Resource Bank

Leading Student Achievement (LSA): Networks for Learning  was a project developed by the provincial principals' associations, l'Association des directions et directions adjointes des écoles franco-ontariennes (ADFO), the Catholic Principals' Council of Ontario (CPCO), and the Ontario Principals' Council (OPC), in partnership with and funded by the Student Achievement Division, Ontario Ministry of Education (EDU). The project began in 2005 and continued until 2019. This resource bank available to Members after loggin in contains videos, documents, and other resources that were developed by and for the LSA Project during the 14 year duration. For more history on the LSA Project and to learn about the evolution of the project, you can see the resources listed under LSA: The Project. The other project resources have been bucketed under big ideas.

LSA: The Project

Included in this section are key resources that have been foundational to the Learning Student Achievement: Networks for Learning project. These resources will shed light on how the priorities, goals, and theory of action guiding the project evolved over the years of the project. These resources provide insight into key research about how leadership practices influence the conditions for learning, the characteristics of effective leadership networks, and the characteristics of strong districts.

Structures for Leadership Learning

Over the years of the LSA: Networks for Learning project, a deep understanding developed about the types of structures that best support leadership learning. Through annual evaluations and surveys, principals identified their Principal Learning Teams as the most impactful form of professional learning behind only their own professional reading. As the project evolved, so did an understanding of bringing effective practice to scale through the linking of Professional Learning Communities through Principals Learning Teams and Principal Learning Teams through Leadership Networks. The resources in this section are organized according to the following four structures:

  • Leadership Networks
  • Innovation Networks
  • Principal Learning Teams
  • Professional Learning Communities

Processes for Leadership Learning

As the Leading Student Achievement: Networks for Learning project evolved, so did the understanding of the types of processes for learning that would be most impactful for leaders while engaged with their learning teams and networks.  A conception of TLCPs (Teaching Learning Critical Pathways) that was introduced early in the project grew into a broader and deeper understanding of the use of learning processes and learning tools that have deep impact with all types of learners – students, teachers, and leaders. The resources into this section are organized into three categories:  Collaborative Inquiry, Learning Conversation Protocols, and Knowledge Building / Knowledge Creation / Knowledge Forum.

  • Collaborative Inquiry
  • Learning Conversations Protocols
  • Knowledge Building/Knowledge Creation and Knowledge Forum

Themes/Topics for Leadership Learning

At the beginning of each year over the duration of the Learning Student Achievement: Networks for Learning project, priorities for learning were identified.  In recent years, facilitators engaged in phone conversations with system leaders and principals, to identify learning needs and then set the themes / topics for the learning sessions.  The resources in this section are organized according to several of the Big Ideas that transcended across multiple learning sessions primarily throughout the last four years of the project and that would seem to still be relevant and of interest to leaders.  These Big Ideas include Collective Efficacy, Instructional Leadership / Learning Leadership, Leadership of Math Learning, High Impact Leadership, Leadership As Influence, Leadership Problems of Practice, Collaborative Professionalism, Equity, Family (Parent) Engagement, Monitoring, School Improvement Planning, Deeper Learning & Coherence (Creativity, Innovation and Design), Well-Being/Mental Health/Mindfulness/Voice, Setting “The Conditions” for Learning, Trust, and LSA Theory of Action.

  • Collective Efficacy
  • Instructional Leadership/Learning Leadership
  • Leadership of Math Learning
  • High Impact Leadership
  • Leadership As Influence
  • Leadership Problems of Practice
  • Collaborative Professionalism
  • Equity
  • Family (Parent Engagement)
  • Monitoring
  • School Improvement Planning
  • Deeper Learning & Coherence
  • Well-Being/Mental Health/Mindfulness/Voice
  • Setting “The Conditions” for Learning
  • Trust
  • LSA Theory of Action