Esther Van Beek

Fostering Effective Relationships

• Acted as the principal when required, maintaining smooth daily operations and consistent leadership presence.
• Maintained a welcoming, inclusive, and respectful school environment conducive to learning for all students.
• Developed strong partnerships with parents and guardians, addressing concerns, supporting student needs, and participating in Parent Council meetings.
• Built positive and responsive relationships with students and staff, supporting discipline processes with empathy and consistency.
• Co-created Prescott Learning Centre’s Community Classroom alongside an educational assistant and fellow assistant principal, fostering collaboration among staff and designing an innovative, flexible learning space. The initiative was later showcased to division leadership and the Mayor of Spruce Grove as a model of community-connected education.

Modeling Commitment to Professional Learning

• Served as Indigenous Education Lead (2022–2024), deepening personal and staff understanding of reconciliation and Indigenous perspectives.
• Led and participated in professional learning tied to inclusive education, ensuring staff capacity to support diverse learners.
• Collaborated with administration and division leaders to co-develop and implement structures like the Tiered Behaviour Response Plan, reflecting critically on discipline practices and their impact.
• Engaged in certificated and support staff evaluations, using feedback to mentor and support ongoing professional growth.

Embodying Visionary Leadership

• Identified the need for a whole-school approach to student behaviour, leading the design and implementation of a Tiered Behaviour Response Plan that promoted consistency, student reflection, and staff feedback.
• Partnered with colleagues and external stakeholders (e.g., city leadership) to envision and implement the Community Classroom, offering flexible, student-centred learning opportunities.
• Oversaw school-wide systems such as supervision scheduling and timetabling, ensuring staff deployment aligned with school values and student safety.
• Participated in Parent Council to listen, communicate school goals, and align with community aspirations.

Leading a Learning Community

• Actively participated in monthly Collaborative Response meetings following Kurtis Hewson’s model, utilizing data, collaborative dialogue, and a continuum of supports to meet diverse student needs and promote a culture of shared responsibility for learning.
• Promoted a school-wide culture of inclusion and high expectations by supporting both academic and behavioural interventions for all students.
• Served as Inclusive Education Lead, collaborating with staff to identify and implement classroom-based strategies, resources, and supports tailored to diverse student needs.
• Created a structured and consistent discipline framework that included reflection tools for students and feedback forms for staff, fostering a learning-focused, restorative approach to behaviour.
• Facilitated staff supervision and evaluation processes, promoting reflective practice and ongoing growth aligned with the Teaching Quality Standard.

Supporting the Application of Foundational Knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit

• Acted as the school’s Indigenous Education Lead from 2022 to 2024, supporting staff in integrating Indigenous perspectives into learning and promoting culturally responsive practices.
• Engaged in ongoing professional learning related to reconciliation and Indigenous education, and supported the inclusion of authentic resources and land-based learning in classrooms.
• Collaborated with staff to build understanding of the historical and contemporary experiences of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples through staff meetings, lesson planning, and school initiatives.
• Helped organize meaningful connections and school events with local Indigenous neighbors, who visited the school 2–3 times annually to share cultural teachings and ways of being with students.
• Assisted with the planning, participation, and facilitation of Prescott Learning Centre’s annual Powwow practice events, promoting cultural understanding and celebration within the school community.

Providing Instructional Leadership

• Conducted formal and informal evaluations for both certificated and support staff, providing feedback aligned to professional standards and promoting instructional growth.
• Supported substitute teachers with school onboarding, classroom support, and clear expectations to ensure learning continuity in the absence of regular staff.
• Developed and implemented a Tiered Behaviour Response Plan grounded in restorative practices, equity, and developmental appropriateness, contributing to a safer and more supportive learning environment.
• Maintained daily oversight of student discipline, ensuring fair, consistent, and instructionally aligned responses to behaviour.

Developing Leadership Capacity

• Co-created the Community Classroom with staff members, modelling shared leadership, collaboration, and initiative.
• Worked closely with teachers and educational assistants to build confidence and capacity in responding to student behaviour using the tiered response model.
• Partnered with the principal to assign and support leadership roles within the school (e.g., inclusive practices, literacy support, scheduling).
• Supported colleagues through mentorship and day-to-day collaboration, creating opportunities for staff to take initiative in problem-solving and decision-making.

Managing School Operations and Resources

• Assumed full responsibility for school operations when the principal was absent, demonstrating readiness and competence in leading all aspects of the school day.
• Coordinated daily staff redeployment and supervision schedules, ensuring coverage and student safety while minimizing disruption to learning.
• Oversaw fire drills, assignable time, and school-wide timetabling, demonstrating attention to detail and alignment with divisional procedures.
• Applied an equity lens when planning for student and staff supports through inclusive education and behaviour intervention strategies.
• Proactively partnered with a mentor principal to build foundational knowledge of school budgeting and operational management in preparation for a future principalship.

Understanding and Responding to the Larger Societal Context

• Participated in and contributed to Parent Council meetings, facilitating communication between the school and broader community, and gaining insight into community values and priorities.
• Developed positive relationships with external community partners, including municipal leaders, through the showcasing of school-based innovations like the Community Classroom.
• Promoted inclusive and culturally responsive school practices in alignment with divisional and provincial goals, supporting staff in understanding broader educational trends and mandates.

Other Related Experience:

Acting Administrator

2014 - 2016

Muir Lake School - The Parkland School Division

2016-2021

Prescott Learning Centre - The Parkland School Division

Teacher

2016-2021

Prescott Learning Centre - The Parkland School Division

Grades 5, 6, 7, and 7 to 9 CTF

2008-2016

Muir Lake School - The Parkland School Division

Grades 3, 5, 6, and Junior High FSL