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Board Policy #572.0 Leadership Development

Document Integration Project Format

1. Policy Statement

The York Region District School Board believes that leadership development is foundational to achieving its strategic objectives in support of the Board’s Mission, Vision, and Values. The Board is committed to developing leadership capacity by providing equitable and inclusive access and support for staff learning. These learning opportunities are designed to develop and enhance the knowledge, skills and attitudes staff require in their roles to advance student achievement and well- being.

2. Responsibilities

2.1 The Board of Trustees is responsible for:

1. reviewing the Leadership Development policy in accordance with the priorities in the Trustees’ Multi-Year Plan and the approved policy review cycle; and

2. understanding and communicating the Leadership Development policy to members of the community.

2.2 The Director of Education is responsible for:

1. implementing and operationalizing the Leadership Development policy;

2. ensuring that succession planning processes address the current and future staffing needs of the Board; and

3. supporting leadership innovation and creativity that includes partnerships and relationships both within and beyond the York Region District School Board.

2.3 Superintendents are responsible for:

1. encouraging, supporting and fostering opportunities for all staff to develop their leadership practices;

2. providing capacity building opportunities for all staff; and

3. encouraging, supporting and promoting leaders into roles of responsibility.

2.4 Principals, Managers and Supervisors are responsible for:

1. ensuring that all staff have equitable opportunity to access required and self-directed learning and training opportunities;

2. including succession and capacity building in school/department improvement planning; and

3. using self-assessment tools and annual learning plans as part of a growth-oriented mindset

4. encouraging, supporting and promoting leaders into roles of responsibility.

2.5 All Staff are responsible for:

1. maintaining the learning necessary for their specific role; and

2. ensuring that they have the required learning and training for roles to which they aspire.

2.6 Leadership Development Services is responsible for:

1. providing equitable opportunity to access required and self-directed learning and training opportunities for all employees;

2. working collaboratively with system partners to develop and support succession planning strategies and processes; and

3. developing leadership capacity within the York Region District School Board through meaningful learning and training opportunities that are;

   • focused on cultivating excellence, innovation and creativity,

   • aligned with the Board’s planning processes,

   • inclusive and equitable,

   • supportive of collaboration with internal and external partners,

   • inspiring and forward thinking,

   • enhanced through digital literacy,

   • informed by research, and

   • responsive to the changing local and global community.

3. Definitions

3.1 Leadership

Leadership is defined as the exercise of influence on organizational members and other stakeholders toward the identification and achievement of the organization’s vision and goals. This influence may have many sources, such as but not limited to administrators, parents, teachers, and is typically reciprocal rather than unidirectional, and is exercised through relationships between and among individuals, groups, and the settings in which they find themselves. Leadership, defined in this way, is “successful” to the extent that it makes significant, positive, and ethically defensible contributions to progress in achieving the organization’s vision and goals. (Ontario Leadership Framework, 2012)

3.2 Required Learning

Required learning refers to learning and/or training as identified by the Board or through legislation.

3.3 Self-Directed Learning

Self-directed learning refers to learning and training opportunities in which an individual elects to engage to support their own leadership development and growth.

4. Department

Leadership Development

5. Policy History

Approved 2007

Working Document April 2012

Approved March 2014

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Board Procedure 572.0 Leadership Development

1. Procedure Statement

This procedure outlines the specific roles and responsibilities of all staff in ensuring that they have the learning and training appropriate for their current roles and the roles to which they aspire. It also outlines the specific roles and responsibilities of system leaders in supporting and fostering the leadership growth and development of each employee.

2. Definitions

2.1 Cognitive Coaching

Cognitive coaching is a set of strategies, a way of thinking and a way of working that invites self and others to share and reshape their thinking and problem solving capacity. Coaching builds leaders who are reflective practitioners and who articulate themselves both in their local context and as part of a collaborative organizational culture.

2.2 Formal and Informal Leadership

Leadership can be demonstrated both formally and informally by individuals in the organization. Formal leadership refers to the process of leadership initiated by individuals who hold formal positions of responsibility whereas informal leadership refers to the process of leadership initiated by staff through their existing roles.

2.3 Mentoring

The day-to-day support and guidance for staff.

3. Responsibilities

3.1 The Director of Education shall:

1. allocate staff and resources that support learning and training in accordance with the Board’s planning processes and the Leadership Development policy and procedure; and

2. sponsor initiatives and research driven approaches that support the Board’s planning processes and inform the Board’s Leadership Development Strategy.

3.2 Superintendents shall:

1. identify, foster and nurture the role that formal and informal leaders play within schools and departments;

2. provide ongoing feedback and support to leaders, as required;

3. annually review and support the required learning and training that school, department and system leaders must complete as part of their annual leadership/learning plan; and

4. ensure that staff for whom they are responsible, complete the required learning and training as identified in their annual leadership/learning plan.

3.3 Principals, Managers and Supervisors shall:

1. identify, foster and nurture the role that formal and informal leaders play within their schools and departments;

2. provide access to information about required and self-directed learning and training opportunities through a variety of sources, including but not limited to the Board’s Learning Management System;

3. ensure that staff for which they are responsible, complete the required learning and training as identified in their annual leadership/learning plan;

4. encourage and support staff to participate in self-directed learning and training opportunities;

5. utilize mentoring and coaching strategies to support the leadership growth and development of staff, as necessary; and

6. provide ongoing feedback, both informally and through the cyclical performance appraisal process.

3.4 All Staff shall:

1. access information about required and self directed learning and training opportunities through the Board’s Learning Management System;

2. develop their annual leadership development/learning plan in consultation with their supervisor as required;

3. complete the required learning and training as identified in their annual leadership/learning plan; and

4. review and reflect on an annual basis their leadership development/learning plan as required.

3.5 Leadership Development Services shall:

1. work collaboratively with school, department and system partners to ensure all employee groups have equitable opportunity to access learning and training required for their current and roles to which they aspire;

2. work with system partners to identify required learning for staff;

3. provide self-directed learning and training opportunities that are aligned with the leadership needs and objectives of the organization;

4. work collaboratively with internal and external partners to monitor continuous improvement processes in the Board; and

5. continue to be informed by research and innovative practices.

4. Department

Leadership Development

5. Policy History

Working Document April 2012

Approved March 2014