Effective August 2020, Dave Hill will be the new principal of Cranbrook’s Mount Baker Secondary School (MBSS).
The former principal of MBSS, Viveka Johnson recently accepted a new position with School District 6 (SD6) as Director of Instruction – Learning Support Services.
School District 5’s (SD5) Board of Education announced Hill’s hiring on Tuesday.
Although born in Vancouver, SD5 said Hill moved to the East Kootenay in 1992 to begin teaching, where he has since spent his entire career. Hill was instrumental with MBSS’s Drama and Outdoor programs and is currently a vice-principal of MBSS, a position he has held for eight years.
“Dave is more than ready to take on this leadership role,” said Frank Lento, SD5 Board Chair. “He fosters strong relationships within the school community and has a talent for viewing challenges as opportunities. I look forward to seeing how he incorporates the newly revised curriculum into secondary school learning.”
Lento said Hill was integral to compiling MBSS’s COVID Safety Plan and is currently working on further safety and planning strategies for the 2020/21 school year.
“I am excited about puzzling over those challenges, collaborating with colleagues at Mount Baker and finding opportunities within the revised curriculum to engage our students in learning,” said Hill, who noted that many unknowns still remain with COVID-19 and how it will impact the new school year.
Hill is married to Sylvie de Grandpré, who is completing her Ph.D. in Education and is currently an educator with SD5. Having a son and daughter who both graduated from MBSS, Hill said he enjoys kayaking, gardening, and “being taken for walks by his wife”.
