HPSD Welcomes New Director of Student Mental Health

𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧’𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡.

Selena holds a 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, and a 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤, both from the University of Calgary. She brings valuable experience in supporting the mental, emotional, and behavioural well-being of children and youth.

In her new role, Selena will 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 across the Division, provide 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬, and build strong partnerships with schools, families, and community health providers to expand access to services. She will also mentor staff, support professional development, and use data to inform ongoing improvements in mental health programming.

Superintendent of Schools Murray Marran emphasized that student mental health remains a top priority for the Division. “𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬,” he said. Deputy Superintendent Pam Heckbert agreed, adding, “𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞, 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞.”

Selena will be based out of the Division Office while supporting schools across High Prairie School Division. The Division is excited to welcome her to the team and looks forward to the positive impact her leadership will bring to students, staff, and communities.