Earlier this year, J.A. Laird Elementary School Principal Terri Hayes announced her pending retirement effective July 31, 2025. Terri has been Principal at Laird since 2020 and has provided steady, student-centred leadership within the school community. 

 

Terri came to the Rocky Mountain School District (RMSD) with a wealth of school leadership experience and quickly settled into RMSD providing her colleagues with leadership support. Terri has been the Art Starts contact in RMSD for the past 6 years which is a program that supports recruiting all of the educational cultural performance in our district's schools. Terri has sought out additional leadership learning through the BCPVPA and supported her colleagues by taking on chapter roles in Rocky Mountain.

 

Most recently, Terri has shared her learning and growth in Compassionate Systems Leadership with many of her colleagues throughout the district. Terri is masterful in her grounding and centering activities which she shares generously with all staff. Throughout her time with RMSD, Terri has provided thoughtful and progressive instructional leadership to the team at Laird. Terri will be dearly missed by students, colleagues, and families in Rocky Mountain School District. Thank you, Terri and congratulations, on your retirement!

 

We are pleased to announce that Don Reid will take over as Principal of J.A. Laird Elementary School effective August 1, 2025. Don will be joining the Rocky Mountain School District from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, where he has been in school leadership for the last 15 years. 

 

Don is the current principal of École St. Patrick High School, and prior to that served as Principal of École St. Joseph Elementary School; both schools enrolling more than 600 students.  Don has a proven track record of building strong relationships within the school community, empowering and supporting those around him to best meet the needs of students. He has recently championed many local initiatives, including a focus on school community wellness and working alongside local First Nations to enhance Indigenous culture and language programming opportunities for students.

 

Don is a long-time wrestling coach and has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Wrestling Association. Originally from Newfoundland, Don has studied at both St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and the University of Phoenix.  Welcome, Don!