Recognizing outstanding principals
Being a principal can be tricky: it’s a balancing act of instructional leadership, administrative functions and human resources. In recognition of this tough job that fewer people want, the Globe and Mail profiled five principals from public-funded schools in Canada. The five were among those honoured by The Learning Partnership yesterday. Although the problems they face are particular to their school areas, some challenges are universal. For example: Sheldon Barry of Holy Heart of Mary High School in St. John’s says he has to motivate students just to stay in school. The high demand for skilled labour in Newfoundland means students see unfilled, well-paying jobs in their area that don’t require higher education. Meanwhile, Andrea McAuley of R.H. Cornish Public School, Port Perry, Ont. explained that her school must now prepare students for a workforce they are unfamiliar with.
The newspaper is soliciting comments on what makes a good principal. We want to know your thoughts on the matter. What qualities do you see in great principals? How have they made a difference in your life?
First Nations to get more control over education
Under the retooled First Nations control of First Nations education act, to be tabled in the coming months, First Nations would have “control of their education system and enables the incorporation of language and culture programming in the curriculum,” the CBC reported this month.
Computer science ed in Canada
To mark the occasion of the second annual Canadian Computing Education Day, CanCompEd created a crowd-sourced video project which showed how schools and students across Canada are using computer science to innovative ends.