Scott Tremblay is the new principal at Osoyoos Secondary School. He comes to Osoyoos from Similkameen Elementary Secondary School in Keremeos, where he has been working since 1999. (Richard McGuire photo)
The new principal of Osoyoos Secondary School (OSS), Scott Tremblay, says he’s happy to continue with the school’s flexible timetable and will continue the momentum started by his predecessor.
Former OSS principal Mike Safek launched the innovative timetable last year, but he retired at the end of the school year.
Vice principal Lyle Chapman, who was also involved with the new timetable, has taken a position in another school district and has been replaced by Brad Burns.
Tremblay comes to Osoyoos from Similkameen Elementary Secondary School (SESS) in Keremeos, where he has been since 1999.
He’s been the vice president there for the past four years, serving as acting principal for about four months last year.
Prior to that, he was a teacher.
He has also taught in Vancouver and Langley.
Originally from Chilliwack, Tremblay has three generations of family that have lived in Keremeos.
“My mom graduated from that school through Keremeos, as well as my uncle, so I’ve got pretty deep roots in Keremeos and the Similkameen Valley,” he said, adding that his grandfather was a local school trustee.
Tremblay said he’s made connections with Osoyoos through sports and working with colleagues on school district-wide programs and initiatives.
“Most of the staff I know already and I’ve worked with,” he said. “So coming here has been a pretty smooth transition.”
The flexible timetable is a big difference from SESS, Tremblay said, but the Keremeos school was also moving in that direction.
He’s enthusiastic about it, pointing to how it allows students in their senior years to take math and science courses that might otherwise be hard for a small school to offer.
Asked about his goals, Tremblay said he wants to build on the work of his predecessors.
“I think just continuing what Mike Safek and Lyle Chapmen started up here and continuing that momentum,” he said. “Then tweaking it along the way. You can always find areas that need improvement. We’re doing awesome things here, but we can always do better.”
School returns on Tuesday, Sept. 5, after the Labour Day weekend. On the first day, school starts at 8:30 a.m., but then it will end at 11:25 a.m.
Students will start in their homerooms, then head to an assembly, before returning to homerooms for housekeeping items.
“Then, starting on Wednesday, we’re back to regular business,” said Tremblay.
This story has been corrected to indicate that Lyle Chapman has left as vice principal and has been replaced by Brad Burns.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
