聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Larry Lesiuk 'hit the mark' on the very first try.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Principal of Kipling School notes that his career began in Kipling.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏asically, my first posting was here in Kipling. I did intern in Canora. And, I also taught there for 2 months as a replacement for a teacher that was away on leave. But by then, I had already been hired for a teaching position in Kipling. I came here in the Fall of 1987. So, I've been at Kipling School for 30 years.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was not long before Larry found himself shifting his focus from teaching to administration.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 was originally hired to be the Senior Science Teacher. I taught Chemistry, Physics and Math. As well, I taught Middle Years Applied Arts. Then, about 8 years after I came to Kipling, I had the opportunity to take on an administrative role. I remember when I went into my interview, one individual asked me if I'd considered administration before. I told him that I had. I had hoped that I would have the chance to teach for a few years, and then perhaps move into administration. It was not my priority. But, I'd felt that if the opportunity was there, I'd be interested in pursuing it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As he prepares to retire after 22 years in administration...Larry sees only one real 'downside' to his job.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 always wanted to complete my career in the classroom, because I really enjoy being in the classroom. The one thing that I've missed during the years I've spent in administration is being able to be in the classroom, working with students every day. That's why I'm still doing some teaching...because I WANT to.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 However, Larry points out that the positive aspects of administration have made his job very satisfying.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 like having the opportunity to help other staff members in their work. I also feel that it's important to challenge yourself in your career. This position has given me the opportunity to do that. For example, all of the transitions that we had to go through with amalgamation...transitioning from one School Division to another...always created opportunities that challenged us to come up with new ways of doing things.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Throughout his career, Larry's main objective has always been to help students grow and succeed.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nytime you talk about goals in education...academic success always has to be a priority. But, social development is also very important in life. My goal has always been to help this school be a place where all students could 'fit in'...a place where kids could feel that they were a part of something bigger. Our staff and I have worked very hard...encouraging students to explore ways that they could be involved in the school and striving to make sure those opportunities are there for them.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Larry notes that he takes the most pride, not in any individual achievement of his own, but in what he has helped Kipling School grow into.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚'm very proud of the way that this school has grown and changed over the years. We have a 'State of the Art' facility here...as good as any other that you'll find in rural Saskatchewan. I'm very glad that we can have that for our kids.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚'm also happy that we have been able to offer the variety of opportunities for our students that we have available. You won't find many other schools that offer as much as we do to our students. I'm thankful that both staff members and members of the community have stepped up to provide that for our kids.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Is there something else that Larry wishes he could have done prior to retirement?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪omeone asked me not long ago if I was 'counting the days' until my retirement. I actually haven't. There are still things that I would like to get done. I want very much for all of our students to succeed and if you're asking if I can still see other things that could be done to help that happen my answer would be yes. But, I know that the staff at this school have that same goal as well. So, I'm confident those things will happen.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Larry's plans after retirement are likely to mean that he won't soon find himself less busy.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y brother and I still farm our family's land near Montmartre. I've always loved farming, so I'm planning to be out there more now. My wife and I have always said we'd like to do some traveling when we had the opportunity. We don't have anything 'big' planned for this summer but we do have some destinations in mind that we'd like to visit in the future.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He adds that his future plans include remaining in the community that he has called 'Home' for so long.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e have no plans to leave Kipling. I have been blessed in both the school and the community, and I want to stay involved in both. I'm going to remain on the list to be a substitute teacher. I don't really want to leave the school completely. I want to be able to come back from time to time and see the kids. I'm hoping I'll have the freedom to do that. I may also become more involved in doing things like officiating sports, and I'm thinking of taking some clinics so that I can officiate in sports like basketball and help programs like that develop.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here are also various community organizations that I am a part of and intend to continue to be a part of. I'm going to remain very involved with Parks and Recreation. I think that it creates important opportunities for kids and all members of our community. I intend to be more active in our church. And, I may look at becoming involved with the Historical Society or the museum as well...history is one of my interests.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 So...what advice would Larry give to his successor?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚've always thought it important to be true to yourself and your own vision. So, I think the only advice I'd offer is this...be sure to listen. It is so important to listen to other people, and understand their viewpoint. This is especially true when you're working with kids. When they are passionate about something, whether that something is positive or negative, there's always a reason why. You need to listen, find out why people feel the way they do, and pay attention to that.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭his job has never been about me. This job has always been all about supporting the students and responding to their needs and that of the community. This is not my school...it's the community's school. These aren't MY kids...these are OUR kids.鈥�
