In April 2018, I commenced my research regarding overseas placement agencies, scouring the internet. While I eventually signed as a candidate with SEARCH Associates, I noted that since my last international employment in the 90s, there were now a multitude of conduits available for the would-be employee. More specifically, China represented the most fertile environment for overseas... Continue Reading →
What is our superpower, you ask? We are principals. We are all experiencing the same pandemic, but our interaction with it varies based on our circumstances. A tunnel analogy is fitting; long, dark and filthy; an underground sewer one must claw their way through. We have been living with many things unknown and uncertain, and... Continue Reading →
One of the reasons I chose to become an administrator was to help support students from low income and different cultural backgrounds. My education was primarily shaped through the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), that has one of the most culturally eclectic student bodies in the world. Having attended the TDSB for a portion of... Continue Reading →
It was the day before March Break 2020 when travel restrictions were put in place in Ontario. Teachers, parents and families were scrambling to cancel vacation plans. The much-anticipated dreams of warmer climates were suddenly and unexpectedly out the window. The global pandemic had struck in a way that could not be ignored. We had... Continue Reading →
I believe one of the most challenging issues that school administrators deal with on a daily basis is mental health. We have to think about how to handle very challenging situations with our most vulnerable students, parents, staff and even ourselves. The reason it is so challenging is because there is never a simple answer,... Continue Reading →
I had a moment recently to reflect on our school’s journey in innovation. As I pondered how we got to where we are, I never realized how far we have come in such a short period of time. When you think innovation, you sometimes think big, or quick. Our journey was neither. What it was,... Continue Reading →
It has been an extraordinary adventure to open a new secondary school. The staff at Bill Hogarth Secondary School co-determined that our learning focus would be to foster global competencies, fondly referred to as our “6Cs”: character, citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking. The work of Michael Fullan informed the initial brainstorming sessions. A... Continue Reading →
Is your school feeling particularly chaotic this year? Do you find yourself in firefighting mode too often and spending less time than you would like on instructional leadership? You are not alone, and the solution may be simpler than you think. I often say, “how special education goes in a school, goes the rest of... Continue Reading →
Improving math instruction in our schools is a little like losing weight: we may know what to do in theory, but in practice it becomes a little more challenging. The call to return to basics comes around frequently; but what are the basics? Is it really as simple as teaching students their multiplication tables again?... Continue Reading →
Every August and September we are all very busy beginning a new year. As school leaders, we are all managing staffing issues, reorganization, curriculum nights and the list goes on. Even with all of this busy-work, we all have the desire to ensure that each and every child who enters our school has a wonderful... Continue Reading →
Lead Learners 