activities demonstrating how intentional rituals can set the tone for trust and openness.
4. Conversation Circles: Small group sharing on personal growth experiences and challenges, fostering empathy and connection.
5. Strategy Mapping: Collaborative mapping of supportive systems and structures for leader and staff wellness.
6. Resource Sharing: Exchange of best practices for rest, energy renewal, and sustainable leadership.
7. Action Planning: Participants create a personalized plan to implement workshop concepts in their schools.

Intended Outcomes

• Early career leaders will leave with a toolkit of rituals, reflection exercises, and conversation structures to foster psychological safety.
• Participants will gain clarity on their personal leadership values and pathways for ongoing development.
• Attendees will be equipped with strategies for maintaining high energy, resilience, and a culture of wellness throughout their leadership journey.
  Facilitation Approach

Throughout the workshop, facilitators will model various leadership behaviors and methods, guiding participants through a self-discovery process to identify approaches that resonate with their unique styles and school contexts. Emphasis will be placed on experiential learning, peer dialogue, and practical application.

Overview
This interactive workshop focuses on coaching-based leadership approaches that nurture professional growth by developing others’ capacity and potential, rather than simply directing practice. Leaders will explore systems and structures that enable meaningful coaching dialogues, practical ways to schedule and align walkthroughs for professional development, and strategies to foster a self-development culture that positively impacts staff across the school.

Workshop Objectives

• Introduce coaching-based leadership principles and their impact on professional growth.
• Explore systems and structures that facilitate coaching conversations and ongoing development.
• Practice scheduling and aligning walkthroughs to support targeted professional growth.
• Develop actionable plans for implementing coaching approaches in your school context.
• Reflect on personal leadership styles and how self-development as a leader influences staff culture and growth.

Facilitation Approach
Facilitators will model coaching behaviors and guide participants through self-discovery exercises, peer dialogues, and experiential learning. Emphasis will be placed on practical application, allowing leaders to identify coaching methods that resonate with their unique styles and school contexts.

Intended Outcomes

• Early career leaders will leave with a toolkit of coaching strategies, reflection exercises, and conversation structures that foster professional growth and psychological safety.
• Participants will gain confidence in their ability to support the development of others while growing as leaders themselves.
• Attendees will be equipped with actionable plans and resources to sustain a culture of coaching and ongoing development within their schools.

Dr. Christopher Fuzessy is the Superintendent of Schools and Chief Education Officer at Foothills School Division (FSD) in southern Alberta. In his role, Christopher is committed to ensuring that FSD is “A Place for All” by focusing on the empowerment and well-being of students, staff, and the broader community. He is a strong advocate for placing education at the center of a flourishing community, a responsibility he holds dearly. With a comprehensive career spanning nearly every role within the education system, Christopher brings a wealth of experiential knowledge to his position. His practical experience is further strengthened by his academic credentials, including a Bachelor of Education and a Master’s Degree, Educational Studies from Concordia University, as well as a PhD from the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Christopher’s dedication to education and community well-being underscores his leadership at FSD, where he continuously creates opportunities for growth and development across the entire school division.

Cynthia Glaicar had a successful career with Foothills School Division (FSD) that included school-based leadership, opening a new school, and leading system level learning in the role of Director of Staff and Wellness Learning. Cynthia retired from FSD and stepped into the opportunity to work overseas in an international school supporting a new school leadership team in the role of system instructional coach. She is now working in leadership development and coaching in both the private and educational sectors.

This session focuses on how school leaders can intentionally lead for learning by strengthening instructional practice and developing others’ capacity. Grounded in the Leadership Quality Standard, with a focus on Providing Instructional Leadership and Developing Leadership Capacity, participants will explore how everyday leadership actions, such as clear expectations, purposeful communication, and consistent follow-up, directly influence teaching and student learning.

Drawing on real-world leadership practice, this session highlights how leaders can move beyond directive approaches and adopt coaching-based strategies that support staff growth. Participants will examine how to structure professional conversations, provide actionable feedback, and build clarity around instructional expectations to improve practice across their school.

The session will also explore how leaders can create the conditions for staff to take risks, reflect on their practice, and grow professionally, while maintaining high expectations and accountability.

Participants will leave with practical strategies they can implement immediately to strengthen instructional leadership and build leadership capacity within their teams, contributing to a focused and responsive learning environment.

As a result of participating in this session, participants will have the opportunity to:

• strengthen their ability to provide instructional leadership through clear expectations, purposeful communication, and consistent follow-up
• apply coaching-based approaches to support staff growth and develop leadership capacity within their teams
• engage in reflective dialogue about balancing support and accountability in their leadership practice
• identify practical strategies to improve professional conversations, feedback, and instructional clarity
• leave with one or two actionable next steps to implement immediately in their school context

Louise Loh is a principal with Sturgeon Public Schools, currently leading both Landing Trail School and Legal Public School in Alberta. With over 20 years in education, she brings a practical, people-first approach to leadership, grounded in the belief that strong relationships and clear systems are at the heart of effective schools.

Louise’s work focuses on supporting staff, building cohesive school communities, and creating structures that make the complex work of leadership more manageable and meaningful. She is known for her honest, relational approach, particularly when navigating difficult conversations and supporting both students and adults through challenging situations.

Her leadership is informed by the Leadership Quality Standard and a commitment to continuous growth, reflection, and collaboration. Louise enjoys sharing real-world strategies and stories of practice to support new and emerging leaders in building confidence and clarity in their roles.

This session will explore how all seven Dimensions of Leadership support the development of healthy relationships while navigating the complex challenges leaders often face. With a strong emphasis on self-reflection, participants will be invited to consider how their authentic selves influence their relationships and overall effectiveness as leaders. Through storytelling and interactive group discussions, attendees will gain practical strategies to strengthen their leadership practice and enhance their relational capacity.

As a result of participating in this session, participants will have the opportunity to:

• reflect on who they really are as authentic leaders.
• learn how to succeed with legitimate rather than designated authority.

Kurt Sacher has established a new consulting company, Sacher Solutions, in July 2025 following his retirement as Superintendent (CEO) of Chinook’s Edge School Division on May 31, 2025. He served in this role for 15 years and was recently honoured with the Board’s Roy E. Cope Award in recognition of his significant impact on students across the division.

Prior to his superintendency, Kurt served for eight years as Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources with Wolf Creek Public Schools. His career spans 39 years in education, including 11 years as a school-based administrator. His leadership roles have included Head Teacher of an Outreach School in Penticton, British Columbia; Assistant Principal and Principal at Trochu Valley School; and Principal of Lacombe Composite High School, where he served for five years.

Kurt has been a longstanding contributor to professional learning, presenting at Start Right for over 22 years and at Leading and Learning for more than a decade. He served as President of the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS) for the 2018–19 school year, followed by two years as Past President, and is also a member of the C21 CEO Academy of Canada.

In 2021, Kurt was awarded the CASS EXL Award for Excellence, recognizing outstanding system leaders who demonstrate exemplary leadership and have made a lasting contribution to the profession of school system administration.