Passionate About Serving Others
"It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life that
no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
One of my great pleasures is being asked to speak to affinity groups, aspiring leaders, or beginning teachers. I have been privileged to spend the better part of my life in public education, and the lessons I have learned in working to disrupt patterns of oppression, question the status quo, and raise expectations for all students apply to every aspect of life.
In my last years as a school principal I introduced my students and staff to the acronym PRIDE, and to this day I believe that perseverance, respect, integrity, determination and equitable actions are the skills you need to win at life and leadership. Not everyone uses the same words for PRIDE, but whatever words you choose I am sure you will find that they are both inspirational and aspirational.
I am a member of the Board of Directors for Food4KidsWR, a non-profit organization with a single aim: to end chronic hunger among children in the region. We currently ensure the most needy students have access to nutritious food when schools are closed. Working for this organization brings great joy to me, whether I am engaged in food packing, delivery, or sitting through a fiscal review. There is no greater joy for me than knowing my efforts are working toward the betterment of the most needy in society.
The UN has 17 Sustainable Goals for Development, and the five I work toward are: Ending Poverty, Eliminating Hunger, Ensuring Health and Well-Being, Quality Education, and Gender Equality. It is my goal to ensure that my doctorate degree continues to enable me to support these aims at a higher and more consistent level.
Work Experience
March 2023 - Present
July 2022 - Febuary 2023
August 2020 - June 2022
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Monitoring the performance of schools and student achievement
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Identifying and providing specialized services for students
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Implementing the policies of the Ministry of Education and the Board of Trustees
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Providing leadership in the implementation and monitoring of the strategic plan
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Improve student achievement and well-being for each and every student by supporting administrators
Supervisory Officer Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB)
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Conduct inspections of private elementary and secondary schools in Ontario and overseas
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Provide information and clarification on legislation, policies, and requirements to private schools, school boards, and other stakeholders
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Facilitate the implementation of new policies
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Ensure compliance with legislation and policies and identify, document, and follow-up on non-compliance issues.
Private School Inspector - Ministry of Education
Manager - Ministry of Education
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Provide support and leadership to the sector in the implementation process of key ministry initiatives;
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Actively engage in the promotion of equity and inclusive practices in operationalizing the government’s mandate;
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Consult with education partners, stakeholders, and members of the sector in the development and implementation processes of various educational priorities;
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Manage, monitor, and support the sector in operational aspects related to COVID-19 in schools.
September 2018 -July 2020
August 2012 - August 2018
September 2009 - July 2012
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Oversee, monitor, and evaluate Board Leadership Development Strategies (BLDS) for 16 school boards;
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Provide presentations on the Ontario education system to international delegates as required;
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Evaluate and revise as directed Ministry policy manuals and resources including the Ontario Leadership Framework (OLF);
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Consult with various branches of the Ministry on school governance or school leadership;
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Conduct research and provide synthesized reports on matters pertaining to school leadership.
Education Officer - Ministry of Education
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Established a vision for learning that improved instructional competence and scores on the EQAO Assessments of Reading Writing and Mathematics (Grade 3 and 6);
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Co-created a vision for the school and ensured that supports and resources aligned with goals;
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Engaged in Instructional Leadership to provide training for teachers on the effective use of culturally releavant pedagogy, instructional strategies and evidenced based assessment practices:
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Hired, monitored and mentored teaching and support staff to improve professional capital, build teacher efficacy, and inspire confidence in teaching staff;
Principal Halton District School Board (HDSB)
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Managed the daily operations of an alternative public elementary school, High Park Alternative;
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Led Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)to ensure shared vision, mission, and values were centred on student achievement goals;
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Established realistic and achievable targets to ensure continuous achievement and success for students;
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Supported the development of effective monitoring practices to enable teachers to engage in frequent and effective assessment processes including descriptive feedback, learning targets and the establishment of success criteria;
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Engage in effective and equitable hiring practices with a focus on staff development and mentorship;
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Engage parents in educational partnerships through committee work, school events, and the School Effectiveness Strategy for continuous school improvement.