Module 1 – Developing an Understanding of the School Principal Role

• The legal duties of principals as outlined in the Education Act
• The Ontario Leadership Framework: developing an understanding of the 5 domains and how the OLF can be used as a guide for professional growth
• The personal leadership resources and how they impact the role of the principal
• Emotional Intelligence (EI)

Module 2 – Having a Professional/Challenging Conversation

• Different types of conversations
• Cognitive and emotional barriers
• Active trust as an essential part of making change and leading a school
• Recognizing the power of listening throughout the conversation

Module 3 – Exploring your Equity Stance

• The impact of privilege and unconscious bias impact on school, students, staff and communities
• The principal as change agent
• Recognizing biases/privilege and the extent to which these inform our decision-making attitudes and actions
• The moral imperative in creating an equity and inclusive stance

Module 4 – What is Instructional Leadership?

• How leadership and management are intertwined in the role of principal
• The changing nature of school leadership
• The difference between professional learning and professional development

• The role of the principal in creating and maintaining safe and caring schools
• Progressive discipline as a whole-school approach
• Bullying intervention and prevention as integral to a positive school climate
• Restorative circles as a means of working through conflict in schools

• The role of the principal in promoting a culture of excellence and accountability
• Internal, external and holistic accountability
• Types of data: achievement, demographic, perceptual, and program
• Data and the School Effectiveness Framework and the School Improvement Process

• The similarities and differences between the legal duties of a teacher and principal
• The relationship between a principal's legal duties and their daily practice
• Health and safety of students and staff
• Principal duties related to statutes, regulations, PPM's and board policy

Module 8 - Growing Your Personal Leadership Resources (PLR's)

• Social resources, psychological resources, and cognitive resources
• Self-awareness through assessment surveys
• Strategies to build strong PLR's
• Personal action plan & SMART goals

Module 9 - Life-Balance for Aspiring Leaders

• Examine life-balance and it's complexities
• Explore the wellness wheel
• Understand your well-being and link to practice
• Ways to enhance your well-being

• Build understandings of the origins, histories, and historical contributions of Indigenous Peoples.

• Develop awareness and knowledge of treaties and treaty relationships to further our journey towards reconciliation.

• Learn and understand more about the Indian Act and how it has impacted the lives of Indigenous peoples since 1876.

• Understand Indigenous experiences related to forced assimilation and the legacy of residential schools.

• Develop an understanding of the Indigenous protest movement.

• Set goals of reconciliation for ourselves and our school communities.

Module 11 - Leaders Supporting French as a Second Language Programs in Ontario

• Explore the benefits and transferable skills afforded through second language learning
• Understand the similarities and differences between the three French as a Second Language programs in Ontario. 
• Examine the important role of leadership in French as a Second Language teacher support and retention.
• Reflect on how leaders create equitable and optimal conditions for learning for all learners in French as a Second Language programs.

Module 12 - Supporting Student Mental Health

• Explore a shared language of mental health via the School Mental Health of Ontario (SMHO) website and resources
• Understand culturally responsive Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and the Alighned and Integrated Model (AIM) from the SMH-ON website
• Compare and contrast mental health supports/strategies within your school
• Understand the role of schools in supporting student mental health

All program content and Learning Management System access will be available to candidates beginning on the module start date and will remain active two weeks after the end of the program. Following this period, candidates will no longer have access to assignments, conversations, resources or other content related to the program. Please be sure to save any information that you would like to retain during the timeframe that you have access to the LMS as extensions to program access will only be granted under special circumstances, as approved by the Registrar or Director of Professional Learning.

Modules are available online for one week per the schedule below. The expectation is that five hours' worth of work is completed within that week. Program deadlines are firm.

* All times are communicated in EDT or EST. 

All candidates participating in our Additional Qualification Programs must review and comply with our academic integrity and engagement guidelines.

A full refund will be issued if cancelled one week before the course start date. An administrative fee of 50% of the course cost will be charged for late cancellations. There will be no refund for cancellations after the course start date.

As the OPC is required to comply with the cancellation policy specific to each independent interpreter, it will communicate the cancellation policy to the course candidate in writing. A candidate seeking to cancel their participation in an OPC course must comply with the interpreter’s cancellation policy and be respectful of the associated timelines. Candidates will be held responsible for cancellation fees applied as a result of missing timelines for cancellation.

OPC’s standard refund policy will also apply to all cancellations.