A recent recipient of a leadership award is wondering why he is the one being recognized. As far as Foothills Composite High School principal Vince Hunter is concerned, he is part of a team trying to do the best for approximately 1,100 students.
A recent recipient of a leadership award is wondering why he is the one being recognized.
As far as Foothills Composite High School principal Vince Hunter is concerned, he is part of a team trying to do the best for approximately 1,100 students.
“I have an amazing team here since I started here,” Hunter said. “The vice-principals and the teachers have always supported me… There is a lot of sharing of the work. When I look at the (school) admin we all have different strengths and we all work on different pieces.
The only difference is, I kind of keep my fingers in the different pieces.”
Hunter, who is in his third year at Foothills, is a recipient of the 2016-17 Distinguished Leadership Award from the Council for School Leadership of the Alberta Teachers' Association.
He admits being principal at a major high school is like being John Gibbons, manager of the Toronto Blue Jays.
When things are going good, you get all the credit and when things are bad, people are quick to hand out the dunce cap.
When all is said and done, Hunter — just like Gibby — is just the same guy.
“This award brings a light on to our school, which selfishly, I love,” Hunter said. “But I am the same guy I was yesterday.”
Allen Davidson, the division's assistant superintendent of employee services, nominated Hunter for the award.
“His staff under his guidance has led work in the province around best practices towards the division and values around the high school redesign and the eight principles that define it (the redesign),” Davidson said. “All that has happened in the midst of a major modernization project at the school. A modernization of that scale is a challenging logistic piece to manage well and they were able to continue to provide quality education to students and ensure that all staff and students felt comfortable. That is all part of Vince's leadership and the team there.”
Hunter is doing the work with a hard hat on his head.
The Comp is in the midst of the $22-million modernization of Foothills Comp.
The construction has affected gym times, drama studios, the library and other areas — at times it seems students should be rewarded with a piece of cheese after going through a maze to get to class. The modernization will be complete in early 2018.
Although it's a team atmosphere, at the Comp, it's not a total democracy. Hunter is like Harry Truman who had The Buck Stops Here on his desk in the oval office.
He is the one who has to discipline staff on rare occasions. However, discipline can also be a teaching moment.
“Every situation is different,” Hunter said. “Just like being a teacher in the classroom dealing with a student, it's no different being in the principalship or leadership role. The decision is based on what is the best way to support them right now to help them get to that next level or help them with the struggle they are going through. It is personalized.”
As for the leadership award, it is no different than the Foothills Falcons provincial championship — a team effort from quarterback to trainer.
“This represents all of us,” Hunter said. “I am so proud of what our teachers and staff do for our kids and the community daily.
“This is about 1,100 kids and 80 staff members who work really hard. Our parents are amazing — very positive about what we do. You know that old saying – It is a reflection of the village raising a child.”
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