A Conversation with Principal Cory Austen

Описание: For most Antigonish families, Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional High School is simply “the regional”—the place where virtually every teenager in the area spends their formative years. But for those without direct connections to the school, or newcomers to the community, what actually happens inside that large building on the edge of town can remain something of a mystery.


Justin and Anuj invited Principal Cory Austen to pull back the curtain on the region’s largest school, exploring everything from the September 2024 cell phone ban to the robust trades programs, from International Baccalaureate offerings to the challenges of serving 800 students with vastly different needs.


Austen brings an unusual perspective to the role. An Antigonish native who attended the regional himself, he spent 10 years working in private international schools in Mexico, South Korea, and Kuwait before returning home. That global experience gives him a unique lens on what makes public education in rural Nova Scotia special—and what challenges remain.


The School by the Numbers


Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional High School serves grades 9-12 and is the largest school in the Strait Regional Centre for Education, which covers territory from parts of Cape Breton to Pictou County. As of the interview date, enrollment sat at around 800 students with 59.5 teachers (the “.5” representing part-time positions) and a total staff of about 100 when including teaching assistants, Nova Scotia Health personnel, and custodians.


The population is stable to slightly growing, reflecting broader demographic trends in Antigonish. The school operates with a budget and resources that Austen describes as privileged compared to more remote rural schools.


The Cell Phone Ban That Isn’t Quite a Ban


When Nova Scotia implemented a province-wide “cell phone ban” in September 2024, Dr. John Hugh Gillis took a measured approach that Austen believes is working well.


“I’d start with it’s overall very positive,” Austen said. “And I think maybe ‘cell phone ban’ is not the best way to put it.”


The actual policy: no cell phones during instructional time, but students can use them during transitions, lunch, and recess. Individual teachers have discretion about whether phones must go in designated holders or simply stay out of sight in backpacks.


“We’ve been battling, like since I’ve been in high school, battling that issue with the distraction of the cell phone,” Austen explained. “So we’re finding students more focused, more engaged with that little change.”


The benefits extend beyond academic focus. Austen noted a significant reduction in “inappropriate communication” among students via social media apps during class time—the kind of messaging that can escalate into conflicts disrupting school operations. With phones away during instruction, these incidents have declined markedly.


While Austen doesn’t have hard test score data yet, the qualitative improvements from teachers and the reduction in behavior incidents speak volumes. Some schools have implemented stricter policies (no phones at all), but the regional’s approach appears to strike a workable balance.


A Reflection of Community Diversity


One of Austen’s recurring themes was that “most schools are like a reflection of the community they’re in”—and Antigonish’s diversity makes the regional particularly rich.


The school serves children of healthcare workers at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, professors and staff from St. FX and the Coady Institute, tradespeople, farmers, fishers—the full spectrum of the local economy. This diversity extends to cultural backgrounds, with Syrian and Ukrainian refugee students, international families, and long-established local families all sharing hallways.


“We’re very privileged to have the high school that we have in Antigonish,” Austen emphasized. “We’re a mirror of our own community.”


His international experience gives him perspective on how special this is. After working 10 years in private schools abroad, Austen moved home specifically wanting his own children to have a public school experience.


“What I love about Canada is public school is as good as most of the private school that I have ever worked at,” he said. “I can tell you that what we have here is as good as any. And, you know, I say that with confidence and it’s true.”


Key Insights from Principal Corey Austen:


Staffing Advantage: Unlike remote rural schools that struggle to fill substitute teacher positions, Antigonish has a healthy pool of available teachers. “Here in Antigonish, there seems to be more of a pool of teachers... We’ve been very lucky.”


Programming Diversity: The school offers International Baccalaureate (full diploma and certificate programs), skilled trades, Options & Opportunity (trades pathway with guaranteed NSCC seats), French immersion, Gaelic, robust arts and music, and comprehensive sports—something for virtually every interest and career path.


Skilled ...