Cochrane High School principal Ed Polhill has been appointed as the new Director of Learning Services for Rocky View Schools (RVS) and will take on the role in August, according to a Rocky View Schools (RVS) release.
“[Polhill] stood out for this directorship because of his demonstrable leadership qualities, commitment to building staff efficacy and ability to bring about wide-scale change,” said Greg Luterbach, RVS superintendent of schools, in the release.
“I am confident [he] will ensure the good work already underway continues, and that RVS moves forward with its implementation of a comprehensive professional learning plan that supports the learning needs of all staff.”
Polhill’s tenure with RVS dates back to 2001, according to the school division, when he joined Bow Valley High School as a teacher. He went on to serve as the school’s outdoor education co-ordinator and athletics director before being appointed assistant principal of Springbank Community High School (SCHS) in 2009.
His achievements while at Springbank included co-developing the One-to-One Project, which, according to RVS, resulted in SCHS becoming the first public school in Alberta to implement ubiquitous computing.
After three years at SCHS, he accepted his first position as a school principal at Airdrie’s George McDougall High School. It was during his time there the school was awarded the Ken Spencer Award for the Building Futures program – an alternative program RVS said Polhill helped spearhead in his role as an administrative lead.
He was George McDougall’s principal until 2015, when he moved back to Cochrane to take on the same role at Cochrane High School.
Prior to joining RVS, Polhill taught at middle schools and high schools in Edmonton.
A member of the Superintendent Action Team, RVS stated, Polhill has also served on several other RVS committees that cover topics such as professional learning, high school re-design, curriculum and technology. He also led the development and implementation of professional learning initiatives for all of RVS’ outdoor educators.
Polhill holds a master of education with a specialization in educational leadership from Bishop’s University, as well as a bachelor of education and a bachelor of physical education, both from the University of Alberta.
Filling the role of principal at Cochrane High School will be Anne Kromm, who is the outgoing principal of Manachaban Middle School.
