Theme: Inclusive and Supportive Instructional Practices 

Poverty profoundly impacts students’ academic success, well-being and long-term opportunities. This workshop explores how societal structures, government policies and class systems influence educational inequities and provides practical strategies for school leaders that create meaningful change for economically disadvantaged students.  

Participants will engage with practical strategies they can implement to create equitable learning environments, foster resilience and advocate for systemic change, while also discussing the real-world challenge of balancing leadership responsibilities with daily demands. 

Mark Flumerfelt, Retired principal, Thames Valley District School Board  

Lifting Voices for Equitable School Improvement 

Theme: System and School Improvement 

In today’s schools, meaningful change begins with understanding the lived experiences of students, staff and families. This is a professional development workshop designed to equip principals with the skills and strategies to conduct effective listening workshops that elevate diverse voices within the school community.  

Participants will learn how to gather qualitative insights, analyze themes and use feedback to inform decision-making that improves student learning, well-being and connection. Through practical frameworks, real-world examples and interactive discussions, principals will leave with actionable tools to foster a culture of trust, inclusion and continuous improvement. This workshop will empower leaders to move beyond surface-level data, ensuring that what truly matters drives meaningful change in their schools. 

Alicia Lewis-Brown, Principal, Durham District School Board 

Dr. Joseph Wrigley, Principal, Durham District School Board 

New realities in education include decreasingjob satisfaction, jobs that are tough and exhausting, staff shortages at an all-time high and staff happiness at an all-time low. This workshop will present principals and vice-principals with some simple staff meeting activities, Professional ActivityDay team-building strategies, staff spirit week outlines and easy ways to bring more staff engagement and fun into the school with the understanding that happier staff create happier classrooms and ultimately happier students.  

This workshop will provide principals and vice-principals with ready-to-implement strategies and activities to increase staff retention, improve communication, build upon teams and make work a place people want to be. 

Megan Egerton, Principal, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board 

This workshop will provide time for leaders to connect with themselves and their own mental health and wellness using a variety of strategies and realistic tools to reflect, learn and take action to balance their work with personal lives. When we can start with ourselves as leaders, it helps us to authentically lead others.  

This workshop will touch on the challenges, roadblocks and sometimes the barriers that arise when trying to lead a mentally well school. 

Michelle Sigmann, Principal, Durham District School Board 

Effective Instructional Leadership Through an Indigenous Lens  

This workshop explores instructional leadership grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. Rooted in relationality, shared responsibility and holistic education, effective leadership extends beyond administration to fostering community, well-being and student success. Participants will examine how Indigenous values—such as interconnectedness, humility and respect—inform leadership practices that inspire meaningful learning environments. 

Drawing from the Indigenous leadership framework, this workshop will highlight the importance of mentorship, storytelling and land-based education in guiding educators and students. Leaders will reflect on their roles as administrators and advocates for culturally responsive learning. Practical strategies will be shared to support Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators in decolonizing leadership models, strengthening relationships and honouring Indigenous pedagogies in schools. 

Join us to explore how instructional leadership, when viewed through an Indigenous lens, nurtures identity, resilience and lifelong learning for all.  

Liv Rondeau, Vice-principal of Indigenous Education, Limestone District School Board

Administrators’ work is always a balancing act, from school board policies, to Ministry mandates, to the well-being of staff and students. Leading change in a school is a true art form that requires balancing multiple leadership frameworks. One of the greatest lessons is leveraging relationships and humble conversations to improve teaching practices. For this workshop, participants will engage in helpful and purposeful dialogue around leveraging one of the greatest pieces of these frameworks, that of relationships. The workshop will include discussions about strategies that centre the power of relationships to move and monitor instructional change. Participants are encouraged to bring their School Improvement and Equity Plans (SIEP) goals to work on refining them for implementation. 

Jonathan So, Vice-principal, Peel District School Board 

Discover the power of Intentional Joy in this dynamic and inspiring workshop designed for school administrators at any stage of their careers. Juggling endless to-do lists and high-stakes responsibilities often leaves little room for joy. This workshop offers a fresh approach, guiding participants to redefine priorities and make joy an integral part of everyday—even the busiest ones. 

Through reflective activities and strategic planning, participants will learn to sort and manage tasks effectively, delegate with confidence and identify moments of forgotten joy. Participants will leave with a personalized plan to weave joy into daily routines, empowered to lead with clarity, calm and renewed energy. 

This workshop is key to better wellness and stronger leadership for principals or vice-principals leading any size school. Rediscover joy and make every day feel a little less overwhelming—because a happier leader is a better leader! 

Kimberlee Johnston, Principal, Peel District School Board  

This session offers a heartfelt exploration of how to care for yourself while leading equity and justice work. Participants will examine the competing tensions school leaders navigate in this critical work and engage in a reflective discussion on aligning self-care with community care. 

The workshop will introduce leadership tools and strategies that support sustainable equity leadership, followed by a collaborative exercise on script-building—an immediately applicable skill for addressing challenging conversations in schools. 

Through rejuvenating dialogue and purposeful reflection, participants will renew their sense of purpose while gaining practical strategies to sustain their leadership. They will leave with actionable tools, including a quick-reference wellness planner designed for personal curation, helping them navigate the school year with greater balance and intention. 

Anjali Bajaj, Vice-principal, TDSB/AHINSA Leadership Collective

Walking Together:  

Truth, Reconciliation and Community 

Theme: Indigenous Learning 

This special presentation is a collaborative effort between an elementary school principal and a member of Garden River First Nation. Together, they will guide participants on a journey of understanding the history of residential schools, the importance of Truth and Reconciliation and how we can all contribute to healing and building stronger relationships with Indigenous communities.  

The presentation aims to foster awareness, empathy and action by blending educational leadership with the lived experiences and perspectives of the Garden River First Nation. It is an opportunity to learn while creating space for authentic dialogue and connection. The workshop is designed to inspire respect, empathy and actionable change within the school and beyond. It reflects one school's commitment to Truth and Reconciliation by building bridges between education and Indigenous communities.  

Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of  

Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and engage in meaningful discussions. 

The presentation will close with tangible steps that students, educators and the community can take to advance reconciliation while bringing depth and authenticity to this important conversation.

Natasha Court, Principal, Algoma District School Board  

Mona Jones, Member of Garden River First Nation