Manitoba's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 46
MANITOBA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
46
It’s an empowering culture at St. John’s-Ravenscourt
S
cience lessons are out of
this world at St. John’sRavenscourt School
(SJR).
When Kaitlynn Buffie
asked about sending a weather
balloon, loaded with cameras
and sensors, up to the edge of
the stratosphere as a project
with her Grade 7 and 8 students,
the response was immediately
enthusiastic at the Winnipeg
independent school. Soon, her
students were calculating flight
paths, launching the balloon from
eastern Manitoba, then trekking
across a farmer’s field to retrieve it
— along with images of the upper
atmosphere and the curvature of
the Earth.
Everything that you
would want to have
to become the best
teacher you can be is
available to you.
— Kaitlynn Buffie
Senior School Science Teacher
and Science Department Head
“It’s an awesome opportunity
for the students; however it’s
expensive and there’s a lot of
expertise that goes into a project
like this,” says Buffie. “But anytime
something is good for students
and professional growth, it is
supported.”
Buffie, who joined SJR last year
to teach middle school, is now a
senior school science teacher and
head of the science department.
Middle School Principal Steve Landreville at St. John's-Ravenscourt School.
She says the feeling of belonging
began even before she set foot on
campus. Hired in the summer, she
received a video from a colleague
she had never met, welcoming her
to the school.
“I immediately felt included
and excited to start,” says Buffie,
who found that supportive culture
continued throughout the school
year. “Teachers are very passionate
people. In many other schools,
there are barriers to truly enjoying
your job. At SJR, most of those
barriers have been removed so we
can create enrichment experienc‑
es. It opens up the opportunity to
focus on teaching.
“You have more prep time, more
access to resources and additional
learning opportunities. Everything
that you would want to have to
become the best teacher you can
be is available to you.”
As middle school principal,
Steve Landreville sees his central
role as empowering the teachers
around him.
“We are constantly assessing
how professionals use their
time and build in more prep
time so they can create enriched
experiences for the students,” he
says. “Teaching is hard, and in five
years, teaching will be even more
complex. We need to recognize
teachers as professionals and al‑
locate more time and resources so
they can be builders and thinkers
— not go home and be doing the
work at 10:30 at night.”
One of his favourite aspects
of the job is listening to people
like Buffie outline a plan to send
something to space and track it —
and have the kids do the work.
“My instinct was to support
it, then get out of the way and
let this passion run wild,” says
Landreville. “I want teachers to
be seen and heard. I want them to
feel valued. They are the experts.
It’s my job to empower, support,
and remove barriers.”
Landreville has been at SJR for
16 years, having joined straight
out of university, and never looked
