BLOG L2W The Last Two Weeks in the Life of the Director!

 

 

UCDSB “Nerd” Derek Cole
Goes Double the Extra Mile

This vice principal at North Dundas District High School (NDDHS) and self-described “tech nerd” is being recognized for going the extra mile for the second time.

Derek Cole, vice principal at NDDHS and a co-founder of the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) on-line gaming league, is being honoured with an Extra Mile Award for his work helping to organize the 6^thAnnual Real to Reel Film Festival.

Derek Cole

The festival, held at the Galaxy Cinemas in Brockville on May 9, showcased 40 character-based films produced by students from 36 schools across the Board. It featured a range of workshops from ways to create green-screen special effects to stop-motion animation.

Over the years, Derek has also been a good team player through his ongoing leadership of our social media efforts, and as a part of the team that updated our social media policy. He also led some workshops for trustees on the use of Twitter and other social media.

A caring person, he was one of the staff members who participated in the recent Movember fundraiser for prostate cancer research by growing a ‘70s style mustache  (pictured at right) for which he was the subject of many good-natured jokes that he handled with dignity and class.

For his caring attitude, his help bringing unique educational experiences to our students, and for assisting our Board to realize the value of social media, the UCDSB is proud to once-again honour Derek with a Director’s Extra Mile Award.

Spotlight on Students

Today I would like to shine a spotlight, quite appropriately, on the 6^th Annual Real to Reel Film Festival, held at the Galaxy Cinemas in Brockville on May 9.

The festival challenged students to produce short films based on the theme of positive character traits such as perseverance, resilience, caring, honesty and other valuable attributes that the Board wants its students to think about and live by.

It also featured a short speech by Sarah Long, an award-winning actress and graduate of Rideau District High School (RDHS), Long is an amateur actress who played Emily in the short video Star Wars Origins II – The Rising. The video was produced by friend and fellow RDHS  graduate Kyle Parish. The low-budget Star Wars prequel won the Star Wars Fan Film Competition last year at Comic-Con in San   Diego, California. Long won for best actress. The film also won the Director’s Pick Award, selected by Star Wars creator George Lucas.

The film showed students what could be accomplished on a home computer to create amazing special effects – including realistic light sabers and Darth Vader-style shock attacks.

What impressed me about Long was that she used the presentation to encourage students who may be interested in the arts to follow their dreams – no matter what. She told students that there is nothing more rewarding than doing what you love in life – a philosophy I follow every day. She told students that if they are doing what they love they cannot fail because, no matter what, they will be fulfilled.

The day offered students a chance to be fulfilled by seeing their work on the big screen. They were also able to accept a participation award, and learn a variety of skills from green screen work to stop-motion animation.

Communications Network Meeting

On May 7, I met with a group of key communicators who will play a vital role for our Board as part of our new Communications Network. Each of these people have identified four to six community leaders who will be critical friends and advocates for the Board. These community leaders will receive a quarterly report on the Board’s progress.  Through this connection, we will create a network through which we can disseminate positive information on the Board to the public through these community leaders, and through which we can receive helpful feedback from the communities we serve.

Director Tours Rockland Public School
and Rockland District High School

I conducted a Tag the Top! tour at Rockland Public School on May 8 and was very pleased with their commitment to public education and high performance. I could see that the school’s Tag the Top! team was making real progress and were setting an agenda of learning for all. It was evident to me that students were learning to the best of their abilities and that the teachers took real pride in how they were performing from Kindergarten through to Grade 8.

I spent that afternoon at Rockland District High School (RDHS)  on a Tag the Top! visit. I toured each classroom, and I also had the opportunity to watch a very intense and tough game of rugby between RDHS and Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute. I congratulate both teams for their grit.

Director Meets with Hockey Academy Owner

I met on May 8 with Bob Bourdeau, the owner of the Canadian International Hockey Academy in Rockland. We discussed future cooperation between the private company and the Board. Currently, the Board provides educational programming for students attending the prestigious academy through the T. R. Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education.

Golf Tournament Breakfast in Gananoque

I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast prepared by students in the Gananoque Secondary School Hospitality Program on May 10. Chef Doug Hill and his students provided an amazing breakfast. We enjoyed eggs Benedict, potatoes, fresh fruit, coffee and juice worthy of a five-star restaurant. The breakfast was held to raise the profile of the 5^th Annual Champions for Kids Foundation Golf Tournament, which is slated for July 4 at Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course.

We were joined at the breakfast by several local business people and dignitaries including Gananoque Mayor Erika Demchuk and Gananoque Police Chief Kai Liu. I took the opportunity to talk about the foundation and how it had started. Mayor Demchuk helped boost the fundraising effort for the tournament by donating a cheque from the town for $500.

Joining me at the breakfast were Tournament Co-Chairs Marsha McNair and Jennifer Moore, and Champions 1^st Vice-President Bill Loshaw.

Service Excellence Champions Council

On May 10, I attended a meeting of the Service Excellence Champions Council. I met with the leaders of the Service Excellence Charter, and addressed them for a few minutes on the importance of service here at the Board.

Link Crew Meeting on May 10

I was excited to attend a Link Crew information session May 10 at the North Grenville Municipal Centre. The session was attended by principals and lead teachers of the Link Crew teams that are going to be set up at area high schools all across our Board next year. The student mentorship credit program has been operating with great success at North Grenville District High School (NGDHS) this year and we hope to expand it across the Board in the 2012-2013 school year. NGDHS teachers Jennifer Murdock, Meredith Island and Shari Mitchell shared how their school was able to use this wonderful Grade 12 program to inspire leadership in our Grade 12 students while providing mentors and support for our Grade 9 students. We also discussed the steps that need to be taken to put the program in place at a school. Members of the full Link Crew teacher teams at schools planning to introduce the program next school year will meet for training in June at the Nav Canada Training and Conference Centre.

Discussion for 2012 Director’s Report

I met on May 15 with Jim Brodie, the videographer responsible along with Communications Director Terry Simzer, for our award-winning Director’s Annual Report videos. Along with School Communications Specialist Allison Grange and Communications Officer Mark Calder, we began looking at the process of developing this year’s video and revamping this important communications tool for our Board.

Visit to Caldwell Street Public School

I visited Caldwell Street Public School May 14 for a Tag the Top! visit and the official launch of the e-version of our character education booklet Kids with Character – A Celebration. The stories, written and illustrated by students and about students, pay tribute to the wonderful character of our students. During my visit to Caldwell, I had lunch with staff and the parent council. I also toured the classrooms, visited with the school’s Tag the Top! team, and attended an assembly in which I had the honour of presenting the 2012 Health Promoting School Champion Award, from Physical and Health Education Canada, to the staff and student body.

Senior Team Retreat May 17 and 18

Yesterday and today I hosted the Senior Team Retreat. During the two-day retreat, we are reviewing each and every CREW charter to see if it is on time and effective and to discuss ways to make the impact of our UCDSB CREW Strategic Plan even greater.

Today I’d like to talk about leadership and what I call “followship”.

I believe I’ve shared this story before, but I’d like to note it again: My daughter, Stevie, is an actress, and she’s dated some very handsome men. One day, I found out that her boyfriend at the time was a member of a really good golf course. I said to Stevie: “Keep this guy around long enough that I get a chance to play at this golf course with him.” And, almost as quickly as I said it, she told me that the relationship was over.

I know I must have looked a bit surprised. This particular young man was very handsome – he almost had a Clark Gable presence – and the two of them made a striking couple. I was surprised that the relationship had come and gone so quickly.

I asked her what the problem was. She said: “Beauty is skin deep, but boring goes right to the bone.”

I had a bit of a laugh about that, because I realized that she wanted more than just a light conversation at dinner about how the Leafs were doing. She was looking for more out of her relationships.

The reason I started today’s blog post this way is that this story reminds me of my idea of leadership. People want to follow a person who is inspiring, empathetic, and caring about themselves and others, but they also want to follow a person who has a true sense or vision of how we can make the world a better place. They have an ability to envision a blueprint of what a better world would look like, and the passion to pursue to achieve.

Yet, the leader must also carry an element of respect for the current state of the situation, so that the followers can engage in change through the leader’s passion, inspiration, and invitation to inclusion.

For example, in the education sector, people want to follow leaders who have a true sense and blueprint in their minds about what a high performance school looks like. They want to follow a person who can communicate with their followers about what the culture of the school will look like, and what the journey will be like with that leader.

What the leader must do is have the ability to make sense of what the future looks like. People don’t want sophisticated drawings, maps, and speeches about the future. They want their leader to make sense of their future. A great leader understands that, in order to do that, they must understand trust.

Trust works in many different ways. Organizations can only move as fast as the people in the organization trust their leader, trust their teammates, and trust their voice is being heard throughout the journey.

People will trust you if you trust yourself first, and have a clear, sensible, unsophisticated understanding of what the future will look like.

Of course, I do believe that any leader has to be sophisticated, knowledgeable, and have a clear, philosophical understanding of their situation. But, people don’t want to become confused by their leader. People want their leader to make sense of the future by taking the sophisticated viewpoint, and simplifying it.

A leader would be reckless to challenge a group of people to follow him because she or he had great charisma. Yes, people will follow other people with great charisma. But, charisma alone will only lead a group of people for a certain period of time. There must be substance, knowledge, and a clear, delineated picture of what the future will look like.

If the leader can do all of those things, and build it on a foundation of trust, they can move quickly to the desired state.

Trust is the foundation. A leader must be trustworthy. Being trustworthy means that the followers see that the leader trusts their own judgment, and has evidence that they are moving in the right direction.

When I think of trust, I think of four themes:

1. Leaders must have a high level of confidence and trust in themselves. Leaders must also trust key people who will be engaging their followers in leadership. That trust moves in many different ways. That trust is built upon the character and values that are shared by the group the leader is leading.

2. The leader has to have a sense of fun and play. People do not want to be led for long periods of time by people who are grim, quiet, and cold. Sometimes, leaders do have to move to those areas, but overall, people want to be led by people who are having fun, and who really understand the role of play. Play is often all about acting out what you’re going to do in the next stage of a challenge.

To have a clear grasp of that is critical. Plato reminds us that you will learn more about a person in an hour of play than you will learn of that person in a lifetime of work. That really is true in leadership.

3. Followers must know that you’re not waiting for perfect. By that, I mean that in many cases the enemy of progress is trying to be perfect. An interesting metaphor that is often shared by Associate Director Ian Carswell is that some leaders wait so long for the perfect shot, their prey doesn’t die from the shot, it actually dies from old age. What we have to understand is that if you’re waiting for the perfect shot, you may never take that shot. Sometimes, perfect is the enemy of progress.

With that in mind, leaders must share with their followers – in a trustworthy manner – that they are not waiting to be perfect. Leaders must share the idea that mistakes are welcome if they are made in a risk-filled way with every attempt to mediate the potential disaster.

4. Leaders must build trust in themselves and in the people that follow. As American politician, Chicago mayor, and former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel says: “Never let a serious crisis go to waste.” By that, I believe he’s telling us that when you have big failures, use them as an opportunity to celebrate, and say that what you’ve learned from this mistake can help you move forward and make your journey more successful.

Henry Ford once said: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” In going back to what he’s telling us, sometimes you just have to get started and lead, baby, lead.

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Next on the blog:

Character Counts for Positive Trajectory – Part 5: Nimble and Quick: Set Heartfelt, Clear, and Measurable Goals

BLOG L2W The Last Two Weeks in the Life of the Director!

 

Music Teachers Inducted into Extra Mile Club

This week I wish to recognize two brilliant teachers who go the extra mile to ensure their students enjoy an enriching relationship with music.

The first teacher I would like to honour is Heather Lance, the music teacher at South Branch Elementary School.  Lance leads the South Branch African Drummers (SoBad), a group that has attracted much positive publicity for our Board. Band members donate their time to perform at fundraising events for the House of Lazarus, the Salvation Army and other worthy organizations. The students perform African traditional pieces on traditional drums and have also added “Gumboot” dancing to their routine.  The drummers have performed for retired teachers, at the Canada Day Parade, Community Christmas Remembered in Spencerville, and other events.

Lance and members of SoBad

This month, SoBad will perform at Walt Disney World in Florida after they were chosen by the prestigious entertainment giant following an audition process. The trip will cost $21,000, which the drummers have gathered through fundraising. Lance herself has donated $6,000 of her own funds so the group can go, money raised through private drumming lessons.

The second music teacher I wish to recognize is Naismith Memorial Public School teacher Shelley Smith. Smith is the kind of teacher whose love for her students and her job is evident in everything she does. She organizes the Naismith primary Christmas concert – the highlight of the school year for parents and students. She organizes fundraising throughout the year to pay for repairs to instruments, and even buys instruments at auction so they can be used at the school. Not only does she take care of her own students but she also runs the after-school band for credit program at Almonte District High School. This band program gives students a chance to perform at area nursing homes and to play at school events.

For bringing the joy of music to our students, I am proud to induct Smith and Lance into the Director’s Extra Mile Club.

Spotlight on Students

Today, I want to focus on the Lancer House System at Rothwell-Osnabruck School. The school has created a traditional English house system that gives students a chance to be successful and allows their voices to be heard. The system groups students in Grades 7-12 into combined-grade “houses” and the houses compete against each other in contests ranging from  obstacle courses to dress-up days. While it brings an element of fun to the Grades 7-12 experience at R-O, there are other advantages. It provides leadership opportunities for Grade 12 students who mentor the younger students and provides a network in the school for each student to access.

But for me, the most important part is that it helps break the school down into smaller segments – makes the school more intimate for every child. Every child has a place and every child is known and that is really, really powerful.

Accolades for Board from LNS

I met on April 23 with an improvement plan team from the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat (LNS) who were at the Board reviewing the goals we have set for our students under our CREW Strategic Plan. I was very pleased with the feedback we received. LNS staff members said that our planning activities were the envy of the province.

Preparing for Negotiations, Summit Discussions

I met with Superintendent of Human Resources Charlotte Patterson April 23 to continue our preparations for upcoming negotiations with our union partners. Later that day I met with Dr. Alison Inglis to discuss our Living Well initiative and to speak with her about the upcoming summit on wellness slated for October.

Effective Social Media Habits for Principals

On April 24, I met with Gananoque Secondary School Principal Chris Boston to scope out a project he will be working on for me and the Board on the effective habits of social media-conscious principals.  Chris will be creating a toolkit and an overview of how to use that toolkit in the fast-moving world of Facebook and blogging.

Are You Smarter than a UCDSB 5^th Grader

I had the pleasure of joining Manager of Human Resources Linda Billing at Caldwell Street Public School April 25 to meet students in the school’s Grade 5 class who were the winners of the Are You Smarter than a UCDSB 5th Grader Contest. The contest, which took place throughout the month of March, was spearheaded by the UCDSB Human Resources Department under the Work-Life Balance Cardiovascular Program. All Grade 5 classes, including Grades 5/6 splits, as well as all staff members across the Board, were eligible to participate. The contest incorporated a weekly set of multiple choice questions focusing on healthy eating and healthy lifestyle choices – coinciding perfectly with National Nutrition Month in March.

Questions were developed with subject matter experts, Board staff, and  UCDSB Cardiovascular Wellness Program team members. The Ontario Health and Physical Activity Curriculum was used as one of the resources to develop the questions.

I had the pleasure of awarding Kobo e-readers to the students as a prize for winning.

Director Attends OPSOA Annual Conference

I attended the Ontario Public Supervisory Officials’ Association (OPSOA) Annual Conference and Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE) Meeting April 26 and 27 in Toronto. During the conference we heard from Ministry of Education Deputy Minister George Zegarac and discussed issues related to the budget and our GSN grants, as well as upcoming negotiations. I also attended a speech by Education Minister Laurel Broten. The Minister offered a message of austerity and of looming difficult budgets and the fact that we have made incredible gains in education over the past 7- 8 years. She said she hoped that the education leaders in the province can keep staff focused on teaching for learning.

Champions for Kids Golf Tournament Meeting

On April 30, I attended a teleconference about the upcoming C4K Golf Tournament. We are continuing to plan what will be an incredible day on the links on July 4 at Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course. On the same day, I signed a contract with Smuggler’s Glen and sent out an invitation to staff to attend the annual tournament.

Meeting on e-Learning

I led a meeting on e-learning April 30 attended by Superintendent of Business Rick Gales, Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training Executive Director Tim Mills, Superintendent David Coombs, T. R. Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education Principal Frank Hummell, and Associate Director Ian Carswell. We met to deal with the issue of declining enrollment and e-courses and e-style instruction as it relates to our regular day schools and our adult and alternative schools. We are also pleased to announce that e-learning specialist Matt Robinson will return to our Board from his secondment with the Ministry of Education to assist us in our efforts to deliver quality e-instruction.

Directors Annual Report Video Presentations

On May 1, I attended a breakfast in Smiths Falls to showcase the 2011 Director’s Annual Report video at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute (SFDCI). During the event, the 24 guests were entertained by three students at SFDCI who gave vocal performances. I would like to thank Smiths Falls Mayor Dennis Staples and Trustee Susan Richards who provided their support. On May 3, we hosted a similar breakfast meeting at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School attended by 40 Cornwall-area residents.  I would also like to thank Trustee Art Buckland, Chair Greg Pietersma and Trustee Peter Garrow for their support at the meeting.

Staples Inducted as Honourary Champions Board Member

On May 4, I was pleased to attend the Champions for Kids Fundraising Breakfast at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute. During the fundraising breakfast, we inducted Mayor Dennis Staples as an honourary member of the Champions board of directors.

Managers manage, but leaders lead. My simple definition of leadership that I’ve used for years is as follows:

When I lead, people follow. If there’s no one behind me, I’m not leading.

Leaders have to lead but they also have to have followers. The followers need to believe and trust in their leader. She or he will be valued by the followers if the followers respect the mission and values of the leader, and if they have a clear sense of the vision of where the leader is taking them.

It’s been said that there are three kinds of leaders – those who watch things happen, those who wonder about what happened, and those who make things happen.

This saying has been used by many speech-makers and authors over the years, but in this funny play on words, as in any piece of humour, at the heart of the humour is a really important message.

During the horrendous fight for Britain in World War II, Winston Churchill used to address the nation regularly on the radio, and most often he would start his speeches with humour. He would poke fun at a deputy minister, or at himself, knowing full well that in order to hear his important messages, he had to be open, and he had to be ready to deliver a very difficult narrative about the state of the nation.

So, although there is a bit of humour in what I’ve shared with you, there is some truth to it. Effective leaders must have a clear, purposeful reason for why they do what they do. Exceptional leaders can be divided from other leaders by how they set a clear mission for themselves. As I stated in my last post, my personal mission statement is:

“I am dedicated to learning, and committed to developing the potential in myself and the people I serve.”

I review this mission regularly, usually twice a year, when I reflect on whether I’m keeping to my own personal set of values and vision of myself.

Followers want their leaders to have a clear mission for themselves, and it needs to be uncompromising. This really helps the followers to be able to predict where their leader may want them to go.

Once you have created a clear mission and vision for yourself, a leader’s important task is to ensure that the mission of the team is focused, filled with values, and that every person on the team understands how they’re accountable for the delivery of the promises.

At its core, any great organization has a clear, focused mission on what they’re to do, where they’re to go, and most importantly, why they’re doing what they’re doing.

If a leader can accomplish this, great things can happen in a classroom, school, and school board.

BLOG L2W The Last Two Weeks in the Life of the Director!

 

Marie Shelp Wins Extra Mile Club Award

This extraordinary office administrator is being recognized for her diligent work to ensure a warm, welcoming atmosphere at Winchester Public School (WPS). A quality office administrator is an extremely important contributor to a well-run school and a positive school culture. As the first face many new and returning parents see at the school, Shelp’s pleasant, helpful attitude is an amazing asset at WPS. On top of her regular duties as an office administrator, she manages the school Web site

Marie Shelp

and the school newsletter. She planned and organized the junior kindergarten registration night including liaising with community partners, and joined staff at WPS to help make pancakes for the entire school on Pancake Day. She is also a winner of the Kermit Award for great financial management, has coached floor hockey at WPS, is in charge of the school yearbook, and takes photos for all school events.  

However, it is the little extras she does that mean so much to the WPS parents as well as staff and students. She has been known to invite kindergarten students who are experiencing separation anxiety to her office to share a yogurt. She runs a birthday bulletin board at WPS. She takes pictures of all the students who are celebrating a birthday and posts their photos for all to see.

Shelp is married to husband Darrell. The couple has two daughters, Taylor, 20, and Samantha, 19. Both girls are graduates of WPS andNorthDundasDistrictHigh School.

For setting a welcoming tone and doing the little and big things that enhance a school’s culture, the Upper Canada District School Board is proud to induct Shelp into the Director’s Extra Mile Club.

Spotlight on Students

Today, I would like to shine the spotlight on students who participated in our recent Day of Pink. On Wednesday, April 11, the Board and other educational institutions across Canada celebrated the Day of Pink, an international day against bullying, discrimination and homophobia. The day was designed to raise awareness about the need for tolerance and understanding in our society. I was proud of the students who donned pink shirts, and the principals and other staff who wore pink ties, sweaters and other pink attire to support the cause, and I was extremely proud to join them. At the Board meeting that night, I talked about the need to go beyond simple tolerance to full acceptance of others, whether of a different race, creed, or orientation. In the public education system, everyone is allowed in and everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. In our Board mission statement, it says we prepare all students for a successful life and all means all. That is why I wore pink because our job in the UCDSB is to create positive futures for every student who comes into our system.

Director Attends Educational Conference

On April 12 to14, I was at the Educational Research and Development Conference in Montreal. I sat on a series of panels about 21^st century learning. My main focus on these panels and of my presentation on April 14 was wide-scale implementation of strategic initiatives. It went very well.

Director Attends Funeral

On April 14, I attended the funeral of the mother of Accountability and Alignment Officer Terry Davies. I was very proud of the way that Terry spoke to the large crowd of people. Terry’s mother was 90 and had lived a long and happy life. Terry told those who attended that her mother’s greatest gift and her legacy will be that she was generous with all her gifts, but most generous with her time for family and friends.

Director Meets with ADM Grieve to Discuss ELP

On April 17, I participated in a conference call with Associate Director Ian Carswell and Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) Jim Grieve to discuss the province’s early childhood education program (R2L/ELP) and our concern with the way it was rolling out. Our concern was with the fact that we have to move to Ready 2 Learn sites because our partner did not honour the process that had been created by ADM Grieve, the UCDSB and the other party. I am pleased with the fact that we did honour the spirit and direction of the ADM. At the same time, we will now have to make some courageous decisions on where we are going with Ready 2 Learn and the Full-Time Kindergarten program.

Director Meets with OPC

I met on April 16 with the directors of the local chapter of the Ontario Principals’ Council. They shared with me details on their Principal Wellness Review. We also established the agenda for the OPC annual general meeting and discussed having a special alumni retirement lunch for the principals in June.

Director Attends Leadership Learning Module

On April 17, I attended the Leadership Learning Module for secondary principals and vice-principals in Kemptville. Principal of Student, School and System Success Bill Loshaw, and Principal of Continuous School Improvement Brenda Beaudette, shared details on the Link Crew initiative that will be expanded to all high schools next year. Loshaw then spoke about why we need Link Crew in our schools and discussed how the transitions program will serve as a mental health support in our Board. I later spoke about why the UCDSB needs Link Crew and reiterated how the transitions program will serve as a mental health support inUpper Canada.

Director’s Annual Report

I had the pleasure of attending the first public screening of the 2011 Director’s Annual Report Video on April 17. The screening took place at Gananoque Secondary Schoolfor the Gananoque and Rideau families of schools. The video offers information on a range of our successes from how the arts are used to support student learning to our success in sports.

Ambassador Training Program

Today and tomorrow, I will be involved in helping to offer Ambassador training – helping to create a group of key communicators throughout the Board that can help support the Communications Department in consolidating messages of the Board throughout all of Eastern Ontario. The idea behind the program is for ambassadors to listen to information being distributed at their workplace, and speak to correct any inaccurate  information that could pose challenges for the Board.

Today I wish to talk about leadership and the need for leaders to have a clear sense of purpose. People want to be led by leaders who model what they say and do.  In education, teachers want to be led by principals and vice principals who, when they are asked to go the extra mile, know that the principal or vice principal lives in the extra mile, and that they themselves continually are trying to find opportunities to inspire and help their teachers serve their students more effectively.

When a team has a leader who has a very well-defined answer to why they do what they do, you will also find with that same person a clear understanding of their mission and their vision for how it will get done. Although every leader perhaps may not have their own personal mission statement, they have often created a life around service and serving others and I would, from my perspective, say these people are very effective leaders.

However to be even more focused and effective, I believe every leader should have a well-worded personal mission statement. My personal mission statement is: “I am dedicated to learning and committed to developing the potential in myself and the people I serve.”  I review this statement regularly to ensure that I continue to be focused on my work.

And if I am doing my job effectively, I can look at this statement and test myself against it, and see that I am doing my job well.

One of my favourite things to do in a hiring process is to give an opportunity for the person being interviewed to ask a question of the panel or myself – to ensure that we know everything we possibly can about a person being considered for a job with our Board. During a recent hiring process a woman was being interviewed for a middle management position. She had just recently retired from the US military, and been a specialist in supply chain management.

She had a marvelous interview and in fact we would have liked to have hired her for our Board but her skill set, and the talents she had, did not really match the job she had applied for. But she certainly has a skill set that would make her a great asset to many organizations.

During the interview, she turned the tables on me and said to me: “What do you think the role of public education is in Canada?”

I turned to her and I said, at the blink of an eye, that I believe public education is the greatest social justice instrument of our time. Years ago the church had played a very important role in being a social justice enabler. However, in this day and age, when many of the fundamentalist churches and traditional churches are in significant decline, public education is serving the purpose of raising the bar and raising the potential trajectory for peoples’ lives and the lives of their families. If a person chooses to become literate and well educated, they can reach lofty goals. They can gain a sense of stability and a great life in Canada because of the quality of the public education system available to them.

Further to that, I believe that a well-funded public education system is a building block for a great democracy and that democracies are greatly enhanced by having a well-funded public education system.

She turned to me and said that was a really good answer and asked me where it came from. I said to her that it came from my really good understanding of why I do what I do.

So in other words, leaders who have a clear mission and vision for themselves can more easily and readily identify with, and shape, the mission of the corporation. People want to be with leaders who are engaging and who are innovative, collaborative, and courageous with what they want their organization to do.

At the heart of leadership and character, the leader must clearly know why they do what they do, and what makes them tick. If you can do that as a leader you will live in a passionate zone where you don’t measure your life by time and moments, you measure your life by the impact you are having on others and your organization.

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Next on the blog:

Character Counts for Positive Trajectory – Part 3.5: Have a Clear Mission and Vision for Yourself and Your Team                       

BLOG L2W The Last Two Weeks in the Life of the Director!

 

 

McCrimmon-Leduc Goes Extra Mile

Today I would like to recognize Mary McCrimmon-Leduc, an incredible principal who now leads Plantagenet Public School. She has done a wonderful job for us at the school over the course of the year. She is working extremely hard to maintain very high standards at Plantagenet.

During her previous posting as vice principal at Pleasant Corners Public School, where she worked for five years, she helped shepherd the playground revitalization project. In partnership with the parent council and Ian Hill’s Let Them Be Kids Foundation, the school raised $80,000 to put in new playground equipment, walking paths, rest areas and other improvements to enhance recreational opportunities for students during school hours.

Mary is also being honoured for helping to maintain the agricultural heritage of the Prescott-Russell area. In September 2011, she was a key organizer of the 2011 International Plowing Match in Chute-a-Blondeau, Ontario – near Hawkesbury.  She sat on several organizing committees and was a key player in the educational component of the match. The event brought thousands of visitors to the Hawkesbury area from across Canada and the United States, to celebrate the value of the agricultural lifestyle.

Mary is married to husband Kevin, an implementation manager with Bell Aliant. The couple has two 12-year-old twin children, Madeleine and Michael. 

For improving the lives of her students and the wider community in Prescott-Russell, the Upper Canada District School Board is proud to induct Mary into the Director’s Extra Mile Club.

Spotlight on Students

Today, I would like to shine a spotlight on the upcoming Real to Reel Film Festival by highlighting the excellent work of the students at Chesterville Public School. Students at the school have put together an inspiring video that talks in depth about the value of caring.

Chesterville Public School students have produced the film Powerful Choices for the upcoming Real to Reel Film Festival.

This is the first Real to Reel film created and produced by the school.  A small group of Grade 6 students – Barrett Hall, Justin Shay, Tasha Soltesz, and Veronica Thompson – created, edited, and produced the short entitled Powerful Choices.  In the video, students share the idea that kids can choose to help or hurt.  In essence, students have the power to make impactful choices.  The film was created using Photo Story.  Black and white photos in the video portray how students feel when choices hurt – lonely, sad, worthless, disliked, and unmotivated. Later, colour photos portray how students can make helpful choices – “I care”, “I can help”, “I can tell the truth”, “I can try”, and “We care”.  The team of four enjoyed the process and they are looking toward the festival in Brockville.

The video will be one of many showcased at the annual character education film festival, to take place on May 9 at the Galaxy Theatre in Brockville. More than 40 schools will be submitting films and taking part in workshops to engage students in film production. More can be learned about the festival at www.realtoreelfestival.com.

Excellent Support at Plantagenet Public School

On March 27, I was inspired by the efforts of staff members at Plantagenet Public School under the guidance of Superintendent David Coombs. On that day, staff members had to deal with a difficult matter involving one of their peers. I went to the school to assist Principal Mary McCrimmon-Leduc. Mary and I walked through the school to ensure everyone was okay. I was very pleased that David and the emergency response team were there providing guidance and support throughout the day to school staff and students.

Director Attends CODE Conference

From March 28-30, I was in Niagara-on-the-Lake for a conference of the Council of Ontario Directors of Education. During the conference we met with Ministry of Education officials and discussed the GSN grants that Boards can expect from the province as a result of the recent budget.

I also attended a meeting with District School Board of Niagara Education Director Warren Hoshizaki in which the topic of recruiting and retaining foreign students was discussed.

OPSBA Prepares for Collective Bargaining

I was in Toronto on March 31 for a meeting of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association. During the session, which I attended with members of our human resources staff, we discussed preparations for collective bargaining in the educational sector.

Link Crew Project

I had a breakfast meeting April 2 with Principal of Student, School and System Success Bill Loshaw and Principal of Continuous School Improvement Brenda Beaudette at which we discussed the potential for full-scale delivery of the Link Crew project. Link Crew, spearheaded by an organization called the Boomerang Project, connects Grade 9 students with Grade 12 “Link Leaders” who provide encouragement and mentoring to their Grade 9s throughout the year. The program helps the Grade 9s feel more comfortable entering and thriving in a new school environment. It has been a tremendous success at North Grenville District High School.

We are looking at connecting the Link Crew project with Living Well, our Board’s mental health initiative under the supervision of Superintendent Val Allen. Bill, Brenda and I will hold further discussions with Val to see if the program should be delivered under the umbrella of Living Well.

Everest Experience in Kemptville

I met in Kemptville April 2 with teams from ten schools for their third day-long session of the Everest Experience professional development program. Chesterville Public School, East Front Public School, Gladstone Public School, Iroquois Public School, Longue Sault Public School, Maple Grove Public School, Pakenham Public School, Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute, St Lawrence Secondary School,  and Williamstown Public School all participated. The schools made a presentation on the alignment of their school’s strategic plan with the Board’s strategic plan, and ways to inspire students to excellence.

Director Meets Mayor of North Grenville Township

Trustee Lisa Swan and I met on April 2 with David Gordon, Mayor of North Grenville Township, to give him an update on construction of the new North Grenville District High School.  We also discussed the fact that Kemptville Public School was nearly 200 per cent over capacity. We have a small property there and we have portables all over it. The mayor was not surprised since Kemptville is one of the fastest growing communities in our region.

We also discussed the fact that we consider ourselves a very good neighbour to the municipality and took a look at options for the current North Grenville District High School property once students vacate it this June. The mayor said his planning department will make it a priority to work with our facilities department to find solutions for the use of the property. We are not going to leave an empty shell on Prescott Street.

Discussions Regarding Upcoming Negotiations

I met with Superintendent Charlotte Patterson in my office on April 3 and we discussed what we had learned about upcoming contract negotiations during the recent OPSBA sessions and we put our heads together to discuss approaches to be used.

“The longest journey of any person is the journey inward.” – Dag Hammarskjold, Swedish Statesman and United Nations Official

Before anyone can look outward to lead, they must become a reflective practitioner who regularly inspects their own consciousness. As a leader, you need to get to the highest level of efficiency – cognitively, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This doesn’t happen by inspecting the people you lead. It begins by examining yourself through your motives, your heart-felt intentions and, above all, your ego.

The most important characteristic you need when managing yourself is to actually care for yourself. There are all kinds of psychological self-help books in bookstores and on-line that tell people how to think, perform, and generally do things more effectively, including forgiveness and clearing your conscience.

But what’s really important for every leader to be effective is to have a high-level of care for yourself with an understanding of the journey you are on.

There’s a saying that every person, or in this case leader, should spend some time in New York City, but not too much time or they’ll become hard and cold. And every leader should also spend some time in Los Angeles, but not too much time or they’ll become soft and meek.

In self-management, the true test comes in discovering the reasons for why you do what you do. Once you have a compelling answer to your “why” question, then and only then will you have the true capacity and will to lead. When you complete that inventory and confidence fills your heart, you will possess the traits, characteristics and even magic of character-filled leadership.

People want to be led by people who have a sincere commitment to being fair. And by fair I don’t mean that everyone gets the same amount of attention or proportionate resources. Leaders who manage themselves effectively use rigorous self-reflection to see how they are impacting others. They understand that the resources given to their followers should be based upon need and their ability to deliver on the promises of the team as a whole.

The leader must also be relevant and up-to-date. They must manage themselves so that they can effectively inspire and lead others. People want leaders who are fresh and committed to being new each day. They must be responsible not only for the past, but for creating the future as well. They must control their passions, will and energy so that they can set standards and realistic goals that can be achieved by the team.

Leaders must also perform at a very high level so that the people they lead see and understand that they have set a very high standard for themselves and, implicitly, demand high performance from others.

Four Levels of Connection

Leaders who understand the dreams and aspirations of their followers connect at four very important levels. I’ve stated this before, and I believe it is more important now than ever before. Leaders must connect with their followers intellectually, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

When I say “spiritually,” I do not mean religion. By spiritual, I mean the entire team has to be connected to something bigger and more important than themselves. I believe the spiritual component does not get enough resonance in leadership and management texts. In education, there is no question that teaching our children and impacting positively on the next generation is a gigantic spiritual quest. But overall, the people who follow great leaders need to be connected in all four areas.

Characteristics of a Great Leader

The following is a list of characteristics that show up in a good leader. This is not a list in order of importance, nor is it an exhaustive list. I challenge others to examine their leadership and create their own list.

From my perspective, leaders must have a good sense of humour, where they take their work seriously, but don’t take themselves seriously. Although leaders should be full of noble goals, they should always be humble. Leaders must also have a high tolerance for collaboration, and should hear from as many voices as possible, while being decisive.

Leaders should be courageous and ready for battle, but always discerning of the right type of leadership necessary to solve a problem. Leaders must be positive – almost “Pollyanna” – but always realistic. People want to be around other people who are fun.

Leaders must also set a courageous path for the team, always accepting responsibility for what the team is doing while never blaming an outcome on an individual or circumstance. Great leaders use negative situations as opportunities to grow.

Leaders must be attentive and good listeners. They must have the ability to have a conversation with someone and, when they are finished, the person knows in their heart that the leader has listened to them.

Finally, leaders must possess empathy and care. Certainly, this last one should never be considered the least. The leader must have a gigantic heart that is filled with empathy for the people and the situations that they come into contact with. People who follow your lead must believe that you truly care about them.

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Next on the blog:

Character Counts for Positive Trajectory – Part 2: Have a Clear Mission, Vision and Values for Yourself and your Team

Due to some recent conversations about our character education program, I’ve come to the conclusion that instead of moving forward with the eight-part series about the Power of Integrated Strategic Planning for Student and System Success, we’re going to begin a new five-part series about character and how it relates to leadership. We’ll revisit the topic of integrated strategic planning at a later date.

This first post is about authenticity and high expectations for oneself.

Years ago, when everyone in town knew everyone else and their families, people made a sincere commitment to each other. People understood the values of the community. They shared high expectations for character and established a foundation and sense of purpose. This was a time when character blossomed.

In fact, when you look back in time at our grandparents and forefathers, many of the great decisions that were made in our communities were made together. They were driven by a sincere commitment to apply character over convenience, character over acceptance, and character over self.

In these communities, people really understood what people were all about. This isn’t to suggest that there wasn’t any crime or that some people didn’t make poor decisions. But when you listen to your grandparents talk about those times, you’ll understand that people were able to leave the front door unlocked, leave the keys in the car or run to the neighbour’s house for help without knocking. People worked from character – the best would always result from someone caring.

I’m not an expert on media, newspapers, television, or even the multiple social networks that we can use to connect with people and the great big world around us. But, we can spend a great deal of time looking through hundreds of channels just to find a few examples of character.

Today, it appears that at the centre of our communities, character has been replaced by the culture of personality. In earlier times, we’d have looked at our leaders as people who set the standards for character. Now, some people might argue that the personalities we follow are there just for entertainment purposes.

It could be argued that our values and character have been replaced by an unlikely commitment and loyalty to hero worship.

A few years ago, I was watching the fall golf series and, at the same time on competing TV channels, was a baseball game with a tight pitcher’s battle at 0-0 well into the later innings.

Both pitchers were either going to win the game or lose 1-0. It was a classic pitcher’s duel. In a game like that, it just takes one mistake to allow a run that will lose the game.

Both pitchers were dominating, and didn’t want to make a mistake. At one point in the game, a batter approached the plate and the opposing pitcher threw the ball hard and fast inside. Strike. The pitcher threw again. Strike. When the third pitch came hard and fast inside again, the batter stepped back from the plate. The umpire thought the batter had been hit by the pitch, and awarded his great acting by giving him first base.

With modern television and the ability to get down to the pixel level of the image, it would be clear to all of North America and anyone watching that this young batter had chosen first base over character.

Tragically, the same batter came around from the walk to score the only run of the game. The pitcher’s team lost the game.

While watching the baseball game, I flipped the channel back and forth to the golf game. On the Saturday, one player had an exceptionally good round. The commentators were saying that this player shot a 66, which would put him in the final group the next day. However, he didn’t write down a 66 on his score card. This player recorded a score of 68.

He said: “When I was in the sand trap, I called myself on a two-shot violation. I think I double-hit the ball.”

No one could see it, but he called the penalty because he felt he deserved it. He lost the tournament the next day by just one stroke.

I don’t know about you, but at my house, if I left the garage door open for the weekend, I’d certainly hope that the golfer was my next door neighbour, not the baseball player.

I start this series off on character, because one of the most important parts of leadership is to be authentic with yourself and with others. The character you want from others must be displayed first by you.

People want to follow authentic, character-filled people who they believe will be the same person both privately and publicly. In private, they choose character for all of the right reasons, and they demonstrate the same character and values throughout the public part of their life.

They choose character when everyone is watching, and when no one is watching.

When we take a look at both of these athletes, one wanted to win at all costs and sacrificed his authenticity and his own character. When the umpire asked him if he had been hit, he put the win above his own responsibility to be truthful with himself and others.

When the golfer chose to penalize himself when no one else would know, he chose to be authentic. He told everyone else in that particular contest that he could be trusted when no one was watching, and of course, when everyone was watching.

To be authentic and real is a gift to yourself and a true gift to the people you lead. When you choose to be authentic, then the people you lead will respect the high expectations you hold for yourself and the high expectations you have for them. Those expectations become a foundation for the increased level of positive trajectory for your followers, your team, and your organization.

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Next on the blog:

Character Counts For Positive Trajectory: Manage Yourself, Lead Others

BLOG L2W The Last Two Weeks in the Life of the Director!

 

 

North Dundas DHS Administrative Staff Goes Extra Mile!

Today I would like to recognize two staff members at North Dundas District High School (NDDHS) who went above and beyond to support Grade 12 students during the recent examination period. Rudie Dillabaugh, an office administrator in the NDDHS guidance office,and Financial Assistant Dana McMillan stepped in to help by acting as scribes for Grade 12 students on individual education plans to help the students be successful. For demonstrating caring about the academic success of our students, the Upper Canada District School Board is proud to induct Dillabaugh and McMillan into the Director’s Extra Mile Club.

Spotlight on Students

I would like to shine the spotlight this week on our gifted student programs run in partnership with Queen’s University and the University of Ottawa. These unique programs allow our gifted Grades 6-8 students to attend special mini-courses at these institutions during which they get to work with top-ranked university students in a field that interests them.

Just two weeks ago, five gifted students from each UCDSB elementary school attended the SEEDS program at Queen’s University. Gifted students can choose an area of study depending on their interests, from engineering to music. The students then attend a three-day mini-course under the guidance of a Queen’s student who has distinguished himself in that area of study. The program ignites a passion for learning among our gifted students and fuels their interest in post-secondary education.

Later this year, a similar program called Mini-Enrichment, will be offered to our students through the University of Ottawa.

Champions Planning Day a Success

On February 15, I attended the Champions for Kids Foundation Planning Day in Kemptville at the W. B. George Centre. The day attracted principals from all of our elementary and secondary schools, as well as key staff and students, to talk about the Foundation. The planning day was a way to help us build more capacity for fundraising in our schools and in our communities. We particularly want to thank the 23 high school students who attended and who will act as student ambassadors for Champions. These students realize that Champions is a real opportunity for the next generation to make a difference in building a positive community by helping Champions improve the lives of disadvantaged youth.

Board Meeting on February 22

I attended the Board meeting on February 22, during which we dealt with two important issues – approval of the UCDSB social media policy and a review of the draft 2012-13 school-year calendar.

Trustees passed the new social media policy. Anyone who reads it will see that it is framed within an understanding that the social network is no different than a face-to-face conversation with friends. For some reason, some people think that with social media they can hide behind a keyboard.  Quite frankly, we know this is not true. We know that when a person enters these social networks, it is just like walking in the mall. You may not think you are being noticed by others, but everything is being watched and monitored. People working for our Board must conduct themselves from that perspective when using social media.

At the same meeting Superintendent David Coombs presented the draft 2012-13 school-year calendar. After some debate, it was determined the calendar may be in conflict with the ETFO and OSSTF collective agreements. Coombs was directed to meet with the federations’ leaders and to find a potential solution that will be coming to the Board later this spring.

Coombs Announces Triathlon Bid

During the Champions Planning Day on February 15, I was pleased to hear Superintendent David Coombs announce his bid to compete in the Ironman Mont-Tremblant Triathlon this August. This is the runner’s first Ironman. Coombs is seeking sponsorships for his bid through the CanadaHelps.org Web site. I would encourage you to support his efforts, which are raising funds for the UCDSB Champions for Kids Foundation. He hopes to raise $5,000 through the effort.

Family Day at Mount Pakenham

I attended a family ski and fun day at Mount Pakenham ski resort on Family Day to support the UCDSB  Champions for Kids Foundation. For every person who bought a ski lift ticket on February 20, a $14 donation was made to Champions for Kids. Pakenham Public School Principal Ron Ferguson and his office administrator Cathy Clouthier also organized a chili dinner. The event, which attracted more than 200 people, raised more than $6,000 for Champions for Kids through the dinner, lift ticket and tube ticket earnings, as well as corporate donations.

Director Reviews Arts Charter

I met with Trustee John McAllister and Athens District High School Music Teacher Jim Palmer on February 13 to review the UCDSB Arts Charter. We discussed issues relating to the arts – music in particular – within the Upper Canada District School Board.

Code of Conduct Meeting

I attended a meeting on February 13 of a special committee that is creating a code of conduct for trustees. The committee is chaired by Trustee John McAllister. We are designing the code based on input from committee members and information from the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association.

Director Attends Ski Day with Kemptville P.S.

I joined staff and students from Kemptville Public School on February 15 at Mount Pakenham ski resort. I was there to help supervise students on a ski trip that afternoon. I only fell four times!

School Audit Review

On February 16, I met in Cardinal with Principal of Continuous School Improvement Brenda Beaudette and Accountability and Alignment Officer Terry Davies. We reviewed school audits.

Trustee Planning Session

I attended the annual Trustee Planning Session on February 17.  Associate Director Ian Carswell and I oversaw a meeting in which trustees were provided with training in software and other applications, and trustees also reviewed information on the CREW Strategic Plan.

New Fundraising Proposal for Champions

I met on February 17 with T.R. Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuous Education Comptroller of Finance Rene Bourget and Environmind Consultant Lisa Blanchard about a fundraising proposal involving environmental signs for cars. The proposal involves the purchase of small Enviromind signs that hang on the rearview mirrors of cars, reminding a driver to bring their cloth bags for grocery shopping. The signs bear a small picture of the earth and the word Enviromind on one side. The other side is blank and can be used to print Champions for Kids information. The thought is that the sale of these mini-signs might be a good Earth Day fundraiser.

5^th Annual Champions for Kids Golf Tournament

I met February 23 with the co-chairs of the 5^th Annual Champions for Kids Foundation Golf Tournament, to be held next June at the Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course near Gananoque. Along with Co-Chairs Marsha McNair and Jennifer Moore, I looked at the committee structure and issues that need to be addressed in the planning of the tournament.

UCLCET Think Tank       

On February 22, I led an Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training (UCLCET) Think Tank.  We conducted a comprehensive review of our foreign student registration campaigns and we had a very lively discussion about how we can get to our goal of 650 foreign students enrolling in our Board. It was recognized that not only do foreign students bring cultural richness to our area, they provide a significant economic impact through the dollars they bring. One hurdle we will have to overcome is to find “home stay” parents to host these students when they come to our system.

Tour of Kemptville Family of Schools

I visited the Kemptville family of schools on February 23 along with Chair Greg Pietersma, Superintendent David Coombs, Trustee Lisa Swan, and Chief Information and Facilities Officer Jeremy  Hobbs. We visited North Grenville District High School, Kemptville Public School, and South Branch Elementary School. We spent a considerable amount of time on the challenges faced by our system due to the rapid population growth in that area. We also had a lengthy discussion about our Board’s role as a good neighbor within the North Grenville community regarding the current North Grenville District High School building. We want to make sure we are looking after this building, following the transfer of students to the new school in September, in the best possible way to serve Kemptville and the surrounding area.

Cornwall and Area School Visits

I spent the day in Cornwall on February 24 visiting schools and examining the family’s preparedness for the move this September of students from Kinsmen-Vincent Massey School to Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School and Central Public School.