Officials with the Grande Yellowhead Public School Division (GYPSD) have announced some staffing changes for schools in Edson.
GYPSD officials say Mr. Steven Ripkens will continue in his role as Principal of Ecole Pine Grove Middle School (PGMS) for the 2025/26 school year. They say Ripkens is a strong believer in a well-rounded educational experience and works hard to provide students with a broad range of learning opportunities that support core studies.
This comes following a recent announcement that the division has decided to move away from the current shared principal model between PGMS and Parkland Composite High School (PCHS) that has been in place for the last two years. Instead, officials say each school will return to a dedicated school administrative team at each site.
Superintendent Dr. Dennis Parsons and Assistant Superintendent Kurt Scobie met with staff from both schools to discuss upcoming plans. In a release provided to media, Scobie says they believe this move will ultimately benefit students.
“This is not a reflection on the leadership or efforts that have been in place,” says Scobie. “In fact, we’re deeply grateful for the hard work and commitment that have gone into leading both schools. This decision is about focusing leadership and resources as each school’s staff, students, and families have their own unique strengths and needs, and we believe having a principal fully dedicated to each site will help both schools continue to grow and thrive.”
GYPSD officials say both schools will also have dedicated assistant principals as part of the administrative team. As such, Assistant Principal Kristin Basaraba has been assigned to PGMS, while Assistant Principals Ryan Hall and Michelle Downing have been assigned to PCHS. They also say Assistant Principal Jennifer Albrecht will remain in her role as the Principal of Niton Central School until the end of this school year.
The process to select a Principal for Parkland Composite High School is expected to be posted in the near future.
