What are the benefits of independent schools? Are they institutions set up to benefit their own families or could they also have a larger purpose in the greater educational landscape? This is just one of the questions Patti MacDonald and I pick apart in this episode.

Patti MacDonald was the first principal I ever worked under and I did not realize at the time how lucky I was to have her visionary leadership, deep understanding of equity and inclusion issues, and unique approach to education as a researcher. Since Patti has left The Bishop Strachan School to become the Executive Director of CAIS (Canadian Accredited Independent Schools), saying that she is missed at my school would be an understatement.

Even though we worked in the same building for many years, I don’t think I ever had the opportunity to just sit down and ask her whatever I wanted about education. As you will quickly find out from this conversation, Patti is a brilliant leader and we get right into what outstanding schools all have in common, how teachers can adopt her approach of teacher as researcher, and what role independent schools can play in the larger world of education. Also, Patti shares some of her advice for growing leadership and her answer both challenged and inspired me, so be sure to keep listening for that.

This show is a must for anyone who want to develop their leadership potential in education and really just have that kitchen conversation with a woman they admire. I am so excited for you to hear what we got into with our chat, so let’s jump right in! Click on the link and start listening.

How does one teacher move from being a Grade 3 teacher to the executive director for all independent schools in Ontario? Today I talk to Sarah Craig about this question and what she is getting excited about in schools today.

Sarah Craig’s title is the Executive Director for the Conference of Independent Schools in Ontario. While she helps teachers engage in meaningful professional learning and unite students through engaging festivals and friendly competition, Sarah Craig is also in the unique position to know many many schools well and look at the trends of what’s happening in the province .

If you already know Sarah, it will come as no surprise that she is an overwhelmingly positive, supportive, and dynamic leader in the world of education. When I approached her about this podcast project, she responded with resounding excitement and essentially just said “what do you need?” Sarah through CIS Ontario is one of the main reasons why the podcast exists, so it is an honour and treat to get to include her voice on the show.

In this conversation, we touch on wellness, student empowerment, what meaningful professional development looks like, and dish on some highlights of what’s happening in a few member schools…will your school get a shout out? Click on the link to find out!