BASHAW — When the Bashaw School doors open Aug. 30 for the new school year, a new principal will be at the helm.
The Battle River School Division has chosen Lorne Berg as Bashaw’s principal.
“Lorne has had an outstanding career, with more than 20 years of experience in administration, and he’s a strong community advocate,” said Dr. Larry Payne, superintendent of the Battle River School Division.
“He has a skill set in managing and leading within a kindergarten to Grade 12 school, which includes organizational and programming skills.”
Berg, who lives in Camrose, welcomed his career move.
“I’m excited about coming to Bashaw,” said Berg, who is no stranger to the area. “I know a lot of people here and have friends living in Bashaw.”
Berg and his wife Laura lived in Bashaw for a few years when he was teaching in New Norway and she was teaching in Stettler.
Berg brings 30 years of teaching experience to the position, much of that at schools within the area that the Battle River School Division now encompasses.
His last posting was as a vice-principal at Camrose Composite High School, a position he held for six years.
Previous to that, Berg taught at Hay Lakes, New Norway and Ecole Sifton in Camrose, where he held the positions of both vice-principal and principal.
“I enjoy a grades 1-to-12 school,” said Berg, who was educated at such a school in Bawlf.
Berg is a math and physics major, with a master’s degree in administration. He has been a coach at many of the schools where he’s taught.
His capacity as a coach brought him to Bashaw on numerous occasions for sporting events, and he said he’s familiar with the staff at Bashaw School.
Berg and his wife live in Camrose, where she has a teaching position at the Charlie Killam junior high school. The Bergs have three grown children.
In Bashaw, Berg takes over from Neal Isnor, who has accepted the position of vice-principal at the PACE Outreach School in Camrose.
“Neal’s outreach school experience has been focused on helping students transition in to, out of and between outreach and traditional community schools,” Dr. Payne said. “Neal is known for his advocacy and support of (the Battle River School Division’s) emphasis on meeting student needs, which makes him a good fit for PACE.”