The Leader - 23/09/2025

Regular Meeting of the Board

September 22, 2025 

All reports for this meeting can be found HERE.

Student Showcase: Garden Project at Major Ballachey Public School 

Last spring, the Grade 1 and 2 classrooms at Major Ballachey Public School dug into a transformative project. Learners, with the assistance of educators, set their sights on an unused section of the school’s property and envisioned an inspiring space for learning. They continued their efforts at the beginning of this school year, bringing the garden project to fruition and turning this bare patch of land into an opportunity for all students to learn and grow. Congratulations to this group of future horticulturalists and environmentalists for their dedication to positive change and the pride of place it’s added to the school community

 

 

Outdoor AreaOutdoor area transformed

Learn Lead Inspire Award

Joann Alho, Correen Kloostra, Monique Morrey, Mulki Noor, Isabelle Rourke, Matthew Sackrider & Amanda Wood

École Confédération

 

It takes a village to learn, lead and inspire, and at École Confédération, an incredible group of volunteers has come together to support literacy learning in the school community. Joann Alho, Correen Kloostra, Monique Morrey, Mulki Noor, Isabelle Rourke, Matthew Sackrider and Amanda Wood are a dedicated group made up of parents/caregivers, grandparents, retired educators and community members making a positive impact each week, working with more than 70 students in kindergarten to Grade 8 to improve reading and writing skills in French and English. Each volunteer works with a smaller group in the learning commons, and the consistent, focused support over the months has made a lasting impact on learners’ confidence, academic achievement, and love of learning. This group of individuals selflessly dedicate their time each week, a commitment that makes a meaningful impact on students’ learning journeys. We are proud to recognize these efforts with a Learn Lead Inspire award, celebrating the invaluable contributions to the École Confédération community. Read more here. 

 


Learn Lead Inspire Awards

Lisa-Marie Monteiro & Janetta Rogers

Walter Gretzky Elementary School

Grand Erie schools are inclusive, welcoming places, thanks to staff members committed to understanding the learners we serve, and the diversity of backgrounds and experiences they bring to the community. At Walter Gretzky Elementary School, two educators have taken an exemplary lead in sharing this commitment with all learners. Over the last couple of years, Lisa-Marie Monteiro and Janetta Rogers have collaborated, planned and shared several initiatives and events centered around building opportunities to learn from each other. They’ve developed educational content for days of significance, brought in resources from the larger community, and supported students in furthering their own efforts to build a culture of learning, well-being and belonging. These engaging activities and educational events have helped create supportive spaces in which students and families see themselves reflected and have gone a long way in fostering a responsive, inclusive school community. It’s an honour to recognize their efforts with a Learn Lead Inspire award. Read more here. 

 

Director’s Report Highlights

A Grand Return

Tuesday, September 2 was a beautiful day for a Grand Return. Across the district, schools opened the doors to learning and inspiration, welcoming new and familiar faces, and setting the tone for a positive year ahead. At Paris District High School, and all secondary schools in Grand Erie, senior students took the lead in creating welcoming, inclusive spaces for Grade 9 students making the leap to secondary.

 


Summer in Grand Erie: InnovateHER 

This summer, Grand Erie launched a new camp for young women eager to dive into all things technology. From August 11 to 15, InnovateHER marked a week of empowerment, creativity and mentorship, as young women uncovered technological solutions to real-world problems. The week culminated in a showcase of learners’ future-ready projects.


New Location for NATIONS/New Start

The NATIONS/Newstart program started the school year in its new location at Hagersville Secondary School. Due to construction taking place at Six Nations Polytechnic, the program has made the move to a vibrant school-within-a-school space with its own entrance at the secondary school. The new space is inclusive, well-equipped, focused on students’ needs, and based on student input.


Empowering Inclusion 

We’re delighted to share that this year, Grand Erie and the Special Olympics Ontario are partnering to bring inclusive athletic opportunities to students through two events hosted by secondary schools. First up in October, Cayuga Secondary School is hosting bocce, inviting other secondary schools to send up to three teams to participate. This spring, Pauline Johnson Collegiate and Vocational School will be hosting a day of soccer, inviting both traditional and unified teams to take part. We look forward to this partnership offering learners the chance to compete, connect and celebrate inclusion.

 

In Memoriam 

A statement was read to honour Kathleen Shaddock (nee Winegard), a Grand Erie educator. Kathleen was a passionate and dedicated educator who believed wholeheartedly in the potential of every child. She championed the idea that all students can succeed, working tirelessly to support both their academic growth and their character development. Our deepest condolences go out to Kathleen’s family, friends, staff members, and everyone connected to this loss.


Multi-Year Plan Stories

At the centre of Grand Erie’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan is the vision to Learn, Lead and Inspire, and a mission to build a culture of Learning, Well-Being and Belonging for each learner. The following stories showcase some of the success happening across Grand Erie:

Learning
Well-Being
Belonging