Chris Clegg
South Peace News
A woman with a long history in education will soon be Northland School Division’s new superintendent.
Shelley Lynn Willier will assume her duties Aug. 21, Northland’s board of trustees announced in a news release July 31.
“We welcome Shelley back to the Northland family and look forward to working with her to continue our pursuit of providing high-quality relevant education for our students,” says board chair Cathy Wanyandie.
“We believe that Shelley’s values of trust, courage, wisdom and kindness, her Indigenous background, and her overall focus on student engagement are an excellent fit for building on the current strengths of our Division.”
Willier has attained an exemplary record in her 32 years in education. She has been a teacher, vice-principal, principal and central office leader in school systems. For about five years, she worked with the Alberta government in a manager’s role. She returns to Northland having had a wide range of past experiences, including assistant superintendent and area associate superintendent.
Willier holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta. She has also earned a Master of Education degree in Policy Studies, focusing on Indigenous Peoples Education, also from the University of Alberta.
She is currently enrolled in a Master of Business/Administration degree program on Human Resources Leadership through the University of Fredericton.
Willier left Northland in 2019 to be close to her ailing father. During that time they drafted his memoir, telling his story of surviving residential school.
“Storytelling is a real interest of mine, and I am very excited to be part of Northland’s story again,” says Willier.
“In celebrating our individual and collective successes, building relevant curriculum and learning experiences, creating a sense of belonging for all students, and working with parents and communities to support their children, Northland will be a great place to learn and grow.”