This map represents the alignment between the OCDSB Guiding Principles of Creative Leadership, the Leadership Narrative and the Ontario Leadership Framework.
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board Leadership Narrative
Leadership is exemplified by people who are able to impact those around them in a positive way. Our leaders are energetic, empathetic, motivated, trustworthy, knowledgeable and good communicators.
Our leaders share a common vision in their commitment to all students. Our leaders understand that their role is one of support. They lead by example, they seek input, and they listen.
As an organization, we encourage and foster these qualities. In challenging and prosperous times, we are defined by the relationships we build.
OCDSB Guiding Principles of Creative Leadership
By harnessing these individual capacities, the
organization will be enriched and invigorated.
Each individual has unique capacities and ideas
that need to be recognized and tapped into.
This learning context will provide the optimal conditions in
which we can reach and teach all the children in our care,
enabling them to become successful global, digital citizens
with strong critical and creative thinking skills and
an appreciation for diversity.
The culminating effect will be to achieve a culture of
engagement in which people feel valued and engaged in
an environment that embraces ongoing learning fostered
through internal and external dialogue and learning.
Ontario Leadership Framework
Personal Leadership
Resources
Sets Directions
Builds Relationships and
Develops People
Develops the Organization
to Support Desired Practices
Improves the
Instructional Program
Cognitive Resources
Builds a shared vision
Provides support and demonstrates
consideration for individual staff members
Builds collaborative cultures
and distributing leadership
Staffs the instructional program
4
3
2
1
0
4
3
2
1
0
4
3
2
1
0
4
3
2
1
0
Secures Accountability
Builds staff members’ sense
of internal accountability
4
3
2
1
0
Problem-solving expertise
0
Knowledge of effective school and
classroom practices that directly affect
student learning
4
3
2
1
0
Social Resources
Identifies specific, shared,
short-term goals
4
3
2
1
Stimulates growth in the professional
capacities of staff
0
4
3
2
1
0
4
3
2
1
0
4
2
1
3
2
1
Structures the organization to
facilitate collaboration
4
3
2
1
4
3
2
1
0
4
0
3
0
3
2
1
0
3
2
1
3
2
1
0
Monitors progress in student learning
and school improvement
4
3
2
1
0
4
3
2
1
3
2
1
4
4
3
2
1
4
0
1
0
3
2
1
0
AND CARIN
A FE
GL
Appr
A S ct
eci EAR
IN Respe
ati
R
o
0
0
2
Enacts Core Leadership Capacities
across all the domains of the OLF
Buffers staff from distractions
to their work
0
3
n
IN
TEGRIT
Y
CHARACTER
DEVELOPMENT
EM
Pe
rs
ev
era
PAT H Y
F
nce
i
Optim
sm
Leaders draw upon the Personal Leadership Resources to effectively enact leadership practices
Social Resources
• Perceive emotions
Cognitive Resources
• Problem-solving expertise
•
Resilience
4
0
1
Personal Leadership Resources
0
Self-efficacy
4
1
2
i on
rat
Coope
1
2
3
Allocates resources in support
of the school’s vision and goals
Optimism
2
0
4
Maintains a safe and healthy environment
4
3
1
Connects the school to its
wider environment
4
Psychological Resources
4
2
Builds productive relationships
with families and communities
Establishes productive working relationships
with teacher federation representatives
0
3
Meets the demands for
external accountability
Provides instructional support
UNIT Y
MM
CO onsibility
G Resp
IN
3
0
N
Perceive emotions
Manage emotions
Act in emotionally appropriate ways
4
1
Builds trusting relationships with
and among staff, students and parents
Communicates the visions and goals
4
2
Models the school’s values
and practices
Creates high performance expectations
4
3
ss
1
ai
rn
e
2
tan H
ce E
3
BETTER T
O
Acce GE
T
p
4
Knowledge of effective school and classroom
practices that directly affect student learning
Psychological Resources
• Optimism
•
Manage emotions
•
Self-efficacy
•
Act in emotionally appropriate ways
•
Resilience
The OCDSB “Community of Character”
is a set of 10 attributes that provide a
standard of behaviour against which
all individuals in the OCDSB hold
themselves accountable.
0
Leaders draw upon the Personal Leadership
Resources to effectively enact leadership practices
Educating for Success — Inspiring Learning and Builds Citizenship
SCHOOL-LEVEL LEADERSHIP
Leadership is the exercise of influence on organizational members and diverse stakeholders toward the identification and achievement of the organization’s vision and goals.
Setting Directions
Building a shared vision
School leaders:
• establish,incollaborationwithstaff,students,and
otherstakeholders,anoverallsenseofpurposeor
visionforworkintheirschoolstowhichtheyareall
stronglycommitted
• buildunderstandingofthespecificimplicationsof
theschool’svisionforitsprogramsandthenatureof
classroominstruction
• encouragethedevelopmentoforganizationalnorms
thatsupportopennesstochangeinthedirectionof
theschool’svision
• helpstaffanddiversestakeholdersunderstandthe
relationshipbetweentheschool’svisionandboard
andprovincialpolicyinitiativesandpriorities
Identifying specific, shared short-term goals
School leaders:
• facilitatestakeholderengagementinprocessesfor
identifyingspecificschoolgoals
• buildconsensusamongstudents,staff,anddiverse
stakeholdersabouttheschool’sgoals
• ensurethegoalsareclearlycommunicatedtoall
stakeholders
• regularlyencouragestafftoevaluatetheirprogress
towardachievingtheschool’sgoals
• encouragestafftodevelopandperiodicallyreview
individualgoalsforprofessionalgrowth,aswellas
therelationshipbetweentheirindividualgoalsand
theschool’sgoals
• referfrequentlytotheschool’sgoalswhenengaged
indecisionmakingaboutschoolprogramsand
directions
Creating high expectations
School leaders:
• havehighexpectationsforteachers,studentsand
themselves
• devoteadditionalefforttocreatinghighexpectations
amongstafffortheachievementofstudentswho
havetraditionallystruggledtobesuccessfulatschool
• encouragestafftobeinnovativeinhelpingstudents
meetthoseexpectations
• encouragestafftoassumeresponsibilityfor
achievingtheschool’svisionandgoalsforallstudents
• maketheirexpectationsknownthroughwordsandactions
Communicating the vision and goals
School leaders:
• usemanydifferentformalandinformal
opportunitiestoexplaintostakeholderstheoverall
visionandgoalsestablishedfortheschool
• demonstratetoallstakeholderstheuseoftheschool’s
visionandgoalsinday-to-dayactionsanddecision
making
• regularlyinvitedifferentstakeholdergroupsto
discusshowtheirworkfurtherstheschool’svision
andgoals
Building Relationships and Developing People
Developing the Organization to Support Desired Practices
Providing support and demonstrating consideration for individual staff
members
School leaders:
• recognizetheaccomplishmentsofindividualstaffmembers
• considerstaffmembers’opinionswheninitiatingactionsthataffecttheirwork
• builduponandrespondtoindividualstaffmembers’uniqueneedsandexpertise
• treatindividualsandgroupsamongstaffequitably
Stimulating growth in the professional capacities of staff
School leaders:
• encouragestafftoreflectonwhattheyaretryingtoachievewithstudentsand
howtheyaredoingit
• leaddiscussionsabouttherelativemeritsofcurrentandalternativepractices
• challengestafftocontinuallyre-examinetheextenttowhichtheirpractices
supportthelearningofalltheirstudents
• facilitateopportunitiesforstafftolearnfromeachother
• suggestnewideasforstafflearning
• encouragestafftodevelopandreviewtheirowngoalsforprofessionalgrowth
andtherelationshipofthosegoalstoschoolgoalsandpriorities
• encouragestafftotrynewpracticesthatareconsistentwithboththeir
interestsandschoolgoals
Modelling the school’s values and practices
School leaders:
• arehighlyvisibleintheirschools
• areeasilyaccessibletostaff,parentsandstudents
• havefrequent,meaningfulinteractionswithteachers,studentsandparentsin
ordertofurthertheschoolgoals
• demonstratetheimportanceofcontinuouslearningthroughvisibleengagement
intheirownprofessionallearning
• exemplify,throughtheiractions,theschool’scorevaluesanditsdesired
practices
Building trusting relationships with and among staff, students and
parents
Improving the Instructional Program
Building collaborative cultures and distributing leadership
Staffing the instructional program
School leaders:
• modelcollaborationintheirownwork
• fostermutualrespectandtrustamongthoseinvolvedincollaboration
• encouragethecollaborativedevelopmentofgroupprocessesandoutcomes
• helpdevelopclarityaboutgoalsandrolesrelatedtocollaborativework
• encourageawillingnesstocompromiseamongcollaborators
• fosteropenandfluentcommunicationtowardbuildingandsustainingprofessionallearningcommunities
• provideadequateandconsistentlyavailableresourcestosupportcollaborativework
• involvestaffinthedesignandimplementationofimportantschooldecisionsandpolicies
• providestaffwithleadershipopportunitiesandsupportthemastheytakeontheseopportunities
School leaders:
• recruitandselectteacherswhohavetheinterestand
capacitytofurthertheschool’svisionandgoals
• retainskilledteachersbyprovidingsupportandtimefor
collaboration,sharingleadership,creatingasharedvision
andbuildingtrustingrelationships
Providing instructional support
Structuring the organization to facilitate collaboration
School leaders:
• createtimetablesforteachingthatmaximizetimeontaskforstudents
• provideregularopportunitiesandstructuresthatsupportteachersinworkingtogetheroninstructionalimprovement,
andestablishasystemformonitoringtheircollaborativework
• establishastructureofteamsandgroupsthatworktogetheronproblemsolving
• distributeleadershiponselectedtasks
• engageteachersinmakingdecisionsthataffecttheirinstructionalwork
Building productive relationships with families and the community
School leaders:
• createaschoolenvironmentinwhichparentsarewelcomed,respectedandvaluedaspartnersintheirchildren’s
learning
• demonstratethetypeofleadershipthatparentscantrust–confident,systematicandattentive
• helpdevelopstaffcommitmenttoengagingparentsintheschool
• work,withstaff,directlywithfamiliesofdiversebackgroundstohelpthemprovidetheirchildrenwithsupportinthe
homethatwillcontributetotheirsuccessatschool
• encouragestafftoreachouttostudentswithdiverseviewpointsandexperiencestoenrichtheclassroomexperience
andhelpallstudentsfeelincluded
• encouragestafftoadoptabroadviewofparentalengagementandencouragemoreparentstobeinvolved
• helpconnectfamiliestothewidernetworkofsocialservicesasneeded
Connecting the school to the wider environment
School leaders:
• modelresponsibility,integrityandthoroughnessincarryingouttasks
• actinwaysthatconsistentlyreflecttheschool’scorevaluesandprioritiesin
ordertoestablishtrust
• demonstraterespectforstaff,studentsandparentsbylisteningtotheirideas,
beingopentothoseideas,andgenuinelyconsideringtheirvalue
• encouragestaff,studentsandparentstolistentooneanother’sideasand
genuinelyconsidertheirvalue
• establishnormsintheschoolthatdemonstrateappreciationforconstructive
debateaboutbestpractices
• demonstraterespect,careandpersonalregardforstudents,staffandparents
• encouragestaff,studentsandparentstodemonstraterespect,careand
personalregardforoneanother
Establishing productive working relationships with teacher federation
representatives
School leaders:
• includefederationrepresentativesinprocessesforestablishinggoalsforschool
improvement
• encouragefederationrepresentativestokeeptheirmemberswellinformed
abouttheirworkwithschoolleaders
• encouragefederationrepresentativestocollaborateindetermininghowto
implementlabourcontractprovisionsinwaysthatsupportschoolimprovementwork
School leaders:
• developandmaintainconnectionswithotherexpertschoolanddistrictleaders,policyexperts,outreachgroups,
organizationsandmembersoftheeducationalresearchcommunity
Maintaining a safe and healthy environment
School leaders:
• takemeasurestosecuretheschool’sphysicalfacilitiesagainstintruders
• ensurethatthephysicalfacilityismaintainedinasafe,healthyandattractivecondition
• communicatestandardsfornon-violentbehaviourandupholdthosestandardsinanequitablemanner
• empowerstaffintheschooltoplayaleadershiproleinpromotingapositiveschoolclimateandmodellingappropriate
behaviour
• implementandmonitortheuseofappropriatedisciplinarypracticesinclassroomsandthroughouttheschool
• develop,withtheinputofstaffandstudents,processestoidentifyandresolveconflictsquicklyandeffectively
• provideopportunitiesforstaffandstudentstolearnabouteffectiveconflictresolutionstrategies
Allocating resources in support of the school’s vision and goals
School leaders:
• manageefficientbudgetaryprocesses
• distributeresourcesinwaysthatarecloselyalignedwiththeschool’simprovementpriorities
• ensurethatsustainedfundingisdirectedtotheschool’simprovementpriorities
• secureresourcesasneededtosupporttheinstructionalworkoftheschool
• revisitandadjustasneededthenature,amountandalignmentofresourcesasprioritiesforschoolimprovementchange
• ensureeffectiveoversightandaccountabilityofresourcestosupportpriorities
School leaders:
• activelyoverseetheinstructionalprogram
• coordinatewhatistaughtacrosssubjectsandgrades
toavoidunnecessaryoverlapwhileprovidingneeded
reinforcementandextensionoflearninggoals
• observeclassroominstructionandprovideconstructive
feedbacktoteachers
• provideadequatepreparationtimeforteachers
• provideadvicetoteachersabouthowtosolveclassroom
problems
• provideteacherswiththeopportunitytoobserveeffective
instructionalpracticesamongcolleaguesintheirown
schoolaswellasinotherschools
• participatewithstaffintheirinstructionalimprovement
work
Monitoring progress in student learning and school
improvement
School leaders:
• assiststaffinunderstandingtheimportanceofstudent
assessmentfor,of,andaslearning
• collaboratewithstaffduringtheprocessofdata
interpretation
• usemultiplesourcesofevidencewhenanalysingstudent
progress
• giveprioritytoidentifyingthosestudentsmostinneedof
additionalsupport
• incorporatetheexplicituseofdatawhenmakingdecisions
thatrelatetostudentlearningandschoolimprovement
• examinetrendsinstudentachievementovertime(oneor
moreyears),ratherthanjustatonepointintime,when
analysingstudentlearning
• collectandusedataaboutthestatusofthoseclassroom
andschoolconditionsthatarethefocusoftheschool
improvementefforts
• provideconditionsforteacherstousedataeffectively(time,
support,partnershipswithexperts,acultureinwhichthe
useofdataisvalued)
Securing Accountability
Building staff members’ sense of
internal accountability
School leaders:
• regularlyengagestaffinanalyzingdataon
thelearningprogressofallstudents
• insistontheuseofdatathatisofhigh
quality(reliable,valid,collectedusing
systematiccollectionprocesses,available
initsoriginalform,andhasbeensubjected
tocollaborativeinterpretation
• promotecollectiveresponsibilityand
accountabilityforstudentachievement
andwell-being
• helpstaffmakeconnectionsbetween
schoolgoalsandministrygoalsinorder
tostrengthencommitmenttoschool
improvementefforts
• assesstheirowncontributionstoschool
achievementsandtakeintoaccount
feedbackfromothersontheirperformance
• participateactivelyintheirownperformance
appraisalandmakeadjustmentstobetter
meetexpectationsandgoals
Meeting the demands for external
accountability
School leaders:
• clearlydefineaccountabilityforindividual
staffintermsthataremutuallyunderstood
andagreedtoandthatcanberigorously
reviewedandevaluated
• measureandmonitorteacherandleader
effectivenessusingdataaboutchangesin
studentachievement
• alignschooltargetswithboardand
provincialtargets
• provideanaccurateandtransparent
accountoftheschool’sperformancetoall
schoolstakeholders(e.g.,ministry,board,
parents,community)
• createanorganizationalstructurethat
reflectstheschool’svaluesandenables
managementsystems,structuresand
processestoworkeffectivelywithinlegal
requirements
Buffering staff from distractions to their work
School leaders:
• createandenforceconsistent,school-widediscipline
policies
• minimizedailydisruptionstoclassroominstructionaltime
• implementasystematicprocedurefordecidinghowbestto
respondtoinitiativesfromoutsidetheschool
• develop,withstaff,guidelinestogoverntheamountof
timeteachersspendonnon-instructionalandout-of-school
activities
• regularlyassessthecontributionofallout-of-classroom
activitiestothelearningprioritiesofstudents
Personal leadershiP resources
Leadersdrawuponthepersonalleadershipresourcestoeffectivelyenactleadershippractices
Cognitive Resources
• Problem-solvingexpertise
• Knowledgeofeffectiveschoolandclassroompracticesthatdirectlyaffectstudentlearning
12
Social Resources, including the ability to:
• perceiveemotions
• manageemotions
• actinemotionallyappropriateways
Psychological Resources
• Optimism
• Self-efficacy
• Resilience
13