Setting Direction
Ontario’s Catholic Leadership framework pillar, “Setting Direction,” emphasizes the importance of establishing a clear, Catholic vision that promotes a shared understanding of a school’s purpose, values, and long term goals. By demonstrating commitment to setting and achieving the school’s vision in my leadership role, I foster collaboration among staff, students, parents, and the community, and create a supportive, motivating, and inclusive school culture.
Mission
To cultivate a student-centered learning environment where the Gospel values are present and celebrated through action, and to foster the academic, social-emotional, and spiritual growth of my students, staff, and school community.
Vision
One where my staff, students, and community feel safe, welcome, and empowered to be active collaborative contributors in our community through a Faith-inspired lens.
Values
Authentic Catholic leadership is about guiding and nurturing others through faithful witness, data-informed decision-making, and compassionate role modeling. School Community thrives on collaboration, communication, and reflection, all rooted in a deep and enriched commitment to faith.
Building a shared vision, with faith at my core.
Participating in traditional indigenous bannock and soup. Click on the photo for further truth and reconciliation strategies coinciding with Catholic Social Teachings.
Ignite to Believe:
We are the People of God, discerning our mission to serve, ignited to be pilgrims of Hope.
We can count on those in our community that have knowledge of various social media and digital technologies, and use their knowledge and interest to enhance the professional learning cycle for educators. I am an active learner at the table; one who sets goals, builds my team, navigates challenges and unforeseen events with a faith-centered focus, and leads with courage.
An effective leader has a toolbox of leadership strategies and approaches to pull from and uses discernment and experience to know what is being called on for any given circumstance. I feel as though one leadership style I have naturally gravitated to is that of servant leadership. Rooted in serving others, I lead by prioritizing the well-being and development of others, fostering a culture of trust, care, and inclusivity. I cultivate a collaborative, patient approach, nurturing opportunities to listen to others and not jump into a reactive response. One specific way that I can foster teaching and learning that celebrates our Catholic mission is by reflecting on our school board’s pastoral plan and leading our first staff meeting with a coinciding theme. This year’s WCDSB theme is “IGNITE - We are the People of God, discerning in our mission to serve, ignited to be pilgrims of Hope,” (https://www.wcdsb.ca/pastoral-plan/). To authentically set the direction for our school year and staff collaboration, I would pass out a variety of candles (symbolizing uniqueness) to each staff member and would welcome everyone to share a few words of gratitude. As an example, I would begin by igniting my candle, share my words of gratitude for this school year, and pass my lit candle to my neighbour to “ignite” their candle. This staff member would then participate in the same manner with their neighbour, so that by the end of everyone’s sharing and participation, we would each have ignited and shared our gratitude with those around us – a symbolic and visual reminder of our role to “ignite” and motivate our students and colleagues through the lens of our faith. Our staff meeting would resume with its agenda, and I would end by encouraging staff to come up with their own theme within their classrooms and have students collaborate and creatively demonstrate their theme in some way throughout our school community (ie: a citizenship task, a visual poster, etc). This would evoke faith-centered, dialogue throughout the school, incorporating the OCSGE’s and Gospel teachings, and encourage further opportunities for classroom dialogue, citizenship, and service-through-action throughout the school and community.
School wide Art activity initiated by myself and a grade-group colleague.
my family participating in “ignite" the candle sharing activity at Thanksgiving.
“Science Day” Hands-on building unit where over 120 students participated in various science stations.