SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — The legacy of Steve Small continues to shape Maverick School nearly two decades after his retirement, according to staff who say the school remains rooted in the student-centred vision he established when it opened in 1993.
Small, who died recently, founded Maverick School in Swift Current after school divisions identified a need for an alternative learning environment for students who were struggling in traditional classroom settings.
Colin Smith, the school's longest-serving teacher, said Small was given an unusual degree of freedom when he was asked to develop the program.
"Steve was the founder. The divisions were finding that a lot of students were falling through the cracks and disconnecting from school," Smith said. "They asked Steve if he could create a school for those students. He jumped at the chance."
According to Smith, Small's vision was to establish a student-driven school where students themselves would help shape policies and determine how the school operated.
"He wanted to create a school where students could have a voice in how it was run and what would work for them," he said.
The school's name was also chosen by students.
Smith said the original six students learned about Samuel Augustus Maverick, a Texas rancher known for refusing to brand his cattle, and identified with the independent spirit associated with the name.
"They said, 'We're Mavericks too. We go against the grain.'"
What began with six students has grown significantly over the years.
"When I started, we were capped at 30 students. Now we have 80 or more and there is no cap," Smith said.
He said Small discouraged formal barriers between staff and students. Students simply called him Steve rather than Mr. Small.
"He didn't want the power differential," Smith said.
Small also introduced principles that remain central to the school, including "freedom equals responsibility" and three core rights: the right to respect, the right to straight answers and the right to be encouraged to do well.
Smith said the school continues to operate according to those principles today.
"All the policies we have today were created by students and we're still a student-driven school," he said. "It's a school based in reality therapy and Steve wanted that. He was a master at helping students self-evaluate and become the people they wanted to be."
Reality therapy is a client-centred form of cognitive behavioural therapy that emphasizes improving present relationships and circumstances rather than focusing extensively on past events.
Small's expertise in the area stemmed in part from his work with Diane Gossen, an internationally recognized educator and reality therapy specialist. Smith said the two maintained a close professional relationship over the years, and Gossen helped train many Maverick staff members.
"He was well known for his educational beliefs and philosophy," Smith said.
Born in Gull Lake on March 9, 1950, to Vern and Nettie Small, he grew up in the community and on the family farm while attending Gull Lake School. He later earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Saskatchewan and began his teaching career with the Radius Tutoring Project.
After living in Saskatoon and Vancouver, he met his future wife, Shannon Hegglin of Regina. The couple married in 1978 and returned to the Gull Lake area, where they farmed and raised their family.
Although farming occupied much of his professional life, education remained his passion. During winter months, he taught and served on school and college boards before founding Maverick School in 1993.
The school's first location was in a downtown strip mall near Pharmasave before moving near the former bus depot. In 2016, Maverick School moved into its current permanent home in the former Kinsmen School building on Swift Current's south side.
Today, the school serves between 75 and 80 students annually.
Principal Jared Wipf, who is one of the newest members of the staff, said Maverick employs five full-time teachers, one part-time teacher and a total staff of 16 people.
"Our enrolment fluctuates between 75 and 80 students," Wipf said.
The school serves students in Grades 10 to 12, most of whom come from other schools within the Chinook School Division. Some students attend from outside the division, while others have come from outside Saskatchewan.
"Maverick is for students who are not experiencing success in the current school setting they find themselves in," Wipf said.
Smith noted that many former students have returned to work at the school in various roles, including office administration and as educational assistants.
Wipf said he quickly recognized Small's influence after arriving at Maverick.
"It didn't take me long to realize the extraordinary impact and influence Steve had not only on the school and its formation, but also on the staff," he said. "There were very few days that went by where Steve's name wasn't brought up."
Wipf said discussions about leadership often focus on legacy, and Small's impact remains evident throughout the school.
"The school has remained true all these decades later to that initial vision Steve had," he said. "His legacy also takes form in the success of his former students. I think that legacy will continue forever in all our future students who thrive and find success as a result of being part of Maverick."
Small taught at Maverick for 17 years before retiring in 2010.
Smith said staff and students presented Small with a journal upon his retirement, allowing current and former students to share memories and messages.
"One of the things that came up again and again was that Steve was the heart of Maverick," Smith said.
That sentiment inspired the creation of the Heart of Maverick Award, established by Small, his wife Shannon and the school community.
Each year, students vote for a recipient who best demonstrates the qualities that Small embodied.
"Through the Heart of Maverick, his legacy lives on," Smith said. "Steve helped change so many students' lives and staff members' lives. I was able to work with him for many years and I'm proud to have had him as a mentor and friend. It changed my life."
A celebration of life will be held for Steven Small on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the InnovationPlex Social Hall in Swift Current.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Maverick School.
