ULethbridge alumna and Chief Superintendent for the Calgary Board of Education, Joanne Pitman, is building a legacy of leadership

Recently announced as the new Chief Superintendent for the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) following a nation-wide search, University of Lethbridge alumna, Joanne Pitman (BA/BEd '00, MEd '08) felt destined to make her mark in the educational world.

 I can't think of a time when I thought I would be anything other than a teacher. I always wanted to be a leader in education and I wouldn't say that there was ever a moment where I thought I should do something else.

Raised by two educators on a small farm in La Crete, Alberta, Joanne recalls the early influences of education in her life.

“It was set within me as I watched my dad serve public education his entire career. He was always setting an example of what it means to be a community leader and how to do so in a way that serves the youngest students and sets them up for the future. We had countless conversations around what that type of leadership looks like and the importance of it.” 

Post-secondary beginnings

Following her high school graduation, she began her post-secondary career at Red Deer Polytechnic in a two-year university transfer program. During her time in Red Deer, she was able to engage in collegiate athletics and experience challenges such as being cut during tryouts for the women's volleyball team. However, her natural competitiveness prevented her from letting that be the end of her athletic experience. 

“I couldn’t imagine my life without athletics, so I decided to try badminton. My first year was a developmental year and set me on a path the following summer to really focus on my training and physical fitness while setting clear goals. I remember telling my coach at the end of my first year, ‘You will not be able to not play me and I will win. Wait until the fall’. That’s kind of how I approach things, I name it, focus on it and then pursue it.”

Her determination would eventually pay off as she became nationally ranked and won a bronze medal at the national college athletics championship in London, Ontario. 

Undergraduate experience

Despite being registered at the University of Alberta to complete her university transfer program, a newfound love for English courses and small class sizes at Red Deer Polytechnic inspired a last-minute decision to apply to the University of Lethbridge. Upon her acceptance and arrival, she quickly found a new home and familiarity in the city as she integrated herself into the community through athletics, fundraising for the new ULethbridge library and various other community initiatives.

Recalling her experience as an undergraduate in the Faculty of Education, Joanne reflects on the benefits of the extra practical classroom hours offered at ULethbridge.

The uniqueness of the program was a driving benefit for me on every level. The degree of experience I gained and the support I had were really important pieces that prepared me for the classrooms that I walked into. Having such a range of experiences throughout my practicums was so valuable.  

A return to ULethbridge

Upon completing her undergraduate program, Joanne accepted a teaching position in Grande Prairie. While she was saddened by leaving Lethbridge and the connections she had made in the surrounding school divisions, it would not be long before she returned to ULethbridge to start her Master of Educational Leadership. Her return was characterized by a significant difference, as this time she was anticipating the arrival of her first child with her husband. 

“I was pregnant with our son when I started my master's degree and I thought, ‘Well, I’ll need something to do while I’m on maternity leave’. I laugh about that now because it was certainly an experience of engaging in rigorous research and applying a whole different leadership perspective while also having a newborn and going back to school.”

Joanne attributes much of her success to the lessons she learned from those who shaped her as a learner throughout her educational journey including her thesis supervisor, Dr. George Bedard, and professors Dr. David Townsend, Dr. Pam Adams and Dr. Nola Aitken. 

“The number one thing that I came out of ULethbridge with was the ability to be a reflective practitioner and leader. This is because of the way the program is designed and the connection that is fostered with both professors and fellow students. I left with an understanding that I am not doing this work alone and that collaboration and reflection within my practice means that I have to be open to feedback. That was the greatest strength of my experience has entirely shaped the way I taught, the way I lead currently and how I move forward," says Joanne.

I couldn't be prouder to be a University of Lethbridge graduate. It's an honour to continue to be part of that legacy of what the Faculty of Education has had an impact on, not only in our province, but around the world. It’s important to recognize that we are all part of something at each point in our lives. When I look back on my time at the ULethbridge, I feel a great sense of pride, sense of belonging and I'm forever grateful for that.

Embracing risk

After her second graduation from the Faculty of Education, Joanne returned to Grande Prairie where she taught middle school humanities and physical education. She then moved into a guidance counsellor position before deciding to pursue teaching at the elementary school level.

I intentionally placed myself in a position where I didn’t have knowledge of the content to the level that I wanted and where I did not have the same degree of confidence. I needed to understand how to identify personal areas of weakness and this decision shaped my future in leadership.

Joanne's pursuit of personal improvement landed her a vice principalship at a K-9 school where she gained operational management experience before moving into a principalship. After five years, Joanne and her husband made the decision to travel around the world with their children. Despite concerns on how this could affect her career, Joanne proudly looks back on this decision as it opened the door for her to form connections with the Victorian Principals Association in Australia and tour various schools in Cambodia.

"Having those different experiences both sharpened and softened me on many levels and has had a major impact on how I engage in the world now."

During her time away, she received a job offer for the role of District Principal of Leadership & Operations for the Grande Prairie Public School District. After overseeing numerous capital projects, she moved into a directorial position before relocating to Medicine Hat in 2017 to become the Assistant Superintendent of Universal Design & Learning. Two years later, Joanne's leadership journey took her to Calgary where she worked as the Superintendent of School Improvement for the CBE for just under five years before being appointed as the Chief Superintendent in February of this year.

"It is an honour to lead in the CBE — together we serve the future of our city and beyond and I know we will continue to advance the goals of public education."