Leadership Capacity

We will be intentional about supporting the development of formal and informal leadership. We will ensure the direction we are headed is understood and equip staff at all levels with knowledge, skills, and efficacy to take action to improve our system and success for students. Some examples of the work of our plan are:
- Dedicated time to meet with Principals and Vice-Principals
- Broadening understanding of school leadership
- Connecting moral imperative and collective responsibility
- Develop and foster initiative and provide project opportunities
- Explicitly connect student outcomes and school leadership
- Grow District-wide focus versus school silos
- Yearlong Leadership Series for all interested Principals, Vice-Principals, and Teachers
- Learning Series to enhance instructional leadership capacity
Keep scrolling to see how our district has been building leadership capacity over this past year!
Successful Staff Recruitment
Finance Department
The gains we made as a finance group this year were driven by our ability to become almost fully staffed in the finance department. Once we achieved full staffing, we could better support the district as a district finance department.
We increased our training and support of the schools with leadership on best practices at the school level for the Principals and support staff at the schools.
Leading Learning - Vocabulary Instructional Planning
Columneetza Junior Secondary
Columneetza’s Grade 7 teachers are enjoying collaborative time with Learning Support Teacher Julie Knevel to discuss evidence-based literacy practices. Over a series of lunchtime conversations, the group is developing a collection of shared resources that will underpin vocabulary instruction across the department. This initiative results from examining the data from our Spring DART results and determining how to improve reading comprehension, expressive language, and written output.
Thank you Hattie Darney for sharing.
Indigenous Role Models
Columneetza Junior Secondary
Angus Paul and Paige Romaniuk spending the afternoon at Columneetza highlighting the First Nations Role Model selection process. This program showcases our indigenous role model students, their leadership roles in the community and encourages all indigenous students to participate and show everyone all the amazing things they are contributing to in their schools and communities.
Teacher Leadership to Enhance Numeracy
Marie Sharpe Elementary
After an invigorating session with Carole Fullerton, a group of Marie Sharpe teachers met to plan for assessment and instruction for the year and how to move math learning forward in the entire building. Conversation was rich, the planning was deep, and future goals were set. Amazing leadership shown by our teachers.
Thank you Kelly Glen for sharing.
Connecting Leaders 2022
Cariboo-Chilcotin Principals and Vice-principals Pro-D
In October, several SD27 principals and vice-principals travelled to Victoria for the BCPVPA Connecting Leaders Conference. Ranging in years of experience and rural to urban, small to large school communities, it is an opportunity we look forward to all year; to spend time together reflecting, rejuvenating, rejoicing and refocusing our leadership. As a group, we spent time learning from renowned speakers (Kevin Lamoureux, Doug Keeley, Carolyn Roberts, Jesse Ruben), time learning on the land, and time learning from each other.
Kevin L. reminded us that “Hope is good medicine”, and that filling our schools with love and hope is the most critical work for principals and vice-principals to lead in their schools. We appreciated the opportunity to fill our minds and hearts in Victoria this Fall, and look forward to the year ahead to carry this critical work for our schools.
Thank you Holly Zurak for sharing.
Teachers as Leaders
Marie Sharpe Elementary
After an invigorating session with Carole Fullerton, a group of Marie Sharpe teachers met to plan for assessment and instruction for the year and how to move math forward in the entire building. Conversation was rich, the planning was deep, and future goals were set. Amazing leadership shown by our teachers.
Change Agents
Marie Sharpe Elementary
The Change Agents are students working with Mr. Julius to help by being positive leaders and helpers to our younger students. They are out in their orange vests at recess and lunch to be there to be a safe person to talk to to help with social situations. They can help with anyone who needs a buddy or solve a problem. They can also help students find an adult if the problem is too big. Thanks to our Change Agents we are proud of you!!
Leading Communicating Learning
District Pro-D
SD 27 PVP met to discuss Dylan Wiliam's Embedded Formative Assessment and how the key concepts from the book can guide changes to communicating student learning in the district.
The World Needs More Leaders
Anahim Lake Elementary
Here in Anahim Lake we encourage our students to take risks, learn from their mistakes and to find their voice along with how to work with others. Learning looks like sharing ideas, problem solving and (most importantly) having fun!
Leadership Series
District Pro-D
October 18 was the first gathering of the SD 27 Leadership Series participants this school year. 36 interested teachers, principals, and vice-principals met with Superintendent Chris van der Mark to engage in a year-long dialogue about teaching and learning. Their collaboration is grounded in the key focus areas for growth of the Cariboo-Chilcotin District Plan for Learner Success and inspired by the NOIIE spiral of inquiry and Network. Shared reading for the team this year is Dylan Wiliam’s Embedded Formative Assessment. Meetings are usually over dinner and celebrate professional and student learning.
Leadership Retreat
District Pro-D
School and District and leadership team members met in the summer to learn together about a number of topics and plan for leading for enhanced student success this school year.
Read to Lead
District Pro-D
Principals and Vice-principals were provided and discussed these resources to support Truth and Reconciliation and trauma-informed practice in schools.