School District 71 has appointed Dr. Vivian Collyer and Jay Dixon as directors of instruction and Sean Lamoureux as director of instruction–inclusive education.
The moves are effective Aug. 1. This summer, the three directors will join the district following the upcoming retirements of staff on the senior leadership team.
“We are pleased to appoint three very high-calibre candidates who have a breadth and depth of skills and experience that will be of great benefit to our district,” said Tom Demeo, superintendent and CEO. “The selection of applicants from regions near and far from which we were able to choose was incredible. There is a wide field of excellence among educators and educational leaders today, and we are thrilled to have three of them join our team.”
Collyer holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Victoria, a master of education in curriculum and instruction, bachelor of education for French and social studies and bachelor of French language studies. She has been nominated for several BC Premier’s Awards and was the recipient of the Graduate Studies Fellowship award. Collyer is an active member on many committees, including the BC School Superintendents Association professional development committee. She is currently the director of instruction at School District 69 (Qualicum) and brings extensive background and knowledge fulfilling several school district roles, as well as curriculum development experience from a secondment to the Ministry of Education.
Dixon from School District 85 (Vancouver Island North) is currently under secondment with the Ministry of Education as a curriculum support and resource development lead. He brings to the Comox Valley his innovative leadership and teaching experience in the K-12 education system. Dixon holds a bachelor of education, master of educational technology, certificate in leadership, certificate in special education, and he has completed UBC’s Transformational Educational Leadership Program. He currently is supporting upcoming provincial initiatives Open School BC and ShareEdBC with project development and curriculum guidance. He has also served as a board member for Vancouver Island Regional Library and the North Island College Foundation Board.
Sean Lamoureux, currently principal of Mark R. Isfeld Secondary, joined the district in 2018, bringing many years of experience as an administrator, as well as exceptional knowledge as a teacher and supervisor. As an administrator, he has been responsible for a variety of educational programs including alternative education, adult continuing education and Indigenous education. He has also supervised an education program at Kamloops Regional Corrections Centre and led a life skills program for School District 73. He developed the “Family of Schools” structure, which is currently being utilized within SD 73. Lamoureux holds a master of arts in administration curriculum and instruction and a bachelor of arts in geography and history. He has sat on a variety of regional, provincial, and local boards of directors. In his new role supporting inclusive education for the district, he will bring his experience supporting students with diverse learning backgrounds.