WESTLOCK – After 20 years at R.F. Staples School in a variety of teaching roles, Dean Fagnan will be moving across town this September to become assistant principal at St. Mary School.
It’ll be a homecoming for the 52-year-old Fagnan, who not only got his full-time teaching start at SMS in 1997, but was a student there from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and graduated in 1987. After his initial teaching gig at SMS, Fagnan went on to Busby School for three years before joining RFS in 2001.
“The change and opportunity to move up into a leadership role are some of the reasons, but the pull to head back to my old stomping grounds was big,” said Fagnan. “Probably the reason I became a teacher was because of my experiences at St. Mary’s and I loved my years as a student there and the relationships I had with my teachers. It’s exciting to be able to go back.
“I’ll miss the relationships I’ve had with kids and the staff at R.F. Staples, but on the other hand I’m excited to try something new and head back to St. Mary’s.”
Fagnan, who got his education degree at the U of A, taught elementary-aged kids at SMS and Busby, then went on to teach some high school classes at RFS before focusing on junior high — he’s currently an inclusive education lead teacher at Staples.
“I’ve had many roles. I’ve been the work experience coordinator and high school completion coach. I love the opportunities I’ve gotten at R.F. Staples, it’s been an amazing place to work,” Fagnan continued.
“But it’ll be exciting to work with the elementary school kids again. I’m elementary trained, but I haven’t worked with elementary students since I was at Busby, so it’s been 20 years.”
SMS principal Vance Nakonechny said he received a number of applications for the position, which is being vacated by the retiring Nora McGaughey, although Fagnan stood out due to his experience and connection to the school.
“I was pleasantly surprised when Dean expressed interest in the position. He’s such a community guy and had his start here, so there is that familiarity. He billed it as a homecoming and I tend to agree,” said Nakonechny, who’s in his 10th year in admin and fourth year as SMS principal. “We’re really looking forward to him joining the team.”
And while he’s anxious to work with Fagnan, he said himself and the entire school will miss McGaughey — the Westlock News has interviewed McGaughey and her story will appear soon.
“Nora has been so fantastic in her time here. She’s worn so many hats — her and Anita Flese might have a record for the number of years that they’ve actually been in this building as a student, a teacher and administrator. Nora’s a significant piece of the history of this building,” said Nakonechny.
“She’s been a student here, a classroom teacher, a counsellor, inclusive ed coordinator and assistant principal … it’s run the gamut. The biggest thing with Nora is her caring and compassion. She’s been fantastic to work with and will definitely be missed.”
