Insights Ontario – Presentation Overview

In 2018 Dr. Willms developed ‘Educational Prosperity’, a framework focused on the evaluation, monitoring, and action that can be taken by schools and school districts to ensure all children have an opportunity to thrive. The framework embraces a life-course approach to child development that sets out a core set of metrics relevant to children’s growth, literacy development, achievement, and well-being at six stages of development. During this session, Dr. Willms will summarize some of the research findings over the past five years in using the framework in Canadian schools. He will share lessons learned and present  the impact of leadership development on educator capacity, student achievement, and staff and student well-being.

Greenwood College School is an independent school whose staff pride themselves in challenging, inspiring, and supporting each student. An integral part of this is understanding the students, their experiences, and the impact of different factors on the learning environment at the school. Listen to Anthony describe how he, and Greenwood’s leadership team, are using the OurSCHOOL data to delve into diversity, equity, and inclusion. Hear about the processes and steps they have taken to drive a continuous culture of growth, understanding, and school improvement.

In this session, participants will explore the value of intentionally focusing time and attention on instructional leadership. The struggle is real… finding time to do everything as a division or school leader is challenging; however, leaders who create the necessary focus on instruction positively impact student learning.  Learn and reflect on strategies to support the shift from management to instructional leadership as part of your personal leadership journey. Gain insight in how to create opportunities to use evidence to inform next steps as you lead school improvement.

Neil is a former principal of Lakeview School in M’Chigeeng First Nation and award-winner of the Meritorious Service Medal by the Governor General of Canada. Hear how he bridged the gap in early literacy and opened up the world of possibility for his students by putting data back into the hands of educators, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, assessment tools, and resources to reach more children effectively.

Join Brenda as she shares the journey of supporting all “learners” in Saskatchewan’s first Indigenous Education Authority – Athabasca Denesuline Education Authority.  She will tell the story of four independent First Nations schools in the most isolated regions of Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin as they join to become one professional learning community serving the needs of the young people of the North.

Her story will focus on the impact that developing effective school leaders of learning rather than managers of change can influence learning and growth significantly, at all levels. Brenda will share some of the challenges, strategies and successes of the past three years.