Pearl Lorentzen
Lakeside Leader
For the last few years, Corinna Horsman has been mentoring teachers and involved in curriculum support. In the fall, she’ll be the new vice-principal at CJ Schurter Elementary School in Slave Lake.
“I always wanted to be a teacher my whole life,” says Horsman.
Horsman has over 18 years of teaching experience, says a High Prairie School Division news release. This includes nine years at CJS. Her most recent role is as an Early Education Coordinator, supporting Kindergarten to Grade 3 teachers across the school division.
“I’ve loved being out of the classroom,” says Horsman. “(But) I’ve missed being part of a school. I missed the kids.”
As vice-principal, Horsman will be supporting teachers as an instructional coach.
“I spent a couple of years coaching and mentoring vice-principals,” says Horsman, “and had never been one.”
Horsman’s goal as vice-principal is to support teachers, because over the last few years teaching has become very difficult with the COVID-19 pandemic and new curriculum. In the 2022-23 year, CJS and other K to 3 schools implemented new math and language arts programs. In 2023-24, they will be using new science curriculum. Social studies curriculum is on hold.
Horsman will also be teaching in the Program Unit Funding (PUF) class for preschool students with special needs. CJS doesn’t have a regular preschool, but it runs PUF five days a week for kids aged 2.8 to 4.8 years old with autism or speech needs.
The goal is to get them ready to enter Kindergarten.
As an education coordinator, Horsman helped the PUF teachers.
“I loved being with the little kids,” she says, “but now I get to teach them. It’s a lot of cute little kids that aren’t talking.”
Students enter the PUF program through Alberta Health Services.
“Speech has become an issue,” says Horsman.
In 2023-24, CJS will have 15 to 16 kids in the PUF program.
One of the goals is to “expose them to as much language as possible,” says Horsman.
Horsman and her husband moved to Slave Lake in 2003. She taught at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic School first and then had her two children. The oldest graduated last year and worked as an education assistant this year. He’s going to university to be a music teacher.
Horsman has a bachelor of education from the University of Alberta.
Current CJS vice-principal Jodi McMahon will be going to EG Wahlstrom Elementary School to take on the role of Learning Support Teacher, says the HPSD news release.
