26 JUN 2024 · Michelle Sigmann is a principal, a certified wellness coach and an author of a book that guides individuals through a framework of setting goals and actionizing their visions. Her leadership style lends itself to authentic ways of teaching and leading. In this conversation with Leadership Talks she touches on her personal story where overwhelm and stress almost had her at rock bottom. The experience galvanized her new outlook and is now fuel for her passion for supporting and coaching others.   School leaders tend to believe that they should have all the answers. Michelle speaks about real, sustainable work and action that can be implemented. You can show up feeling less overwhelmed and stressed. You can balance the busy and transfer renewed energy into strategies that can be used in your school building.   Consider starting your day with you (5-10 minutes) using these three easy guidelines: - Build up your self worth, be in control of your thoughts. - Identify stressors by writing it down to reflect and take control / prioritize.  - Be patient with yourself while you implement good habits. Resources (with notes from Michelle): - Time Audit - I briefly talked about trying to find time in your day. When you complete this audit make sure to do your busiest day. The goal is once you fill it all in to try and find 15-20 minutes in your day to replace it with a habit that is for you. Please reach out to me for a more detailed guidance on this. - Power Statements - In the podcast, I talked about the importance of reframing your mindset by using positive self-talk / power statements. The science behind this is more than just the words. Do this each day for yourself and see the changes in your mindset and the way you show up in your workplace and home! OUR GUEST - Michelle Sigmann, Durham District School Board - IG - @michellefitnessmomma - LinkedIN - @Michelle Sigmann - Website - https://wellnessmichelle.com/ - Email - https://gmail.com HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Consultant, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning and Engagement, Ontario Principals’ Council https://www.spreaker.com/11140357_OPC/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-16---Working-on-a-Mentally-Healthy-You_-Some-actionable-steps.pdf

12 JUN 2024 · This conversation is with Dinusha Gunasingham and Samantha Stephen, who join us as representatives of the Transformational Administrators' Network; a group of administrators and educators invested in championing change management. With a focus on whole school implementation (for the benefit of ALL students), this group co-created the Transformative Administrators' Toolkit (TAT), an administrative toolkit that includes resources, materials, tools and frameworks that can be utilized by administrators to shift white supremacy culture by deprivatizing practice, employing evidence-based processes, setting direction through high expectations, centering and affirming students’ intersecting identities and fostering a climate of collaboration, responsibility and accountability that includes students, families and staff as active agents.    Dinusha and Samantha highlight for listeners how they have used the 6-week Co-learning and Instructional Cycle, included in the TAT toolkit, to foster positive student outcomes. It is a proactive, responsive and intentional tool created to action a transformative process to address disproportionalities in special education. The framework provides scaffolded support for educators to work in community with students, families and colleagues using critical discourse to complete an evidence-based process with a focus on problematizing practice and not students, as well as encouraging ongoing and purposeful critical reflection of current pedagogy.     Dinusha and Samantha were not able to consolidate all 6-weeks of the cycle for us in the podcast episode due to time constraints, however, they wanted to express for listeners that Weeks 4 - 6 continue with the collection of student and staff driven dialogue and data. Then analysis of the specific goals and intentional teaching strategies for when, in Week 6, a review team comes together to assess if the cycle should: - (a) Continue. - (b) If a referral to ISSP for a more intensive evaluation of supports (both school and / or community based) is required. - (c) Discontinue with monitoring.   The purpose of the 6-week Co-learning and Instructional Cycle is to action, in the most effective and intentional way, an individualized program to meet students' specific academic and socio-emotional needs using informed instruction.    To further benefit students and support colleagues the Transformational Administrators' Network is open to sharing more information* on the TAT toolkit. Contact Dinusha at mailto:sharlene.gunasingham@peelsb.com or Samantha at mailto:samantha.stephen@peelsb.com.   *Note, the tool will only be shared with support in understanding the conceptualization. This allows the creators to ensure that the elements, use and framework are not used in a manner that operates outside of their original vision. They welcome inquires from anyone who is interested and open to a conversation and/or learning session. OUR GUESTS - Dinusha Gunasingham, Peel District School Board - Samantha Stephen, Peel District School Board HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Consultant, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning and Engagement, Ontario Principals’ Council https://www.spreaker.com/11140357_OPC/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-15---Special-Education-6-week-Co-learning-and-Instructional-Cycle.pdf

29 MAY 2024 · As the school leaders of Peel Elementary Virtual School, Raquel Cariati-Cardoso and Sumeeta Merwar, have comprehensive understanding of virtual learning's role in the educational landscape. Their insights are backed by practical experience that focus on ensuring that students' diverse needs are met effectively in an innovative virtual space. Having been at the forefront of implementing virtual learning methods that cater to individual student, Raquel and Sumeeta have many success stories and examples that demonstrate how virtual learning has positively impacted the students that attend virtual school. There is flexibility to provide comprehensive support, specialized resources and an inclusive learning environment for all students. This is not the same virtual learning that happened during the pandemic. OUR GUESTS - Raquel Cariati-Cardoso, Peel District School Board - Sumeeta Merwar, Peel District School Board HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Consultant, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning and Engagement, Ontario Principals’ Council https://www.spreaker.com/11140357_OPC/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-14---Debunking-the-Myths-Around-Virtual-Learning.pdf

15 MAY 2024 · For this episode of Leadership Talks, we welcome Anjali Bajaj, a secondary vice-principal with the Toronto District School Board. Anjali shares how leading for equity impacts the mental health of school administrators, a topic which she presented in the spring of 2023 OPC Vice-principal Symposium. While acknowledging post-pandemic realities, there is a greater need to support student & staff mental health due to tensions faced by school leaders. The impact of trauma / stress on our health and practice, include compassion fatigue and racial battle fatigue. What then are the tangible practices that are available for aligning both self & community care. How do we to hold colleagues/staff accountable to equity practices, while also maintaining personal wellness? This is where strategies such as mentoring/coaching of equity conversations, the SMHO cultural humility tool and the importance of partnerships can be used to widen the circle of care around a school community. OUR GUEST - Anjali Bajaj, Toronto District School Board HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Consultant, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning and Engagement, Ontario Principals’ Council https://icreate.principals.ca/11140357_OPC/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-13---Equity-and-Mental-Health_-Strategies-for-Navigating-Challenges.pdf

1 MAY 2024 · In this episode, Lisa Cole shares how inclusive design approaches may provide an opportunity to co-design and co-implement programs that make system impact in STEM education. She plays a pivotal role at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, which launched k2i (kindergarten to industry) academy in June 2020 with a mission to create an ecosystem of diverse partners, committed to dismantling systemic barriers to opportunities for underrepresented students in STEM. The k2i academy engages with youth by bringing STEM to life – connecting directly to school boards and their classrooms, offering innovative work-integrated learning programs, and partnering with community organizations to provide unique, hands-on STEM learning opportunities. Today, they have grown to reach 27,000+ students, teachers, families, and community members, spending 230,000+ hours in virtual and face-to-face engagements, generating almost $6M in funding.   The k2i academy works with system leaders in publicly funded school boards. They are committed to working with diverse partners to question current systems, create opportunities for collaboration, investigate challenges, and design approaches to implement in partnership.   - About k2i: https://lassonde.yorku.ca/about/our-values/kindergarten-to-industry-k2i-academy - About Lisa Cole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-limcole OUR GUEST - Lisa Cole – Director of Programming, k2i academy | Lassonde School of Engineering | York University HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Consultant, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning and Engagement, Ontario Principals’ Council https://www.principals.ca/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-12---STEM-Education-Leadership-through-Inclusive-Design.pdf

17 APR 2024 · School leaders are tasked with ensuring the health and safety of the students and staff in school buildings. Many would wonder how to manage when a challenging situation elevates to a level that is out-of-the ordinary. Steve Oliver joins the Leadership Talks team for a conversation to share his journey and what he learned from handling a high profile situation so that colleagues can recognize the resources that are at their disposal to navigate challenging circumstances, while leading in a way that prioritizes and supports the wellness and resiliency of the students and staff in their school community. OUR GUEST - Steve Oliver, Halton District School Board HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Consultant, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning and Engagement, Ontario Principals’ Council https://www.principals.ca/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-11---Leading-Through-Challenging-Situations.pdf

3 APR 2024 · Diane Merhi's story is a testament to the fact that there is no one set pathway to leadership. In this Leadership Talks, Diane shares her personal journey, beginning as an office administrator, transitioning to educational assistant, and eventually taking on teaching and leadership roles. Her lived experiences as a first-generation immigrant navigating the school system, combined with her experiences as an educator, have deeply informed her approach to leadership.   Diane also discusses the importance of representation, including different perspectives when building your staff team and actively cultivating inclusive spaces for students and the school community so that they feel they belong. She points out that there is no “easy button” to leadership and encourages colleagues to believe in their self-determination, hard work and resilience. She invites everyone to continue to question current practices and processes to create positive change.   Listen now for more valuable takeaways shared by Diane Merhi. OUR GUEST - Diane Merhi,  Ottawa-Carlton District School Board HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Consultant, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning and Engagement, Ontario Principals’ Council https://www.principals.ca/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-10---Personal-Leadership-Journey-as-an-Arab-Woman.pdf

20 MAR 2024 · Our conversation with Karen Timm spotlights her passion and expertise in neurodiversity. Neuroaffirmative practice is an essential skill for school leaders, though many may not yet feel equipped to lead in this area. As the growing body of authentically informed research shows, embracing neurodifferences through human rights informed practice is not just beneficial for neurodivergent students and staff, but it fosters anti-oppressive thinking and helps to create habits of mind which are anti-colonial, anti-racist and anti-ableist. When activated through an intersectional approach, our efforts to embrace communication differences, normalise stimming and foster acceptance of authentic ways of being, can have a lasting impact across all dimensions of equity. By challenging ourselves to reframe outdated notions of “normal”, we can become better equipped to lead change that benefits all. By unlearning with intentionality alongside our school communities, we can build safe, inclusive and accessible learning and working environments. Neuroaffirmative practice is pivotal on this journey. As an Autistic school leader and founder of the https://sites.google.com/ddsb.ca/nine/home and the NeuroRealMe affinity network for school leaders, Karen is uniquely positioned to support critical reflection, unlearning and neuroaffirmative school improvement planning. Join as a co-learner on this journey to reframing normal!   To continue this work in community with NINE or NeuroRealMe, or access resources aligned to neuroaffirmative practice, refer to the NINE website: https://sites.google.com/ddsb.ca/nine/home Or find us on X: https://twitter.com/NINE_On_Can and https://twitter.com/KarenAnnTimm OUR GUEST - Karen Timm - Durham District School Board HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Advisor, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning, Ontario Principals’ Council https://www.principals.ca/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-09---Neuroaffirmative-Human-Rights-Informed-Practice-with-Karen-Timm_Timestamp-1.pdf

6 MAR 2024 · At Andrea Carnegie’s school, they work on leveraging student voices, especially the voices of Black, Indigenous and students who have been historically marginalized. This empowers students to have more ownership and agency over their learning. For this episode of Leadership Talks, Andrea shares with us the importance of grounding teaching and learning through a variety of pedagogical practices, such as, Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy (CRRP) and the emphasis on students' intersecting identities. She touches upon how student voices are leveraged, the tools and resources that are necessary for student voices to be amplified, how amplifying student voices can have the ability to re-culturize learning spaces, and the impact that centering student voices has on student learning and well-being. OUR GUEST - Andrea Carnegie - Peel District School Board HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Advisor, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning, Ontario Principals’ Council https://www.principals.ca/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-08---Leveraging-Student-Voice-through-Culturally-Relevant-and-Responsive-Pedagogy.pdf

21 FEB 2024 · With the current demand for Technological Education for K – 12, Brent Coakwell joins us on Leadership Talks to share his passion for the trades. He’ll discuss how it’s possible to empower and enhance the experience for students, while supporting principals in an area many are looking to develop a deeper understanding. There are ways principals can help each other through the deep work needed to build capacity in Technological Education. Brent also talks about considerations for planning, timetabling, budgeting, and safety, as well as supporting and mentoring new Tech staff as they enter the field of education. Don’t miss this episode! OUR GUEST - Brent Coakwell - Halton District School Board HOSTS - Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Advisor, Ontario Principals’ Council - Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning, Ontario Principals’ Council https://www.principals.ca/en/professional-learning/resources/Leadership-Talks-Podcast-Transcripts/Leadership-Talks_-EP-07---Supporting-Technological-Education.pdf