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The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Pieter Langstraat as its next Superintendent of Schools and CEO effective September 1, 2010. Currently serving as Deputy Superintendent, Mr. Langstraat is a dynamic and progressive leader who has developed a strong and positive reputation within the District and across the province.
"I am honoured to have been selected as the next superintendent for Red Deer Public Schools. I look forward to continuing to nurture the strong relationships that have been developed with the Board of Trustees, staff, students, parents and the community,” said Mr. Langstraat.“I plan to serve the District with strong, principled leadership, modelling the District's mission of striving for excellence by inspiring learning and nurturing hope in every student,” said Mr. Langstraat. “I believe that we can continue to grow and improve as a District and I look forward with great anticipation to working closely with the Board of Trustees and all members of the Red Deer Public Schools community to be the very best that we can be,” he said.
A graduate of the University of Calgary, Mr. Langstraat completed his Bachelor of Education degree, majoring in Secondary English in 1984. On graduation, he joined Red Deer Public teaching at Eastview Community School and then at Aspen Heights Elementary. Mr. Langstraat began his career in educational administration in 1990 as vice principal at Fairview Elementary and Glendale Middle School. He received a Master of Science degree in Educational Administration from the University of Oregon in 1995. Mr. Langstraat was appointed as principal at Fairview Elementary School in 1996 and went on to become Coordinator of Instructional Technology and then Assistant Superintendent for the District. In 2002, Mr. Langstraat joined Chinook's Edge School Division as Assistant Superintendent and returned to Red Deer Public as Deputy Superintendent in 2006.
Mr. Langstraat was a recipient of the Alberta Excellence in Teaching Award in 1999. He was recognized for distinguished service by the Council on School Administration in 1996. Mr. Langstraat has served as Zone Director for the College of Alberta School Superintendents. He has also taught for a decade in the University of Alberta Middle Years Program teaching “Inclusive Education: Adapting instruction for students with special needs.”
"We are so pleased to have someone of Mr. Langstraat’s caliber and reputation leading Red Deer Public Schools,” said Board Chair, Dr. Bill Stuebing. “Piet brings both a record of achievement in curriculum and positive relations within our District that will provide strong, visionary leadership to Red Deer Pubic Schools,” said Dr. Stuebing. "As part of the Board's succession plan, when Mr. Langstraat was selected as Deputy Superintendent in 2006, the Board began assessing and evaluating his potential to serve as the next Superintendent. Since then, Piet has distinguished himself within our District. As a result of working closely with our current Superintendent of Schools, Don Falk, he is well positioned to continue and build on our tradition of excellence."
While we welcome Piet as Superintendent Designate, we also recognize the exemplary leadership that Don Falk has provided our District having served as Superintendent for the past decade. “Don’s exemplary leadership will have a lasting impact on the District .We are proud of the many successes that the District has achieved under his leadership. His counsel and perspectives have had a significant influence on the Board of Trustees and we will miss Don on both a professional and personal level,” said Dr. Stuebing.
With the appointment of a new Superintendent of Schools, the Board will now focus its efforts on a search for Deputy Superintendent.
Serving the education needs of children and youth within the City of Red Deer, Red Deer Public Schools is a jurisdiction of 1,000 staff, serving 10,000 students, with a budget of $100 million.
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