Andy Tyslau appointed principal for Dr. Robert Plaxton Elementary School

Lethbridge School Division is pleased to announce Andy Tyslau has been appointed principal of Dr. Robert Plaxton Elementary School, commencing the 2024/2025 school year.
Tyslau’s leadership experience is characterized by a passion for people, relationships and building a community of care and trust. Through his teaching and leadership opportunities, Tyslau has demonstrated a core belief in supporting all students in their growth, learning and achievement, and the vision that the school community together supports all students. 
His focus on instructional leadership is connected to the values of a culture of learning, collaboration and innovation. He is a strong communicator and believes in embracing the shared knowledge of the school staff as a collective body of expertise in supporting the whole child.
"I am deeply humbled to serve the Dr. Robert Plaxton community, situated on the traditional territory of the Blackfoot people, with whom we respectfully share this land,” said Tyslau. “I feel incredibly honoured to collaborate with and support this remarkable school community. The passionate commitment by all staff to student achievement, growth and learning within an innovative environment inspires me daily. It is my hope that our collective dedication and care for one another, and of this land on which we learn and play, will continue to enrich and nurture our growing community and continue to be one of the cornerstones of our school.”
Highly committed to both his profession and the community, Tyslau has served on a variety provincial and local ATA committees such as ATA Local #41, South Western Alberta Teachers Convention board and the Teacher Education and Certification Committee. He has also been a representative of different Division level committees in the areas of diversity and inclusion, assessment and reporting and instructional leadership and professional learning.  He currently serves as a representative for the Program Advisory Committee for Lethbridge College.
Tyslau’s teaching career spans 19 years in Lethbridge School Division. He first taught at the Community Outreach School as part of the then Outreach Schools and Programs. He then taught for nine years at G.S. Lakie Middle School, teaching mostly science and robotics. In 2013, he earned a secondment opportunity with the University of Lethbridge as a Teacher Associate in the Faculty of Education working closely with student teachers in PSI and PSII. After the one-year secondment, he returned to G.S. Lakie as the Learning Support Teacher teaching in the Life Skills program and a short time later had the opportunity to be part of the school leadership team as an acting assistant principal. 
Tyslau was appointed Acting Principal of Plaxton for the 2023/2024 school year and also served as vice-principal since the opening of the school in 2021/2022. Previous administrative experience also included a vice-principal position at Galbraith Elementary School, which he was appointed to in 2017. 
He completed his Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Lethbridge majoring in sciences. He earned a Master of Education degree in School Leadership and Administration from Gonzaga University. He is the proud father of three girls and in his spare time enjoys spending time outdoors, gardening and exploring new tech DIY projects.