March 2010

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Outstanding Principals

by Carrie Shibinsky

Great principals build great schools. They com­municate a compelling vision, they engage their communities, they nurture their staff and they create an environment that increases student success. Thirty-two exceptional leaders in education from across the country have been chosen as Canada’s Outstanding PrincipalsTM for 2010 by The Learning Partnership. This award is presented to principals who have made a measur­able difference in the lives of their students and their own local communities.

The Canada’s Outstanding Principals program is in its 6th year and this year’s winners join the assembly of 155 previous recipients of this prestigious honour. The award is an initiative of The Learning Partnership, a national not-for-profit organi­zation that has championed public education in Canada since 1993 (www.thelearningpartnership.ca).

Canada’s Outstanding Principals program utilizes the expertise of University of Toronto’s Joseph L. Rotman School of Management to provide executive leadership training and resources. This year’s principals will join their colleagues from the National Academy of Canada’s Outstanding Principals, and through the experience of connecting with other out­standing leaders, the principals will form the foundation for a national network of knowledge that can be applied to their schools, local communities and provinces.

Nominations were received from every province and ter­ritory and selection was on a representation by population basis. Judging was conducted by a distinguished group of Canadian education, community and private sector leaders. Each candidate was scored in the categories of: characteris­tics of outstanding principals; evidence of partnerships with parents and community; a personal story illustrating success­ful change and innovation which resulted in improved student achievement; as well as letters of support.

The winning principals were invited to a five-day Executive Leadership Training Program at the University of Toronto’s Joseph L. Rotman School of Management in February where they had the opportunity to dialogue and reflect on leadership issues with other leaders from the educa­tional, social, cultural and business communities. In addition, the winners were formally honoured for their contributions at the Canada’s Outstanding Principals Gala Awards Celebration, held in Toronto at the Delta Chelsea Hotel.

Canada’s Outstanding Principals for 2010

Alberta
Kathleen Finnigan         St. Patrick’s Community School,Red Deer
Sandra Levesque          Falconridge School, Calgary
Mike Bolder                  Blessed John XXIII Elementary and Junior High School, Calgary
Linda Gadwa                Kehewin Community Education Centre, Kehewin

British Columbia
David Derpak               Vancouver Technical Secondary School, Vancouver
Lisa McCullough           Mount Boucherie Secondary School, Kelowna
Rhonda Ovelson           A.S. Matheson Elementary School, Kelowna 
Lynne Moorhouse         View Royal Elementary School, Victoria 

Manitoba
Laurie Bachewich         Onanole Elementary School, Onanole

New Brunswick
Mike BeLong                Hillcrest School, Moncton
Elizabeth Horgan         St. Malachy’s Memorial High School, Saint John

Newfoundland and Labrador
Barry Jenkins              Villanova Junior High, Conception Bay South
Vaughn Granter           Corner Brook Regional High, Corner Brook

Northwest Territories
Janette Vlanich            Sir Alexander MacKenzie School, Inuvik

Nova Scotia
Debbie Metherall          Rockingstone Heights School, Halifax
Terry Wadden              Sir John A. Macdonald High School, Upper Tantallon

Nunavut
Cathy Lee Attagoyuk    Ilisavik, Pangnirtung

Ontario
Jan Olsson                   Huntsville High School, Huntsville
Cindy Zwicker Reston   Bendale Business and Technical Institute, Toronto
Theresa Harper-Dubé   Loyola School of Adult and Continuing Education, Napanee
Marlyne King                Lancaster Public School, Mississauga
Beverley Muir               Humberwood Downs Junior Middle Academy, Toronto
Joanne Lombardi          St. James Catholic School, Seaforth
Beverley Ohashi            Earl Haig Secondary School, Toronto
Ron Curridor                 Monsignor J. H. O’Neil Catholic Elementary School, Tillsonburg
Agnes Cudmore            St. Mary’s Catholic School, Blind River
Wes Hahn                    R.A. Riddell Elementary School, Hamilton

Prince Edward Island
Kevin Stonefield           Montague Intermediate School, Montague

Quebec
Myra Kestler                 Harold Napper School, Brossard

Saskatchewan
Faye Elke                     Evan Hardy Collegiate Institute, Saskatoon
Garth Anderson            Foam Lake Composite School, Foam Lake

Yukon
Ted Hupé                     Holy Family Elementary School, Whitehorse

Reflecting the desire to recognize the unique challenges that educational leaders face in on-reserve schools, Linda Gadwa, principal of Kehewin Community Education Centre, Kehewin, Alberta will receive a special award from The Learning Partnership for her exceptional leadership.