Our new Lakeside Primary principal, Dr Colleen Drisner is already a familiar face in our community — she was most recently Head of Student Support and Wellbeing. But this year, Colleen is taking on a new challenge: leading our Lakeside primary school.

Colleen, a highly respected educator with 29 years experience, has just earned a brand new doctorate in Educational Leadership. CIS is a real family affair for Colleen; her husband Ron Drisner is our secondary counsellor and their youngest daughter Aliya is in grade 10.

We sat down with Colleen to talk about the start of a new school year, how she spent her summer and what goals lie ahead.

Congratulations on your new role, Colleen. How do you feel about starting a new school year?

I am incredibly excited to be starting my new role as Lakeside Primary Principal. I am excited to work with our team of incredible teachers and see the way that they inspire and empower students to create, collaborate and grow!

Tell us a little bit about how you spent your summer break.

My summer was full! I finished up my doctorate, went on a cruise to nowhere and had a few nights' staycation. I also spent time catching up with friends, going for walks and bike rides, reading and swimming. I also revived the lost art of writing and mailing hand-written letters to my family and friends. Our son got married so we hosted a Zoom wedding shower and attended a Zoom wedding. It was bittersweet!

Do you have any tips for parents to help their children settle into the new school year?

Engage your child or children in conversations about their day. My favourite is ending the day with a conversation starter such as "Three Good Things". Kids can talk about three things they enjoyed about the day. They have to explain why it was a good thing.

Can you tell us more about your approach to education at CIS?

At CIS, we develop creators, innovators and leaders equipped with skills to navigate the future that awaits them. Students are at the centre of everything we do. We see each student as an individual and are committed to helping them grow. We are dedicated to unleashing a child’s potential to become an innovative, successful global citizen.

Looking outside the classroom, any personal goals you would like to achieve this year?

I want to learn to play the acoustic guitar and develop my Mandarin.

We’d also love to hear any other educational wisdom you've acquired in your career.

There's something powerful that happens to the brain that feels loved and cared for.

Watch Colleen’s welcome video to new parents.