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ACCOMMODATIONS THE VP: AN UNSUNG HERO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
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PRPRIINNCCIIPPALAL & &
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OPC RegisterSUMMER 2012 VOL.14 NO.2
THE MAGAZINE FOR ONTARIO’S PRINCIPALS & VICE-PRINCIPALS
WWhen the Ministry of Lab
hen the Ministry of Labour visits your sc
our visits your schoolhool
THE REGISTER : SUMMER 2012, VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2
Features08 The Unsung Hero
By Dr. Richard Williamsonand Dr. Andy Scott
14 Ministry of LabourVisits to SchoolBy the OPC ProfessionalServices Team and Chris Broadbent
28 AccommodationsReasonableNot PerfectBy Melanie Warner
32 Restorative JusticePracticesBy Todd Gribbon
22 REGISTER REPORTThe Leadership VoidBy Dr. Joanne Robinsonand Richard Evans
Columns04 President’s Message
06 OPC News
21 Education Leadership Canada
27 OPC Communicator
42 One Last Thought
Principals’Picks38 Conference Line-Up
38 Mark Your Calendar
41 Review
28
AccommodationsReasonable, Not PerfectHuman rights tribunal finds that students with special needs are entitled to accommodations
The Register 3
ILLU
STR
ATIO
N: J
AS
ON
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this role in the way we would like. Weall want to be involved in instructionalleadership, since we recognize thatimprovement in teaching practice ismost successful when it is supported byschool leadership.
Over the last few years, there has beenmuch discussion at the ministry andboard levels that this is something thatshould be a greater focus in our role.Support has come in the form of releasetime for teachers to collaborate onimproving practice for the benefit ofstudents. There have also been manyuseful resources developed that identifythe latest research on student learningand outline which instructional strategies
are best suited to increase achievement.However, organizing a few professional
development sessions or being well-versedin the latest research does not, on its own,make one an effective instructional leader.A broader view of instructional leadershipneeds to be accepted. Creating a staffculture open to change and collaborationmay be the most important aspectof successful instructional leadership.What we need are strong leadership skillsand the time to use them well. Time isneeded to shift any school culture.It would have been more beneficial if thediscussion about instructional leadershipbegan with a realistic look at where we,as school leaders, are spending our time
and if it maximizes a positive impact onschool culture.
The real challenge is changing themindset of the most resistant. Peoplewho are open-minded and accepting ofchange present little challenge; it’s theothers who often determine if there hasbeen a meaningful culture change withina school. People who are more difficultto deal with can define an instructionalleader. They require high emotionalintelligence and investment of time,along with being available and presentin meaningful ways. For some, to changethe way they teach requires them tochange their view in a fundamental way.Instructional leadership is not an itemon our agenda waiting for us to get toafter lunch. We must constantly look forpositive practices that need support andothers that can be improved.
For our system to be truly effective insupporting instructional leadership, wemust recognize that the leadership skillsneeded to deal with difficult people haveto be learned and nurtured. Individualsare not swayed by one workshop or onePowerPoint presentation. They need aleader who is going to support them overa long period of time, knowing when tohelp and when to push.
Dealing with the challenges of bully-ing is no different. To shift an entireschool culture so that the students andstaff have different expectations ofbehaviour toward themselves and theirpeers requires leadership and a largeinvestment of time. Announcements andassemblies don’t change school culture
Personally, I’ve always had trouble with the term “instructional leadership.”Don’t get me wrong – I very much want to be a principal who is involved inleading the improvement of instructional practice. But it seems to me thata deeper discussion needs to take place as to why we can’t seem to perform
LLeeaaddeerrsshhipipIt It isis about time about time
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
4 Summer 2012
Naeem Siddiq
Ontario Principals’ Council180 Dundas Street West, 25th floor
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z8Tel: 416-322-6600 or 1-800-701-2362
Fax: 416-322-6618Website: www.principals.caEmail: [email protected]
The Register is published quarterly by the Ontario Principals’ Council (OPC).The views expressed in articles are those
of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official
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and the authors involved. Letters to the editor and submissions on topics
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unless they are supported by a presentand respected leadership team that hasdeveloped trusting relationships with theschool community.
The goal of improving graduationrates is laudable. We have to be carefulnot to think short term in trying to reachthis goal and recognize that the nextcohort of students may present deeperchallenges. Leaders have to have time toinvest in the most difficult challengesthat lie ahead. Our most at-risk studentsneed daily support and are the greatesttest for a school culture that views itselfas open to improved instructional prac-tice. While we are spending money onat-risk kids, are we spending the timewith them when they need us the most?
Instructional leadership should not beseen as another part of the job, but insteadas another example of where strong lead-ership skills and being given time toconnect with people who are resistant tochange, can make our school culture abetter place for all students and successfulinstructional practice. Let’s begin theprocess of removing time consumingpolitical tasks that are taking us away fromour staff and students. It is about time.
The Register 5
OPC NEWS
Chris Broadbent, TDSB Occupational Health and Safety Manager, offers advice on managing current schoolinspections, including receiving training, participating in inspections and documenting school actions.
A delegation of principals from Peru completed OPC’s International School Leadership Program February 6–26, 2012.
Craig Alderson facilitates the new up-and-running Module One — Mentoring Qualification Program via live webcast.
Pre-Conference Book LaunchPre-Conference Book Launch
OPC President Naeem Siddiq (right) and co-author
Andy Hargreaves (left) at the book launch for
Professional Capital, held at the OPSOA 2012
pre-conference symposium in Toronto. This latest
collaboration, co-authored by Michael Fullan, shows
how the quality of teaching is captured in a compelling
new idea – the professional capital of every teacher
working together in every school.
OPC Council
MPP Lisa MacLeod addresses
Council on the road ahead in
education and what the public
economy means to services
and the deficit.
RReecceennt Ht Haappppeenniinnggs as at Ot OPPC C ……
6 Summer 2012
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NEW ANNUAL EVENT
www.adfo.orgwww.principals.ca
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GAIL NYBERG MICHAEL COREN CHRIS D’SOUZA
• Religious Accommodation• Aboriginal Students• Gender and Sexual Identity Equity• Student Mental Health• Closing the Economic Gap in our Schools
• enhance your conference experience• network with key companies• test out new technologies and• win prizes
For full details about the Leadership Summit visit
How is it possible that vice-principals believe
this to be true? Why is it often difficult for
vice-principals and others to see the direct
connection between their work and student
achievement? Why don’t vice-principals see
themselves as key instructional leaders?
The answers rest in our analytical framework
for understanding the role. By their nature,
the theoretical, conceptual and role lenses
bring to light the role of vice-principal as in-
adequate at best and inappropriate at worst
– vice-principals deserve a better rep!
We believe a new conceptual lens, spe-
cific to the role of vice-principals, must illumi-
nate and celebrate their major contributions
to instructional leadership, while debunking
the notion that the role offers little opportu-
nity for such leadership.
A few things are clear about the vice-prin-
cipal role. First, not much can be found in the
literature about their work (Marshall & Hool-
ey, 2006) – a statement in and of itself. Sec-
ond, the duties of the role are not well defined
in Ontario (Armstrong, 2009) or in many
other jurisdictions. The Ontario Leadership
Framework (OLF) provides a description of
Vice-principals are the unsung heroes of instructional leadershipBy Dr. Richard Williamson and Dr. Andy Scott
Illustration by Jack Dylan
“I’m not doing enough around my school that would be considered instructional leadership. What am I going to do? How am I going to do my part to meet school improvement goals?”
– Laments of an anonymous Vice-principal
THE
UNSUNG
HERO
The Register 9
the practices and competencies of effective school leaders, but it does not address the ac-tual day-to-day tasks of the vice-principal. In-deed, in Ontario, as in many other provinces and states, a vice-principal’s duties remain at the discretion of the principal. Third, his-torically vice-principals have assumed what may appear to be the less appealing tasks of school leadership – discipline, attendance and scheduling, among many others (Kwan, 2009). Much is to be learned.
The major issue presented by the dearth ofresearch is that, in the absence of role specificframeworks, we apply inappropriate lenses,which demean the role. In this regard, we wishto challenge the popular notion of instructionalleadership – it is far more than direct involve-ment in the classroom and the science of teach-ing. Instructional leadership can be found in allof the actions vice-principals take to create theconditions needed for effective teaching to
happen, and for student learning to occur.Indeed, every time a vice-principal engages inconversations with teachers, deals with studentdiscipline, develops the school timetable,engages with parents or performs any of amyriad of other tasks, instructional leadershipis occurring (Leithwood, In Press). Hour-to-hour and day-to-day, vice-principals are workingto create the best possible environment forteachers to teach and for students to learn.
We further call into question the appropri-ateness of the current OLF in terms of reflect-ing the vice-principal role. Without doubt, theOLF does provide a clear articulation of the practices, knowledge, skills and attitudes ofeffective school leaders. Where we believe it falls short is that it does not address the actual tasks of vice-principals. The OLF provides the ‘how’ of effective leadership. It is the ‘what’ that is missing. What are the actual duties of vice-principals? Resourceful vice-principals can
find ways to be effective instructional leaders regardless of the tasks they are asked to do.Greater clarity about the actual work of vice-principals would serve both vice-principals andthe schools in which they work.
Finally, in recent years, there has been anincreasing focus on instructional leadership.School improvement has become the expecta-tion of schools across many western countries(Harris, 2002) with school leaders being heldaccountable for how well teachers teach andstudents learn. With the shift in focus for prin-cipals and vice-principals to be instructionalleaders, there has been a corresponding declinein the value placed on the ‘management’ aspectsof school leadership. The result has been theemergence of a leadership/management dichot-omy (Hill and Lineback, 2012). We questionthe value of this dichotomy and the attitudesthat accompany it. We see this as a simplifiedview of school leadership because it has set up
Hour-to-hour vice-principals are the best possible e for teachers t
for students t
10 Summer 2012
an instructional leadership vs. managementparadigm. This paradigm is not serving schoolswell. In many ways, vice-principals have been caught in the middle. In some cases, they havebeen delegated the ‘management’ of the build-ing with the principal able to enjoy the instruc-tional leadership of the school. This dichotomyserves no one well – not students, teachers,vice-principals or principals.
In response to the inadequateness of these perceptions, we propose a new lens withvarious layers through which to view the role of vice-principal. The first layer is a role per-spective: Vice-principals are instructionalleaders. Indeed, the role of vice-principal is a key leadership role, second only to the princi-pal. Does the literature support this assertion? No, not because it is not true, but because, as noted above, very little research has focused onthe role. Vice-principals can serve as instruc-tional leaders through all of their interactions
and through all of the duties they perform. Byshifting away from the leadership vs. manage-ment paradigm, the work of a vice-principal can be seen as instructional leadership(Leithwood, In Press).
The second layer is a broader perspective: Vice-principals are administrative teammembers. Indeed, vice-principals work indyads, triads and quad team structures; and it is in this team context that they influenceprincipals, affect school-wide instructionalleadership, contribute to the vision and goals and align performance and growth plans.Further, effective dialogue within the team,the values, beliefs, assumptions and practices of vice-principals are shaped. The administra-tive team is a critical school structure that oftendefines and connects the role to the broader team efforts. In fact, it is very difficult to sepa-rate individual leadership from that of theadministrative team.
The third layer is a teacher’s perspective:Vice-principals are exemplary teachers.Many vice-principals assume teaching assign-ments as well as school leadership duties. By doing so, they model effective teaching and have daily opportunities for directly impactingthe instructional practices of teacher-colleagues. Imagine the potential impact of anexemplary teaching vice-principal during the course of conducting a teacher performance appraisal. Is there any greater instructionalleadership opportunity?
The fourth layer is a psychological perspec-tive: Vice-principals are emotionally intel-ligent leaders. As we know, the demands of the role require the highest levels of emotionalintelligence. Vice-principals must manage theiremotions and those of others, often in crisis situations. These skills, according to others, are developmental in nature; consequently,any image of the role must acknowledge that
and day-to-day, working to create
e environment s to teach ands to learn.
The Register 11
growth and development in this area are givens.The fifth and final layer is an administrative
perspective: Vice-principals are directors ofthe collective managerial effort. They under-take many administrative duties that help createthe teaching and learning conditions of theschool. Within each duty is the opportunity forinstructional leadership. It is not what they do,but rather how they do it, that can turn routinetasks into leadership that makes a difference forstudents. In fact, as Leithwood points out,“several recent studies have found that among the large range of tasks associated with school leadership – some clearly intended to directly
improve instruction and some primarily con-cerned with organizational management – thosemost directly concerned with organizationalmanagement make the largest contribution tostudent achievement.”
Many vice-principals know this to be true.As one vice-principal stated, “I have numerousopportunities throughout each day to be aninstructional leader. When a staff memberapproaches me with an issue, be it discipline ormanagerial in nature, I can always relate theissue back to student need in terms of curricu-lum, instruction and/or accommodation. Ibelieve that those hallway conversations, parent
meetings and problem solving meetings all mean that I am taking a lead role in terms ofinstruction in this building.”
Vice-principals are instructional leaders,administrative team members, exemplaryteachers, emotionally intelligent leaders and directors of the collective managerial effort!This is a far more compelling image of this role– one that will build efficacy, pride, accom-plishment and recognition.
We understand that changing our collectivelens towards the role of vice-principal stands as a formidable challenge. Maybe, as an initial and substantial strategy, we need to address
Vice-principals areinstructional leaders,
administrativeteam members,
exemplary teachers,emotionally
intelligent leadersand directors
of the collective managerial effort!
12 Summer 2012
the imagery in the title itself – take the ‘vice’ out of the name. Typically, the word vice has a dual meaning. On the one hand, vice is usedto form a compound word denoting someone who serves in the absence of the person ofauthority; on the other, it is a word that con-notes images of evil, immoral, unethical and degrading acts. Is this the desired image? Ischanging the title really that ridiculous? Inanswering this question, think about how oftenwe change the names of central office roles to capture the essence of their work and provide a clear focus of student achievement. Further, keep in mind that other jurisdictions use dif-ferent words for the title.
In order to be successful in our efforts to change the image of the vice-principal role,alignment with the OLF 2012 must beachieved. In this regard, our lens should serve as the conceptual basis for reflecting on the school leadership practices and the drafting of a complementary framework specific to therole of vice-principal. This framework will casta new direction for research, professional devel-opment, job satisfaction, performance appraisaland recruitment. Imagine an image of the rolethat stands not just as a means to an end (a principalship), but as a career-satisfying end, in and of itself.
Many vice-principals have expressed to us their desire to assume the principal rolebecause they see it as the opportunity to fully become the instructional leader that originallyled them into school administration. Sadly, many of our current vice-principals do not seethemselves as instructional leaders. With the current leadership/management dichotomy, vice-principals are not alone in seeing them-selves as attending to the more mundaneoperational work of the school. Nothing couldbe further from the truth; however, it requiresa changing of lenses on all of our parts to see how all the work of a school leader can indeedbe instructional leadership. Vice-principalsmatter in a deep and profound way and need to be given the recognition in our perceptual frameworks. They deserve a better rep!
Dr. Richard Williamson is a principal of Leadership Developmentin York Region DSB and Dr. Andy Scott is the LeadershipDevelopment Officer for TLDSB. Thank you to vice-principals
Sheila Shauf TLDSB, Lisa Waldinsperger TLDSB and Nan MantleYRDSB for their input.
Join our online discussion at vpstheunsungheroes.blogspot.ca
REFERENCESArmstrong, D.E., (2009). Administrative Passages: Navigating the transition from teacher to assistant principal. London:Springer.
Harris, A. (2002). School Improvement: What’s in it for
schools? London: Routledge Falmer. Hill, L., & Lineback, K., (2012). I’m a leader, not a manager!,
Harvard Business Review: HBR Blog Network, January 5, 2012.Kwan, P. (2009). The vice-principal experience as a prepara-
tion for the principalship. Journal of Educational Administration. Vol. 47 No. 2,
Leithwood, K. (In Press). The Ontario Leadership Framework,2012.
Marshall, C., & Hooley, R.M., (2006). The Assistant Principal:Leadership choices and challenges. Thousand Oaks, C.A.:Corwin Press, Inc.
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The Register 13
T
WWhat every principal and
hat every principal and
vice-principal needs to know
vice-principal needs to know
By the OPC Professional Services Team and Chris Broadbent
The Ministry of Labour (MOL) routinely visits elementary and secondary schools in the province
to conduct inspections. As a result of recent critical incidents in schools, these inspections
have increased in number over the last year, with a particular focus on technology shops and
science labs. In addition, amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
requiring all employers to enact Workplace Violence Prevention Programs and Workplace Ha-
rassment Policies and Procedures are a focus for the Ministry of Labour. The Ministry’s goal
is to visit every elementary and secondary school with shops and labs in the province by June
2012, which means that many of you will have already experienced such a visit.
The Register 15
On repeat future visits, the Ministry will be looking for compliance with the Act and any Orders it has issued, as well as improve-ment of the internal responsibility system. Indeed, it is imperative for any inspection by the MOL that there be good evidence that the internal responsibility system is in place and that the principal, in particular, demonstrates an awareness of his/her role and responsibility for health and safety in the school.
In the technology shops, significant areas of con-cern with equipment have included machine guard-ing, dust collectors, grind-ing wheels, drill presses and compressors. In addition, “hot work” raises additional issues around welding/repairs on drums. Specific inquiries will include whether the in-ternal pressure is adjusted to atmospheric pressure, and whether the drum has been properly cleaned, drained and rendered free from any explosion hazard.
On the subject of indus-trial hygiene, inspectors will focus on the functionality and availability of eyewash fountains, deluge showers, fume hoods and noise, and noise and garage ventilation. In addition, inspectors have recently paid particular attention to the temperature of the building, and imposed a minimum require-ment of 18 degrees Celsius.
Although the primary motivation for in-specting schools relates to safety issues that arise in shops and labs, inspectors are not limiting their inquiries to these areas. �ey are also routinely assessing whether Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSC) are meeting their requirements for meetings and monthly inspections, as well as the re-quirement to complete a total workplace inspection annually. Additionally, inspectors
are looking for evidence of a Workplace Vio-lence Prevention Program and Workplace Harassment Policies, including checking to make sure these documents are posted on the Health and Safety Bulletin Board accessible to all staff.
�e inspectors are speaking directly to
school staff to assess their knowledge of safe-ty requirements and to determine whether the employer is providing them with proper training and information. MOL Inspectors will also typically assess the Asbestos Man-agement Program, WHMIS, worker training and teacher qualifications.
School-wide, some specific issues that inspectors will likely assess include the dis-pensing and storage of flammable liquids, the appropriateness of storage facilities/cabi-nets (with a focus on proper ventilation) and whether Fire Code requirements are being met. Other potential hazards include ladders,
housekeeping chemicals, electrical safety, guardrails, lifting devices, materials handling and personal protective equipment.
A best practice for boards is to coordinategood communication about MOL Orders,since the standards applied to one school sitemay be deemed to apply to all school sites.
Boards may have an interestin challenging certain ordersbecause of their potential prec-edential impact, and the costimplications of compliance.�erefore, a principal’s timelycommunication of Orders tothe Health and Safety Profes-sional for the board is essential.
Because of the increase in the number of inspec-tions taking place across the province, we have had a sig-nificant increase in calls from OPC Members and expres-sions of concern from OPC districts about the conduct of MOL Inspectors and, in particular, threats directed at principals that they may face charges under the Act. �e good news is that, as of the writing of this article, the recent spate of inspections has NOT resulted in charges against principals person-ally. It is, however, important to be aware that the MOL deems principals to be “su-
pervisors” of schools under the Act, and with that designation comes potential exposure to charges in certain situations.
Principals must take their health and safety responsibilities very seriously: seek appropri-ate training, become familiar with the Occu-pational Health and Safety Act and its regula-tions and become familiar with the hazards in the workplace, particularly high risk areas like technology shops, science labs, pools and mechanical rooms. Encourage appropriate use of ladders and protective equipment by staff and document staff reminders made in this regard. Ensure that your JHSC members
Be aware that
the SCOPE
of THE INSPECTIONS
is NOT LIMITED to the
review of Science and
Technology classrooms
or Prep areas.
ALL AREAS of the
school are OPEN
FOR INSPECTION.FOR INSPECTION.FOR INSPECTION
16 Summer 2012
Meet with your caretaker(s) and review chemical stor-age, housekeeping and guarding as it relates to areas of the school such as boiler rooms, fan rooms and electrical rooms. Also, ensure that the Fire Code requirements (e.g. fire extinguisher inspections) have been met.
Review your school’s Health and Safety Bulletin Board and ensure that all the required documents are updated and posted. For a list, check your board’s Health and Safety policy and procedures manual or ask your Health and Safety Professional. You may also find it helpful to navigate through the Ministry of Labour website and familiarize your-self with other resources that are available.
Ensure that your staff has received the required training in the following topics:• WHMIS (only required once, however, we encourage some aspect of a yearly review, i.e. labelling requirements, symbol recognition, etc.)• Asbestos Awareness (ensure you have reviewed your board’s Asbestos Management Program and undertaken any specified training).
Review your board’s Workplace Violence Prevention and Workplace Harassment Policies, ensure these are posted on the Health and Safety Bulletin Board and ensure that staff have received any instructional materials prepared by
the board. Inspectors may ask individual staff if they know whether and where these policies are posted and what process they should follow if they believe they have suf-fered workplace violence or harassment.
Ensure that staff has access to, and know how to find, a current Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Remind staff that any paper copy MSDS must be up to date (less than three years old). Access to MSDS electronically (i.e. web- based system) is acceptable provided that they can be re-trieved in the event of a power failure. A paper copy must be provided if a staff member requests one.
Be aware of your board’s Health and Safety Committee struc-ture and the process for workplace inspections as required.
Participate in any Health and Safety Training programs pro-vided by the board training program and, if no training is offered, seek training from third party providers.
Make board training tools and, in particular, all relevant Sci-ence and Technology safety-related documents accessible to your teachers/curriculum leaders.
Ensure that all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available, being worn and stored appropriately, and that staff has been trained in how to use it.
Review the most current Workplace Inspection Form to en-sure that all items have been addressed.
1. Stay calm. Don’t get flustered or frustrated.2. Advise them of the board’s requirement to contact the
Health and Safety Office.3. Alert the board’s Health and Safety Office so that, if appro-
priate, arrangements can be made for a Health and Safety Professional to come and provide assistance.
4. Understand that the expectation of the MOL is that the prin-cipal and/or vice-principal, along with the Health and Safety Worker Representative, will accompany them during their inspection. You may wish to include other appropriate cen-tral staff with you, e.g. a Caretaking Supervisor or Facilities Manager, as per your board’s protocol.
5. Recognize that the Ministry of Labour is looking for your understanding of Health and Safety issues as it relates to your site. If you are asked a question and are not certain of the answer, just be honest and say “I don’t know but I will
find out and get back to you.”6. Be aware that the scope of the inspections is not limited to
the review of Science and Technology classrooms or Prep areas. All areas of the school are open for inspection.
7. Remember that this process may take several hours and will result in the Ministry of Labour issuing a “Field Visit” report. It may also result in Orders to Comply. Any Order will be given a time frame for compliance.
8. Ensure that copies of field visits/orders are posted on the Health and Safety Bulletin Board for a minimum of 14 days. A copy should be provided to the Health and Safety Repre-sentative involved in the inspection and a copy should also be provided to your board’s Health and Safety Office.
9. Be prepared that follow up visits by the MOL may occur to ensure compliance with the Orders.
ONCE THE MOL HAS ARRIVED, KEEP THE FOLLOWING IN MIND:
PREPARATION FOR AN INSPECTION
MMOLOL I Innspspececttiioonn C Chhececkklliisstt
The Register 17
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.Q. What happens if the inspector arrives at the school for a site visitwithout any notice and at a time when there is no administrator physicallyat the school?
A.A. There is a sentiment that inspectors do not want to give too much time forschools to “get their house in order” prior to a visit. The expectation is that a schoolshould always be OHSA compliant. As a result, it is good practice to have a processin place should the inspector arrive on a day when the administrator(s) is out of thebuilding. Office staff should immediately contact the principal and, if possible, he/sheshould return to the school. If this is impossible, someone should be proactively des-ignated (and supported with training) to assume responsibility for the visit.
More generally, we would encourage you, through your board, to initiate a dialoguewith local inspectors in support of a practice where site visit appointments are set inadvance (even with 24 hours, notice) to ensure the principal will be available or is ableto delegate oversight of the visit appropriately. There are some inspectors who haveagreed to such a practice.
Q.Q. Is the principal considered the “supervisor” and therefore responsiblefor outside workers who perform work at the school under the direction ofthe board?
A.A. In the Act, “supervisor” is defined to mean “a person who has charge of a work-place or authority over a worker.” It is therefore possible that a principal could be deemeda “supervisor” in respect of outside workers, although boards may argue that the personwith “authority over” outside workers rests with another manager at the board officeand that principals should not be held accountable for their actions. To date, we are notaware of any precedent-setting decision on this matter. Nevertheless, as always, werecommend exercising due diligence. If, as principal, you observe a worker on-site en-gaging in an unsafe practice – for example, not tying off/using safety ropes while work-ing on the roof – this should be addressed directly with the worker and the appropriatemanager should also be contacted. Your actions should be documented. There shouldbe board-wide practices in place that require such workers to “check in” with the officeand notice given to schools in advance of such work being done.
If you have other questions and/or best practices to share, we would urge you tocontact the Professional Services Team so that this information can be collected anddistributed. MOL inspections are here to stay and likely with increased frequency.Securing some consistency with these inspections is only possible through a poolingof information.
have appropriate training, conduct monthly inspections of high-risk areas and complete an annual inspection of the entire workplace.
Participate in those inspections, and docu-ment all health and safety actions. Write downeverything to demonstrate a sense of duediligence, and investigate any “near misses” –where safety lapses occur or an accident is nar-rowly prevented – as this can help you addressany gaps to avoid more significant problemsin the future. Inform your board in writingand in a timely way of any safety concernsthat arise requiring repair, modifications toequipment or expenses outside of the schoolbudget, and seek their direction in writing,particularly if there is going to be any delayin resolving the concern. Since principalsmay face personal liability for fines or evenpotential jail time for violations of the Act, itis entirely reasonable for you to take steps todocument your own due diligence.
Fortunately, despite what may seem like a standard of perfection being imposed by MOL Inspectors, a recent decision from the Court of Appeal for Ontario has clari-fied that the Act is meant to provide reason-able protection to workers and not to seek the impossible – an entirely risk-free work environment. If a principal seeks appropri-ate training, is familiar with the workplace
hazards and takes (and documents) all rea-sonable steps to comply with the Act, s/he is unlikely to attract any charges and would be in a good position to defend against them. Our Professional Services Team recom-mends that you consult the MOL website atwww.labour.gov.on.ca for guidance and in-formation, or speak to your board’s Health and Safety Professional.
Chris Broadbent is the Manager of Occupational Health and Safety for the Toronto DSB. He is an expert in the field and a significant source of support to school administrators in Toronto,Health and Safety Professionals in school boards across the province, as well as other organizations such as the Ontario PublicSchool Boards’ Association (OPSBA). He recently made apresentation to OPC’s senior staff, which formed the basis for much of this article (although the opinions expressed herein are those of the OPC PST). In addition, he shared his advice with principals preparing for an MOL visit, which we have amended, as a generalization, for the entire province.
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The Register 19
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EDUCATION LEADERSHIP CANADA
For more informationon upcoming PQPprograms, [email protected] purchaseresources such asProfessional Capital,shop online atwww.principals.ca
AS the OPC works with an expanding number of
education reform enthusiasts from across the globe, and is visited by a growing number of international dele-gations, we are often asked to describe the services we provide. Some of our visitors find it difficult to grasp how a small organization can be involved in such a remarkable number of local and international projects/initiatives, yet remain focused and modest.
In their recent book, Professional Capital: Transforming teaching in every school (co-published with the OPC), Andy Hargreaves and Michael Fullan describe capital as relating “to one’s own or a group’s worth [and] assets that can be leveraged to accomplish desired goals.” �ey are specifically referring to investing in people for “professional work, professional ca-pacity and professional effectiveness.” �is is the foundation upon which the Education Leadership Canada (ELC), division of OPC operates.
Since its establishment in 1998, the motivation has been to ensure that Members have a trusting and conver-sational relationship with the orga-nization. With over 5,000 Members spread out over a million square kilo-meters, in 31 school districts, we have made open and transparent commu-nication a priority. It has always been our mission to share expertise and support growth for current and aspiring
Members. �e Principal’s Qualifica-tion Program (PQP), which is run in partnership with many school districts across the province, illustrates the “provision of support, and ultimately the mobilization of collective exper-tise and commitment to improve” outlined by Hargreaves and Fullan. Our partnership with various districts in offering the PQP, as well as other additional qualification programs, is a win-win relationship.
Just as school boards want the most capable leaders making good decisions on behalf of students and their learn-ing environments, the OPC wants leaders who demonstrate reasoned and responsible leadership. Currently, we partner with more than half the school boards across the province to offer PQP and other qualification courses. All programs operate with one goal in mind – to support school leaders in their quest to improve learning for students.
�e lead instructors on all of these courses are practising principals who have been identified as exceptional leaders by both their board supervi-sors and the organization. Provincial training, supportive resources and common programs provided by the OPC bring a provincial perspective that is aligned with the Ministry of Education’s leadership strategy; while also providing enough flexibility for each district to contextualize the
modules based on their local needs and unique qualities. Participants in our additional qualification programs also establish their own professional learning groups that continue sharing long after the program has ended. �e capacity of the OPC to adapt each of these modules to reflect current trends and issues that are arising helps main-tain the high level of credibility and relevance that our participants laud.
�e relationship that the OPC, through ELC, has established with school leaders and system leaders is truly unique to Ontario. In other re-gions around the world where we have worked to assist alignment of pur-pose and commitment to education, it is not as evident. Our programs and professional learning opportuni-ties are specifically tailored to benefit both boards and our Members. Our positive working relationship with institutions such as the Ministry of Education, Ontario College of Teach-ers, Education Quality and Account-ability Office and many universities is reflective of the common purpose and trusting relationships that have made our province a leader, both in Canada and abroad. �e ability to express dif-ferences, while maintaining mutual respect, is at the heart of the coura-geous conversations that make our education system stronger.
SSupupppoorrttiinngg G GrroowwtthhMaking our education system strongerMaking our education system stronger
The Register 21
A gathering of so many leaders was also a unique op-portunity to bring together the most current thinking on educational issues that affect students around the world. One of the workshop options provided participants with the opportunity to engage in roundtable conversations
on five global issues: Gender-Based Literacy, The Lead-ership Void: Getting the Right People on the Bus, To Test Or Not To Test, Accommodating Special Needs and Governance and Funding. This article will focus on the session entitled The Leadership Void.
The dialogue was enriched by initially gathering demo-graphic data using ‘clicker’ technology provided through Curriculum Services Canada. The data collected infor-mation such as the number of representative countries, the candidates’ role in education, the gender and age range of the participants and the type of schools in each country. It was valuable information that could be shared immediately with the group.
The bulk of time at each session was spent in facilitat-ed table discussions with an Ontario principal recording the highlights from the participant conversations.
PARTICIPANT DATA FOR THE LEADERSHIP VOID: GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON THE BUS
The Leadership Void dialogue session was one of the most well-attended and is a topic that is of great interest to school systems across the globe. The ICP convention
TThhee L Leaeadederrsshhiipp V VooiiddGetting the right people on the bus By Dr. Joanne Robinson and Richard Evans
REGISTER REPORT
A world convention is an exciting opportunityfor leaders in education to come together tolearn, share and celebrate. Toronto is an idealcity to host an international conventionbecause of its welcoming nature and multi-cultural setting. The Ontario Principals’ Coun-cil, in partnership with the Ministry ofEducation and colleagues from the Catholicand Francophone principals’ councils, hadthe privilege of hosting the 2011 World Con-vention on behalf of the International Con-federation of Principals. The convention wasattended by over 2,000 participants frommore than 40 countries, and it was genuinelyan international odyssey!
22 Summer 2012
was privileged to have Dr. Ken Leithwood on site to fa-cilitate the session and spark stimulating conversations among all participants. Dr. Leithwood is internationally recognized for his research and expertise in studies re-lated to school leadership and the behaviours associat-ed with effective leadership. He has worked extensively with the Ontario Ministry of Education and with educa-tion leaders throughout the province and internationally for many years. Most recently, he accepted an appoint-ment with the Ministry of Education as Leadership Advi-sor. His specific responsibilities include providing advice on the evolution, implementation and evaluation of the Ontario Leadership Strategy (OLS), helping to ensure that OLS practices are evidence-based, linked with the work of leading researchers in the education sector and comparable internationally.
In addition to quantitative data established by the ‘clicker’ technology, the round table discussions fo-cused on the questions: What is being done in your context to address this challenge? What else could be done? In each instance, the responses varied from table to table and according to the regional realities of the participants. Overall it was evident that the training
and recruitment programs differ significantly according to regions.
In New Zealand, the postings are advertised in news-papers, requesting resumes through an agency. Manage-ment experience is required, but a degree in teaching is not. The country also has an aspiring leaders course and principals are selected from across the whole country. They must have taught and be open to change.
In Uganda, there is lots of succession planning in vari-ous sections, pushing people to go into administration,but you need to complete an “aptitude” test and then areal interview in order to be promoted. The retirementpackage in Uganda helps attract new principals, but con-tracts may or may not be renewed based on performance.
In South Africa, the masters leadership program succes-sion planning is very important within schools and systems.Principals are identified, then sent on a training course.
In the United Startes, Oregon has an advanced Mas-ter’s degree to be eligible to became a principal, which participants pay for themselves.
In Ontario and New Zealand, in some instances it was reported that you needed to be from certain Christian religious positions. Ontario also reported that knowing
73%school leaders
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The Register 23
FACTNew Zealand
... management experience is required, but
a degree in teaching is not.
REGISTER REPORT
the criteria from the leadership framework and having a portfolio are required to go forward.
In Australia, it is not structured district wide. It is ad-hoc.It was evident that the required number of years of
experience varied slightly among the countries repre-sented, ranging from two years in New Zealand to five years in Ontario, Uganda and South Africa. Barriers to attracting ‘the right people to get on the bus’ provided interesting perspectives. It was reported that school administrators often feel their input is not validated or sought. In Uganda, teachers have 120 students in class-es, which has an impact on the principal’s performance. In most parts of Ontario, enrolment is declining, so posi-tions are decreasing. The inability for teachers to return to teaching after a trial period as an administrator (up to two years) was also a barrier in some locations, as fed-erations separate teachers from administrators.
The round table discussions identifying strategies for addressing the challenge surrounding leadership void were inspiring. Good relationships were key. Principals must find good candidates since it is evident that right now we have a lack of appropriate leadership. Profes-sional associations such as the OPC provide resources to build leadership, such as the mentoring requirement in Ontario. Ontario’s francophone principals are retir-ing and a new generation is moving into administration. While principals have not lost autonomy, participants recommended visiting other countries to see how others make successes work.
Other suggestions included adapting creative solu-tions such as business managers assigned to schools to do the administrative tasks, allowing the principal and vice-principal to be instructional leaders. There was a common desire to highlight the role in a positive light and promote more interactions with staff. Participants felt that there needed to be more programs to support leaders and to promote “learning” with recruitment, in-cluding social networking.
Practical and experiential recommendations included providing opportunities for teachers to participate on system committees to learn operational functions. In Australia, anyone can cover the school for an admin-istrative absence, which helps identify who is a good/potential leader. One Ontario Board Leadership program provides support for two years, shadowing an adminis-trator, attending a retreat and giving right of refusal for schools away from home. This opens some eyes about
managerial and instructional leadership. One participant reflected that teachers used to be in classrooms for 20 years before moving into administration, but now often only had five years of classroom experience.
After the ICP sessions had been completed, the facil-itated discussion notes were analyzed and synthesized by one of OPC’s experts, Richard Evans, who has done statistical analysis for many of OPC’s research projects. Richard was asked to look at the detail and draw some general trends in the conversations. The full report are now posted on the OPC website.
WHAT IS BEING DONE?
Extremely varied current practices were cited. For ex-ample, no degree is required in New Zealand and in Uganda, the candidate must be a member of the Church of England.
In most jurisdictions, a candidate must have been a teacher, but there are exceptions.
Training is also varied: from graduate degree programsto specific school administrator courses, to short, ad-hoctraining sessions (New Zealand and Australia, for example).
The group identified job satisfaction as a serious moraleissue. Components of this problem are long hours, increas-ing responsibility, being undervalued by supervisors andthe burden of being a “CEO” in some jurisdictions (humanresources, plant and budget responsibilities, for example).Note: Rather than focus on the actual question, the group’s comments suggest a greater interest in identify-ing components of the problems.
WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE DONE?
This is a job for those who can create and will value good relationships with others. A more positive outlook is required.
Specific suggestions were: increase pay, improve mentoring and offer the freedom to return to teaching.
Some jurisdictions have relaxed rules regarding a “teacher in charge” role. This allows for many to sample administrative life.
In the Winter, 2010 Volume II of the Ministry of Edu-cation’s In Conversation, Ken Leithwood was asked, “How, in your experience, has the role of the principal changed most significantly?” His answer covered three areas that ring true for principals and vice-principals in
24 Summer 2012
Ontario, and in many countries across the globe. “The first is that principals are now responsible for
improving achievement and well-being – raising the bar– in alignment with provincial goals, and I would doubtthat there are any principals in the province who don’t un-derstand this as job one. That’s significant because it’sa shift toward seeing themselves as directly accountablefor making that happen. They are not just accountable forcreating the conditions in which results might happen –
accountability presumably resting with teachers – but rath-er they are responsible to ensure that results do happen.
The second revolves around closing gaps in student achievement, and I would say this is a more recent shift. As we saw at the Principal Congress in February 2009, school leaders are thinking about this problem now. They’re beginning to take ownership of it in a way that they hadn’t before. And this is a very similar type of shift. It’s about moving beyond the responsibility to provide good opportunities for learning and toward responsibil-ity for the learning itself, so that all students are benefit-ing from and taking advantage of learning opportunities. This includes those who might have fallen through the cracks in the past. I think now, undeniably, the majority of principals see themselves as every bit as responsible for closing gaps in student achievement as they do for raising average scores in their schools.
The third shift, which is closely related to closing gaps instudent achievement, involves turnaround capacities. Thereare schools in the province – schools in the middle, for ex-ample – that have made some progress, but not to thepoint that they meet provincial standards. These schoolsare being viewed in much the same way that turnaroundschools were viewed five or six years ago. That is to say,there’s some pressure to take it to the next level. What’sshifted, also, is that where we might have focused five
years ago exclusively on the kids who were at risk of failing,attention is being paid now to students who are just doingso-so at school. So our definition – our standard – of whatneeds to be turned around has grown. As a result, manymore principals are assuming responsibility for turnaroundefforts, in comparison with the 300 hundred or so originalturnaround schools of five or six years ago.”
Insights into the role of the principal and the challeng-es of attracting the talent to leadership positions may lie
in the changing responsibilities of the position and the evolving skills required. Viviane Robinson, author of Stu-dent Centered-Leadership, who has studied and written extensivelyon the topic states, “to put it in its simplest terms, student-centerd leadership requires being knowl-edgeable about how to align administrative procedures to important learning outcomes, being skilled in using knowledge to solve important school problems and do-ing both of these things in ways that build relational trust in the school community.Leadership is not about build-ing trust so the hard work of improvement can happen later. It is about tackling the work in ways that build trust through learning and making progress together.”
As the task of addressing The Leadership Void: Get-ting the Right People on the Bus confronts education systems throughout the world, redefining the role and bringing clarity around the abilities most valued may help us in our quest.
To download and review all five reports from the ICP dialogue sessions visitwww principals.ca, under Professional Development.
REFERENCESMinistry of Education. (2010). In Conversation. Volume 11, Issue 2. ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
FACTIn Uganda,teachers have120 students inclasses, whichhas an impacton the principal’sperformance.
REGISTER REPORT
Participants felt that there needed to be more programs to support leaders and to promote “learning” with recruitment, including social networking.
The Register 25
The Way Ahead 2012
The IEL supports research on effective leadership practices in the Ontario context by re-examiningcurrent practices in response to emerging research in order to align theory and practice.
Dr. Ken Leithwood’s findings on Characteristics of High Performing School Systems in Ontario present key aspects of what successful school systems do.
Ontario’s Institute for Education Leadership is a virtual organization that model high-caliber, tri-level, results-based strategic leadership to support school and system leaders in order to improve student outcomes.
Key goals: Development, Research, Practice and Communication
Characteristics ofHigh Performing School
Systems in Ontario
Executive Summary Report
Kenneth LeithwoodProfessor Emeritus
OISE/University of Toronto
June, 2011
Key Findings that influence student achievement include:
• Core Processes - have the most direct effect on the quality of teaching and learning
• Supporting Conditions - strategic, board and school improvement planning• Relationships - internal system, system-related, parent, local
community and teacher federations• Leadership - professional leadership (superintendents and directors) and
elected leadership (trustees)
For more detailed information on Leithwood’s research and other resources, visit the IEL website at
www.education-leadership-ontario.ca
We are accountablefor the well-being of
all our students!
AIMSweb.ca 1-866-335-8418
Ask us about
OPC COMMUNICATOR
Adapted from the OPC Handbook for School Leaders.
AS a principal/vice-principal, you exercise your leader-
ship and management skills every day. Sorting out priorities is a big step to-wards becoming more effective. �e biggest time management challenge is ensuring that you take control of your own time – it is possible to do this. The other major challenge is identify-ing and focusing on what’s important, rather than on “busy work.” Here are some tips to help you manage better.
Do the right job at the right time
• Plan your daily routine aroundimportant tasks.
• Review your to-do list throughoutthe day and review tomorrow’sagenda before you leave today.
• Monitor the time you spend on low priority items against the time you spend on the most important tasks.
• Don’t react to events as they occur. Determine their level of prioritybefore you start spending your time dealing with the issue.
• Don’t ignore little problems – they may become big ones.
• Allow time for unexpected problemsand essential interruptions.
• Set aside time by yourself to work onmajor projects whenever necessary.
Manage your email
• Resist the urgency to read every emailas soon as it arrives, but do respond in a timely fashion.
• Assign set times of the day to handle email (9:00 am and 2:00 pm)
• Deleted spam, e-zines, and trivia
before you start. Answer other emailsin priority sequence.
• Respond to email in simple and brieflanguage. Be courteous but concise.
• Create folders to save necessaryemails (budget, staffing).
• Determine when a phone call is amore appropriate way to respondthan email. Sometimes a long string of back-and-forth emails takes longerto deal with than one phone call.
Delegate
• The principal’s job is to ensure that essential things get done, not to do them all yourself.
• Delegation is important. Try toinvolve as many staff members asappropriate, as opposed to assigning all tasks to one or two people.
• Identify which tasks are appropriate for delegation and which tasks shouldstay with you.
• View delegation assignments as staff development as well as task accom-plishment.
• Delegate tasks to the level nearest theaction or concern.
• Accept different approaches and
different conclusions.• Facilitate task accomplishment
without interfering in the work.• Make necessary resources available
and provide training if needed.• Do not delegate long-term visions
and goals, performance appraisals,politically sensitive situations, per-sonal assignments or confidential/sensitive circumstances.
Be visible
• Practice planned visibility system-atically so that students, teachers andthe community know you arepresent.
• Be visible in classrooms, hallways, on playgrounds, in cafeterias and in staffworkshops.
• Being visible throughout the dayhelps to reduce student disciplineproblems, sets school tone and pro-motes communication.
• The main reason for roaming theschool is to constantly receive feed-back from a myriad of sources onhow your school is operating.
Managing Your Day
Don’t react to events as they occur. Determine their level of priority before you start spending your time dealing with the issue.
The Register 27
Human rights tribunal finds that students with special
needs are entitled to reasonable – not perfect –
accommodationsBy Melanie Warner
Illustration by Mike Ellis
Principals and vice-principals will welcome the flexibility and reasonableness inherent in some recent
decisions from the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal (OHRT) related to accommodating special needs stu-
dents. Principals are often caught between parent demands for specific services for their children; the
views of the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) about what is the most appropriate
way to accommodate special needs students; and board resource constraints. The recent decisions
convey respect for the decisions of the IPRC, and clarify that accommodation need not be perfect or
specifically as requested by parents; rather, a standard of reasonableness will apply.
REASONABLENOT PERFECT
ACCOMMODATIONS
28 Summer 2012
In the case of Schafer v. Toronto DistrictSchool Board, 2010 HRTO 403 (request forreconsideration denied 2010 HRTO 884),the Human Rights Tribunal ruled that itwould not second-guess a student’s IPRCplacement. �is past summer, the Tribunalreleased another decision regarding the dutyto accommodate students with special needs,also involving the Toronto District SchoolBoard (TDSB): L.C. v. Toronto District SchoolBoard. In the same vein as the Schafer deci-sion, Vice Chair Sherry Liang in L.C. heldthat the issue is not whether the accommo-dations are what the parents wanted, whetherthey are the ideal accommodations or whetherother accommodations are more appropriate.�e issue is simply whether the school boardimplemented (generally, but not necessarily asrecommended by the IPRC or the IndividualEducation Plan (IEP)) accommodations thatmet the student’s special needs.
�e human rights complaint was filed byJ.L.C. on behalf of her son L.C., who has beendiagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. L.C.
attended a special diagnostic class in kindergar-ten. In that same school year, an IPRC twiceidentified him as “exceptional” in many areasand determined that he should be placed in aspecial education class. However, L.C.’s motherwanted L.C. to attend his home school in aregular class with supports. �e TDSB agreed.
Over the next few years, successive IPRCsconfirmed L.C.’s identification as “excep-tional,” indicating that he had both a develop-mental disability and autism. �e IPRCs reit-erated that L.C. should be placed in a specialeducation program. However, in accordancewith his mother’s wishes, L.C. remained in aregular class. When the TDSB began to insistthat L.C. attend a special education program,J.L.C. appealed the placement decision to theSpecial Education Appeal Board and thenthe Special Education Tribunal (SET). Pend-ing the outcome of the SET appeal, L.C. re-mained at his home school in a regular classwith supports. (�e SET ultimately con-firmed the decision of the IPRC to place himin a special education class.)
Notably, the allegations of discrimination cover the period of time that L.C. was in a regular classroom, during which the TDSB believed that he would have been better served in a special education program. L.C. alleged that the TDSB’s programming and supports during this period fell short of its obligations under the Code. His central al-legation was that the TDSB failed to provide him with competent, continuous and consis-tent support from a Special Needs Assistant (SNA). He also complained that the TDSB delayed in obtaining a dedicated computer for him, neglected to properly implement a habit (toilet) training program for him and deprived him of an academic program by having him spend portions of his school day outside the classroom.
With respect to the SNA issue, L.C.’sIEP indicated that he needed full-time sup-port from an SNA. �roughout his time ina regular class, L.C. was provided with one-on-one SNA support. However, a number ofdifferent SNAs worked with him. At times,
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30 Summer 2012
there was one individual in a full-time SNAposition, and at other times there were twoSNAs in part-time positions. �e change inthe SNA complement arose from a maternityleave, surplusing of staff and staff turnover. Inaddition, because L.C. required significant as-sistance with toileting, it took some time tofind an SNA willing to work with him on afull-time basis. Vice Chair Liang concludedthere was no evidence that any of the SNAshired to support L.C. lacked any qualifica-tions essential to their positions. Furthermore,she concluded that L.C.’s disabilities did notrequire that he be provided with a single SNAthroughout the school day in order to accesshis individual programming. In this regard,she made the point that complainants cannotnecessarily expect ideal accommodations:
Although it may be that in an ideal world, apupil in the complainant’s position might havebeen better off if he had a single SNA through-out the entirety of his school day, I cannot findthat not ensuring this amounted to discrimina-tory treatment under the Code. As the Tribunal
observed in Schafer, the issue is not whetherthe accommodation provided was the ideal ac-commodation, or what the parents may havepreferred. �e issue is whether the respondentfailed to reasonably accommodate a disability-related need, denying him the right to equal ac-cess to education services. [at para. 55]
With respect to the computer issue, ViceChair Liang noted that an occupational thera-pist recommended certain computer equip-ment that would benefit L.C. in the fall of2003 and the spring of 2004. However, theboard did not believe that L.C. required adedicated computer in order to access thecurriculum. Under pressure from J.L.C., theboard ultimately applied for a dedicated com-puter in April 2005, which L.C. did not showindependent interest in using and required as-sistance to do so. Vice Chair Liang concludedthat a dedicated computer was not a necessaryaccommodation, and the purposes for whichit was beneficial could be served by other, ex-isting methods.
With respect to habit training, L.C. wasnot toilet trained and wore pull-up diapers toschool. In the latter part of Grade 4, J.L.C.requested that the board assist with a habit-training program that involved L.C. attendingschool without a diaper. �e evidence revealedthat the implementation of this habit-trainingprogram was challenging for the SNAs: it re-quired hourly trips up and down stairs to thewashroom, help with dressing and undress-ing and the time-consuming clean-up of fre-quent accidents. J.L.C. alleged that the boarddid not follow the habit-training program as
required. Vice Chair Liang concluded therewas no evidence that the school failed to pro-vide L.C. with necessary accommodations inthis area, and in fact made “considerable ef-forts” to assist him.
With respect to the amount of time thatL.C. spent outside of the classroom, ViceChair Liang noted that L.C. did leave theclassroom frequently as part of his habit-train-ing program, and at other times when he wasacting out or was over-stimulated. However,she concluded that this time away from theclassroom was related to L.C.’s own needs,and was not due to a failure to accommodatehis disabilities.
In conclusion, the Tribunal observed thatthe board put considerable efforts into accom-modating L.C. within a regular classroom set-ting, even while believing that his educationalinterests would be better served in a specialeducation setting. �e Tribunal also notedthat, although the accommodations may nothave been perfect, they were reasonable andresponsive to L.C.’s needs, and that is all theCode requires.
Together with the Schafer decision, theL.C. decision demonstrates that the Tribunaldoes not hold school boards and educators toa standard of perfection. In order to establishdiscrimination under the Code, the evidencemust demonstrate that the accommodationsprovided to a student were significantly inap-propriate or inadequate.
Melanie Warner is a partner with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.
Restorative Practice is a way of thinking and being that when proactively shared in an educational setting as a common vision and approach has demonstrated:
• improvements in safe, positive school climate;• increased student attendance and achievement;• improved student retention by giving them
a voice.Restorative Practice is inclusive and effective in addressing issues such as: bullying; equityand homophobia; while teaching empathy andresponsibility.
Become a Restorative School• New—Restorative Practices for Educators—See webpage for Scheduled Institutes• Training certification for:
• Understanding a Restorative PracticeFramework (1 day);
• Effective Use of Circles in the Classroom and in Other Settings (1 day)
• Restorative Conference Facilitation (2 days).The International Institute for Restorative Practices is a non- profit organization“The leading provider of Restorative PracticesTraining—Worldwide”
Restoring Community in a Disconnected World
Make a Difference
For further information visit our webpage: http://www.iirp.org/canada
The Register 31
RESTORATIVEJUSTICEPracticesThe lever that moves the world By Todd Gribbon Illustration by Sophie Casson
When the Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer and inventor,
Archimedes stated: “give me a place to stand and with a lever I will
move the whole world” – one can see, in a simple way, how this might
have been possible. This image reflects a school leader’s role well,
as shifting and encouraging our schools forward is one of our daily
tasks. Yet while Archimedes had the tangibility of a lever to work with,
our labour is infinitely more challenging, as we facilitate change in a
school’s culture through the vehicle of relationships with staff, parents
and students and the wider school community.
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anandd t thhee c coommmmuunniittyy i in a sn a seeaarrcch fh foorrssoolluuttiioonnss w whhiicchhpprroommoottee r reeppaaiir,r, r rececoonncciliiliaattiioonn
an andd r reeaassssuurrananccee..””
There is a complexity to building trusting relationships with staff, parents, students and the school community, requiring the intel-lectual brawn of Archimedes and the gentle artistry of a maestro to orchestrate. The most challenging aspect of this task is that most school cultures expect that the leadership will use a punitive stick as a lever when working with students. This expectation is further gal-vanized in the historical notion of the school leader as that of a strict enforcer. Yet the need to be a relationship builder stands in contrast to this belief. The old idea of breaking down students with penalizing measures in order to build them back up again is archaic and dys-functional, yet still exists in the eyes of many. The result of using this obsolete model of be-havioural change is grounded in Newtonian cause and effect, where precise amounts of punishment can be measured scientifically and distributed accordingly to affect change in students. This manner of working is built upon the ideas central to the Industrial Revo-lution and around organizational structures of managing employees.
In the Near North DSB, in partnership withHANDSthefamilyhelpnetwork.ca, restorativejustice practices are being used as a method towork with students and facilitate behaviouralchange. Demonstrating care and kindness whileworking with students to support their academicand social growth is the central focus. How wespeak to students and model our use of author-ity sends a clear message of the way we under-stand their needs and the type of culture we wishto build within our school community. Thedialogue we engage in, actions we undertakeand the types of relationships built represent thefoundational cement of the organizational culture we model to the school community andrepresents our thinking of effective school research. The relationship between all students,especially those at-risk, and the school leader isat the core of this foundation.
At Near North DSB’s West Ferris SecondarySchool, we have learned that using restorative justice practices is the lever to move a school toward what research is affirming about effec-tive schools and strong organizational cultures.Our work in this respect has been guided by
restorative justice facilitators who work withinthe HANDSthefamilyhelpnetwork.ca. Cur-rently, there are a variety of other community based organizations which specialize and offerrestorative justice resources and program devel-opment. One of the most well known organi-zations is Transformative Results lead byArthur Lockhart, as well as Real Justice.
A quick glance at effective schools research,school leadership or business management textsshow an emerging pattern of words like trust,partnership, relationships and community, asfoundational ideas of building a strong culture
in any organization. These ideas are reflecteddirectly in what restorative justice practicespropose. Zehr, in Lenses (1990), said in hisinfluential work that “crime is a violation ofpeople and relationships. It creates obligationto make things right. Justice involves the victim,the offender, and the community in a search forsolutions which promote repair, reconciliationand reassurance.”
The unique feature of this definition is thatZehr obliges us to “search” for solutions. Search-ing together is fundamental to the concept of anysuccessful restorative justice practice.
What is most fascinating about the processof any circle is its unpredictably. The strengthof the circular collaboration process produces ashared closure to conflicts by all parties. Thesecollaborative circles create an environment thatsupports what Martin states in The Opposable
Mind (2007) as, “the ability to face construc-tively the tension of opposing ideas and, insteadof choosing one at the expense of the other,generate a creative resolution of the tension inthe form of a new idea that contains elementsof the opposing ideas but is superior to each.”
The process of using discussion circles allowsfor tension between opposing ideas to bebrought forward and becomes a vehicle forcommunal leadership. As a leader, one isstripped of their perceived power and partici-pates in the circle like any other member. Indi-vidual voice occupies a crucial place and time is
given to each participant to share their opinion.The power of time is offered to everyone andthe community’s ownership of the conflict andresolution then builds a much stronger bondwith all participants.
Within Ontario there have been many exam-ples of successful circles where parents, studentsand teachers are impressed by this method ofconflict resolution. For example, a student whoparticipated in one of our largest circles lateracknowledged that the circle allowed everyoneto express themself and have a voice in theprocess. The teacher who took part in this samecircle indicated that he had passed one of thestudents in the hall the next day and there wasa ‘flash of recognition’ (as he put it), and a con-nection on a deeper level with the studentbecause of his participation in the circle.
It is evident that teacher participation within
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ssttuuddeenntts ws wiitth ph peennalaliizziinngg
mmeeaassuurrees is in on orrddeer tr to bo buiuilldd
tthheem bm baacck uk up ap aggaiain in iss
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these circles is crucial to growing the restorativejustice practices in a school – for experiencingis believing. On one occasion, we conductedwhat had been thought to be a less than impres-sive circle. A teacher had witnessed two studentsfighting and was invited to participate in therestorative process. During the circle, the stu-dents agreed to apologize to each other andindicated that the issue was now resolved. Whiledebriefing the session, it was acknowledged thatthe restorative circle had not been one of thebest. Yet, the next day, the teacher was veryimpressed and amazed as to how the studentswere able to articulate themselves and come toan agreement that the teacher believed they
would honour. This teacher reinforced howpowerful it is for the uninitiated to experiencethe restorative process.
At times, however, we have also had adultsand students respond with great skepticismtowards the practice, and have had vigorousdebates on the merits of this philosophy. Whenpressed to articulate a superior strategy, mostwho opposed indicated that punishment is theway to motivate, claiming that the more severethe punishment, the more likely the student isto respond in a positive manner. Clearly, theseindividuals fail to understand the complexityinvolved in motivating change within others.
To encourage participation in the circle,
educators may choose to negotiate with parentsto reduce the number of days of a suspension.Inevitably, parents appreciate the opportunityto have a voice in the process of school disci-pline. Parents are given the opportunity tosupport the harmed individual and the studentat fault. On one occasion, a parent disclosed thathe had been a victim of bullying as a studentand how this affected him in a negative way.The power of the statement, within this safeenvironment, had a direct impact on thestudent, unlike any an administrator could likelyhave accomplished. Alternatively, and depend-ing on the students and parents involved, aschool may decide not to suspend at all andinstead organize a restorative justice circle in atime sensitive manner.
Should the decision be made to suspend astudent, this circle model can be used to reinte-grate the student back into the school, empha-sizing a restoration of relationships that wereharmed as a result of the wrongdoing. In allcases, the process is absolutely voluntary andthere may be instances where students refuse toparticipate and simply accept their suspension.To be clear, suspensions and expulsions are stillnecessary tools that must be used in certaincircumstances to ensure the safety of the schoolcommunity and to communicate the severityof adverse behaviour to a student and parent.
However, orchestrating a circle is the mostformalized way of manifesting a restorativejustice philosophy in a school. Questions to beposed when working with students include:“What happened?” “What were you thinkingat the time?” “What have you thought aboutsince?” “Who have you affected and how?” and“What do you think you can do to make itright?” Asking participants to reflect and con-sider their actions is paramount to ensuring thatrelationships are repaired and the root of theissue is discovered. The use of a letter of apologyassignment with the above questions outlinedwill help elicit reflections from students andreconciliation between participants. They mayread this to those they have harmed or simplydeliver it in person.
The search for resolution lends itself well toa shift in the power balance of the role of schoolleader: from punishment to understanding,
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ininvviittiningg..
36 Summer 2012
focusing on the past to focusing on the future,power over to power with, isolation to com-munity, blaming to understanding, talking at to listening with, authority to relationships, telling to asking and from a Newtonian lens to a Quantum perspective.
In the prologue to Transformative Learning:Educational Vision for the 21st Century, authorO’Sullivan states that modernity has reached its limitations and believes we are experiencingthe full force of the limitations of the rational-industrial mode, which is now self-cancelling. Restorative justice practices represent the nextsteps in how our schools can work with their communities to manage and move the energy of conflict to more productive end results.
Using a traditional punishment model ofbehavioural change creates a relationshipresidue fraught with anxiety and suspicion in parents and students. Shifting power through a restorative justice practice philosophy yields great relationship rewards as a vehicle that is inclusive and inviting. At West Ferris Secondary
School suspension rates decreased from 382 in2005/2006 to 77 in 2010/2011 (an 80 per centreduction in suspensions – noting that thestudent enrolment declined only by 11.2 per cent in five years) using this philosophy. Last year, suspension rates decreased at Almaguin Highlands Secondary from 230 in 2009/2010to 111 in 2010/2011 (a 52 per cent reduction in suspensions – noting that the student enrol-ment declined only by 7.9 per cent). In isola-tion, the reduction rates are clearly impressive.However, what is more inspiring is the trust in relationships built with students – especiallythe many at-risk students who now view the “office” as a resource of support, rather than a place of punishment.
The power of positive relationships withstudents is critical in building a healthy schoolculture. One can hardly argue against Wheat-ley (1992) who stated in Leadership and The New Science that, “even organizational power is purely relational … power in organizations is the capacity generated by relationships.” As
adults, we are charged with modeling a healthyway in which to resolve conflicts for our stu-dents who, inevitably, mirror our actions and construct and are the engines of the school’s culture. Restorative justice practices are thevehicle through which leaders can knit frag-ments of the community together for an opti-mistic school culture. Now, like Archimedes, school leaders have a more effective lever with which to stand in unison and produce dra-matic, positive shifts in school cultures.
Todd Gribbon is a principal with the Near North District School Board.
REFERENCESMartin, R. (2007). The Opposable Mind: How successful leaders win through integrative thinking. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
O’Sullivan, E. (1999). Transformative Learning: Educational vision for the 21st century. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division.
Wheatley, M. J. (1992). Leadership and The New Science: Discovering order in a chaotic world. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Zehr, H. (1990). Changing Lenses: A new focus for crime and justice. Scottsdale, PA: Herald Press.
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�e 50 tips presented are practical. �eyare concrete issues that are encountered byleaders working with employees to developtheir leadership skills. �e advice presentedis thereby easily transferable to the workingenvironment of the leader.
�e authors outline in their introduc-tion that developing leadership capacity isthe same as changing any other behaviouror activity – it takes consistent coaching,practice and reflection.
�ey offer a six-step model by which toimplement your development system. Asthe leader you will need to remember thatmaking changes is a long-term endeavour.
Also in the introduction is a helpfulsection called Using �is Book, where theauthors tell the reader to approach eachtip with the following question in mind:How could this tip work in my environ-ment? As educators, we often need totweak leadership tips to meet the particu-lar circumstances of our environment. �eauthors’ goal was to present their 50 tipsin user-friendly terms and they have defi-nitely been successful.
Many readers might think that the tipsare nothing new or earth shattering but ifnothing else, they should make us stop tothink about how we carry out those par-ticular leadership skills. After reading eachskill, it is worth the time to reflect on howthat skill looks in the daily operation ofour lives as leaders. I would suggest that insome instances, the reader might wish tofurther explore some of the leadershipskills and tips mentioned.
Another feature of the book that Iliked was the way in which the tips are inter-connected with one another. For example, Allen and Kusy talk abouttapping into the passion of teammembers to unleash their energy. �e leader needs to take time to get to knowthe team players, their goals both per-sonal and professional, in order to havetheir best interests at heart. At the end of the tip, they refer the reader back to Tip 10, Coach for Performance as part of the strategy to unleash their passion.
�e fiftieth and final tip talks aboutthe need to capture the learning one
receives from having endured hard-ships and failures. �ey note five types:business mistakes and failures; careersetbacks; personal trauma; problem em-ployees; and downsizing. I am confidentthat all true leaders have experienced atleast one, if not all, of these hardshipsand failures. By sharing these trials withothers, leaders have been more successfulin working their way through their prob-lems more quickly and come to a greaterrealization that by sharing, they are notalone in the process. In their conclusion,Allen and Kusy muse about where em-ployees will acquire the skills to developtheir leadership given the state of theeconomy and that less money is beingfunnelled to professional learning. �eyrecognize that the need to facilitate plan-ning, leading, organizing and controllingis key to making changes to the way thesystem currently works. To help readers,they have designed an easy assessmentinstrument to provide a snapshot of cur-rent leadership development systems.Once completed, readers are left to askthe tough questions as outlined in Tip 49.
It is a small book but it sure has amighty punch to it. It is worth the read.
This book is indeed little, but while small in size, it islarge in information. The subtitle, 50 Ways to Bring out the Leader in Every Employee, is something that we, as school administrators, need to do with our staffs.
TThhee L Liitttltlee Bo Boookkooff L LeeaaderdersshhiippDDeevveellooppmenmenttBy: Scott J. Allen and Mitchell KusyISBN-13: 978-0-8144-1754-6ISBN-10: 0-8144-1754-XReviewed by Nelly Kelders
The Register 41
ONE LAST THOUGHT
who would act as my liaison. Linda wasvery prompt in contacting me and madearrangements that would best suit my learning agenda.
The day after I arrived, I was invited tothe OPC office and given a comprehen-sive overview of the Ontario educationsystem and the Leading Student Achieve-ment (LSA) initiative – a project thatestablishes networks among educators forimprovement in student achievement.OPC President, Naeem Siddiq droppedby to welcome me and outlined the workof the organization. I greatly appreciatedthe time he took to see me, as my visit wasnot a formal one but a private learning
one by a principal from Singapore. Mymorning session with Linda and Naeemallowed me to compare the LSA initiativewith the work we are currently doing inSingapore, as well as the work being doneby the two organizations – the OPC andAPS – in our respective countries.
During my visit, I was also invited toattend a session by Dr. John Hattie.The invitation was serendipitous asHattie’s book, Visible Learning, was oneof the most important books my schoolhad used in our curriculum reformefforts, and the concept of visible learn-ing and teaching is a cornerstone in myschool’s curriculum framework. The
chance to attend his workshop – theuncanny coincidence of my being inToronto when he was visiting – was a highlight of my learning during thistrip. The session further rekindled my enthusiasm to focus on my core work as an instructional leader, because we know how easily we, as principals, can become distracted by other aspects of the job.
I returned to Singapore with verypleasant memories many learning expe-riences from Toronto. In particular, it was heart-warming to know that a col-league from literally half a world away was so generous in her support of my learning. Thank you, Linda, for mywonderful experience in Toronto, and I hope to see you in Singapore in the near future. I always think that there is a universal fraternity among educators that is forged from our acknowledge-ment of the challenging and noblemission of our work.
Teoh Tiong San is a principal with Northland Primary Schoolin Singapore.
MMy Ty Trriip tp to To ToorroonnttooReflections on a informal learning tripto Toronto by a principal from Singapore
When I was planning my learning trip to Toronto, the Acad-emy of Principals, Singapore (APS) contacted the OntarioPrincipals’ Council and I was directed to Linda Massey,
42 Summer 2012
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