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Overview

Our PDC will engage candidates in critical inquiry. Through the co-construction of knowledge and learning, candidates will further explore

  • the ethical dimensions of leadership through the experiences of other candidates
  • complex issues related to creating and sustaining vibrant school and system cultures and
  • enhancing student learning and well–being.

It employs a critical, pedagogical lens to explore various module topics and strengthen professional efficacy by

  • gaining in-depth knowledge
  • refining professional judgement and
  • generating new knowledge for practice.

This program consists of a selection of 25-hour modules on a variety of topics. All modules are offered in online delivery unless otherwise noted.

To receive the AQ certification, candidates will need to complete a total of five modules of their choice, inclusive of two compulsory modules. The intent is to ensure a flexible offering with new modules being added on a regular basis. 

Module Information

Module 1 - Principal Legal Duties and Responsibilities

(compulsory module)
  • What are the principal's legal duties and responsibilities?
  • What does it mean to be an “agent of the board?”
  • What does a principal need to know when using social media?
  • What does a principal need to know when investigating the misuse of social media?
  • What are the principal's duties and liabilities in relation to the Child and Family Services Act?

Module 2 - Instructional Leadership for School Improvement
  • Instructional leadership and school management
  • Student-centred learning
  • School culture and its impact on learning and teaching
  • Co-leading the instructional program

Module 3 - Leading an Equitable and Inclusive School
  • Equity, inclusivity, social justice and schools
  • Mindsets and equitable schools
  • Privilege, bias and culturally responsive and relevant leadership
  • Positive school culture and leadership

Module 4 - Mentoring Coaching and School Leadership
  • What Mentor Coaching attributes and/or skills do great leaders exhibit?
  • To what extent can Mentor Coaching skills enable leaders to successfully navigate hard conversations?
  • To what extent can Mentor Coaching skills improve relationships and organizational culture?
  • How can leaders create a culture of Mentor Coaching?

Module 5 - Building a Digital Leadership Portfolio

(compulsory module)
  • Leading a collaborative inquiry
  • Creating a digital leadership portfolio
  • Creating a school and personal blog
  • Creating a school and personal website

Module 6 - Environmental Eco-Justice Leadership
  • Global and local environmental context
  • Environmental leadership and ecojustice resources
  • Environmental ecojustice leadership
  • Creating an environmental ecojustice action plan

Module 7 - Professional and Challenging Conversations
  • Leading change with professional conversations
  • Planning for a challenging conversation
  • Crafting an outcome map
  • Impressive empathy, reframing, non-verbal behaviours and listening

Module 8 - Leading the Kindergarten Program
  • Four frames of the kindergarten program
  • Play-based learning in a culture of inquiry
  • Dealing with uncertainties in pedagogical documentation
  • Principal as co-learner in creating the conditions for learning

Module 9 - Leading the Innovative School
  • Rethinking digital citizenship
  • A shared vision of learning in a digital age
  • Creating a culture of learning
  • Innovative learning spaces

Module 10 - Supporting LGBTQ in Your School
  • Exploring bias and student agency
  • Fostering allies
  • Intersectionality
  • Fostering personal leadership resources

Module 11 - Leading the Special Education Program
  • The law, Special Education and the Individual Education Plan (IEP)
  • Building the staff capacity to meet the needs of all students
  • The complexities of Special Education student aggression
  • Building collaborative partnerships with parents

Module 12 - Supporting Leadership in Mathematics
  • Foundational knowledge in mathematics
  • Effective instructional approaches in effective math classrooms
  • Assessment and evaluation
  • Implications for professional learning and school improvement planning

Module 13 - Leading Well-Being in Your School
  • Creating mentally healthy schools
  • Establishing a common language and understanding
  • A tiered support model for school mental health and well-being
  • Everyday mental health practices

Module 14 - Leading the French Immersion School
  • The evolution of French Immersion in Ontario
  • Effective practices in French Immersion classrooms
  • Inclusion in the French Immersion program
  • French Immersion teacher retention and developing the French Immersion program
Module 15 - Trauma-Informed Schools in an Indigenous Context (Face-to-Face Module)
  • Indigenous Historical and Intergenerational Trauma
  • Re-centering Indigenous Knowledge
  • Trauma-Informed Schools and Demonstrating Cultural Competency
  • Trauma-Informed Relationships; considerations on how to create and maintain meaningful partnerships
Module 16 - Maximizing Your Personal Leadership Resources (PLRs)
  • Toolkit to strengthen your Social, Psychological and Cognitive resources
  • The research behind the importance of our PLR’s
  • Emotional Intelligence (EI) Traits Indicator Survey
  • Role specific knowledge of Effective School and Classroom Practices that have a direct impact of student learning

Module 17 - Optimizing Wellness and Life Balance for School Leaders
  • Recognizing Compassion Fatigue
  • Wellbeing Supports Through Technology
  • Reducing the Impact of Difficult Communication
  • Dealing with Challenges while Maintaining Your Wellbeing

Qualified candidates can apply to Charles Sturt University for inclusion of this AQ as a prior learning credit towards the Master of International Education (School Leadership) or Master of Education degree.

Admission Requirements

  • Ontario College of Teacher's (OCT) Certificate of Qualification and Registration
  • Principal's Qualifications (Part 1 and 2 or equivalent) and
  • Two years of successful experience as a principal or vice-principal, certified by your Supervisory officer.

Course Fee

$200 per module

Please note: The registration fee for this program will be increasing from $200 per module to $210 per module on January 2, 2020.

Upcoming Sessions

All modules are offered online unless otherwise noted.

Dates

Module

Deadline
October 15 - November 17, 2019 Module 12 – Supporting Leadership in Mathematics October 1, 2019
November 18 - December 22, 2019 Module 17 – Optimizing Wellness and Life Balance for School Leaders  November 4, 2019
January 13 - February 16, 2020 Module 13 – Leading Well-Being in Your School December 30, 2019
January 13 - February 16, 2020 Module 7 - Professional and Challenging Conversations December 30, 2019
February 18 - March 29, 2020 Module 1 – Principal Legal Duties and Responsibilities ** February 4, 2020
March 30 - May 3, 2020 Module 9 – Leading the Innovative School  March 16, 2020
March 30 - May 3, 2020 Module 8 – Leading the Kindergarten Program March 16, 2020
May 4 - June 7, 2020 Module 2 – Instructional Leadership for School Improvement April 20, 2020
July 6 - 26, 2020 Module 5 - Building Your Digital Leadership Portfolio ** June 22, 2020
July 27 - August 16, 2020 Module 3 – Leading an Equitable and Inclusive School July 13, 2020
July 27 - August 16, 2020 Module 14 - Leading the French Immersion Program July 13, 2020
August 10 - 31, 2020 Module 10 – Supporting LGBTQ in Your School  July 27, 2020
August 10 - 31, 2020 Module 16 – Maximizing Your Personal Leadership Resources (PLR’s) July 27, 2020

** Completion of modules 1 and 5 are mandatory to receive the AQ certification.

Board Partnerships

Toronto DSB (Blended)

Dates

Module

Deadline
February 6, 2020 - May 1, 2020 Module 8 – Leading the Kindergarten Program January 23, 2020

 

Register

Terms and Conditions

 Refund Policy
  • A full refund is available if you cancel two weeks before the start date, less a $50.00 non-refundable registration fee. 
  • A $100.00 refund is available if you cancel one week before the start date.
  • There is no refund for cancellations after the start date.
  • A full refund applies when a session is cancelled due to low enrollment.
 Interpretation Services
The OPC is committed to accommodating the individual needs of our Members, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. Once a candidate has registered and paid the applicable registration fees for a course, the OPC will contract with an interpretation service of its choosing and will cover the fees and expenses related to interpretation services in accordance with its contract arrangements with the interpreter. The candidate is welcome to provide a list of preferred interpreters for us to consider, but OPC retains the discretion to choose the provider of these services.

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.