The Leader - 24/02/2025

Regular Meeting of the Board

Monday, February 24, 2025

All reports for this meeting can be found here.

Learn Lead Inspire: John Macdonald

John Macdonald's experiences as an elite athlete, which include several seasons playing in the Canadian Football League, have provided him with unique insights into what's possible through discipline, teamwork, goal setting and resilience. But his story is not just one of athletic achievement; his role as a teacher and coach epitomizes what it means to learn, lead and inspire.

John's dedication to supporting learners has had a profound and lasting impact on many throughout his career in education. Both in the classroom and on the field, he consistently demonstrates his commitment to learning and achievement by setting high expectations for his students and athletes, motivating them to reach their full potential and always leading by example.

Later this year, he'll officially enter the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame, a well-deserved honour recognizing his contributions to sport. In Grand Erie, John exemplifies how an athlete can leverage their experiences and passion to educate, inspire and make a difference in the lives of others.

Student Showcase: DECA Competition

This month, four talented students had the opportunity to represent Grand Erie at the DECA provincial competition held in Toronto. Judy Gao and Adalyn Vanderburg showcased their skills in the Hospitality Services category, while Ben Hurley and Ronin Crawford competed in Sports and Entertainment Marketing. Their hard work, dedication, and expertise were evident as they faced challenging scenarios, demonstrating the knowledge and professionalism required to succeed in their respective fields. Their impressive performances reflect their commitment to excelling in the business world and their potential to make a significant impact going forward.

Student Showcase: Walter Gretzky Elementary School Celebrates Black Joy

Students and staff from Walter Gretzky Elementary School’s African Caribbean Cultural Club, an active group of young leaders who took on the task of planning the school’s recent Cultural Day. On February 18, the club organized the first Black Joy assembly, playing both the Canadian and Black National anthems, a student-performed Black Joy poem, a student-created video highlighting the experience of Black youth at the school as well as a fashion show featuring students modelling traditional African and Caribbean clothing. A guest performance by Carnival Spice, a Toronto-based dance and fitness company, brought Carnival spiced vibes to event.

Construction Updates

An addition to Cobblestone Elementary School that will see another eight classrooms and a four-room child-care centre expansion is well underway. The project will provide an additional 18,300 square feet of constructed space to accommodate 184 pupil spaces, supporting population growth in the Paris area. The project will proceed to tender construction next month, with an expected completion date of September 2026.

Director’s Report Highlights

Professional Learning Series: The Shanker Method 101

Reframe, recognize, reduce, reflect and restore. These five practices lay the groundwork for a dynamic professional learning series called The Shanker Method 101, seeking to equip staff with essential tools around self-regulation to support students holistically. Partnering with the MEHRIT Centre, Grand Erie offers a micro-credential learning program to help educators understand of biological, emotional, cognitive, social and prosocial stressors and learn to create pathways to enhance resilience, learning and well-being for students.

Secondary Students Win Top Prizes

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) recently hosted its annual awards program with the theme, Is Anyone Out There? Grand Erie is pleased to share that of nine prizes available and with entries from across the province, three went to Grand Erie students, who won in three categories! Congratulations go out to Gracie Smith from McKinnon Park Secodary School, who won in Prose and Poetry, and Hayden Mitchell and Ethan Harrison from Pauline Johnson Collegiate and Vocational School, who won in the Visual Art category. The educators who supported them are Stephen Baxter at McKinnon Park Secondary School, and Krystal Konior and Jackie Stevenson of PJ.

Student Artist Opens First Solo Show

Callum Macinnis, a McKinnon Park Secondary School student, opened his first solo show at the Dundas Valley School of Art (DVSA) this month. Callum started drawing before he started kindergarten and feels most comfortable expressing himself through his art. DVSA's events director called Callum's work "incredibly unique as he uses a vibrant, expressive style, combining bold brushwork, text and symbols in his portraits.” Congratulations, Callum!

In Memoriam

Statements were read to honour Braun Gagnon, a Grade 9 student at Waterford District High School, Isaac Legate, a Grade 11 student at Grand Erie Learning Alternatives (GELA) and John Guthro, a Grade 11 student at Pauline Johnson Collegiate and Vocational School. Our sincerest condolences to Braun’s, Isaac’s and John’s families, friends, the staff members who worked with them, and everyone connected to these losses.

Multi-Year Plan Stories

In 2021, Grand Erie approved a new strategic direction to guide the school board’s work. At the centre of this multi-year 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 most recent stories related to the Multi-Year Strategic Plan.

Learning

Paris District High School Hosts Women in Trades Workshop to Inspire Future Skilled Workers

Well-Being

Building Resilient Classrooms: Shanker Method Equips Educators with Self-Regulation Strategies