Cara Loverock
Northern News Services
Published Friday, December 14, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Yellowknife Catholic Schools will soon be saying goodbye to long-time superintendent Kern Von Hagen.

"It's time. It's all personal," said Von Hagen of his decision to leave. "I've been with the organization for 16 years. I've been a superintendent nine of those years and was in a principal position the rest of that time."

Kern Von Hagen has been superintendent with the Yellowknife Catholic School Board for nine years. He recently announced he will be leaving his long-time post. - Cara Loverock/ NNSL Photo

He said that he is looking for change and currently working toward a doctorate in educational leadership. Now in the dissertation phase, he hopes to be completed by early spring.

"I want to continue to grow, develop, stretch and I've reached that here. I certainly want all our staff and students to do that, so it's rather hypocritical not to do it myself," he said.

Von Hagen said he has not decided yet what he will be doing in the future, but said he is excited by the number of options in front of him. He said he may stay in the education field and is considering teaching at the college or university level, taking a superintendent position elsewhere or moving into work with the government.

"I want to look at what is the right fit for me and I want to be able to exercise my skill set," said Von Hagen.

Coming from a public school job in Alberta, Von Hagen arrived in the territory in 1992 with his wife, Leah and two children Aaron, who now works in the film industry in Vancouver, and Sarah, a first year student at Acadia University.

His contract ends in June, but the school board has begun the process of searching for his replacement. When Von Hagen actually leaves will depend on when a replacement is found. He will not be playing a role in the search for the new superintendent of YCS, but will share some of his knowledge about the position and what it requires.

He said he hasn't decided exactly what path he will take next, but it is possible he will stay in the North. "The North has been very good to me. I'm certainly not ruling that out," he said, "We'll see what the future brings."