Bruce Bourget, Director of Education for Rainbow District School Board, is pleased to announce the appointment of long-time Principals Dan Koziar and Leslie Mantle to senior leadership roles. They assumed the responsibilities of Superintendent of Schools effective February 3, 2025.
"Leslie Mantle and Dan Koziar care deeply about student achievement," said Director Bourget. "They bring experience, a strong work ethic, dedication and tremendous enthusiasm to their new roles. We have strong leaders joining our senior team."
Dan Koziar
Dan Koziar will lead the ongoing implementation of the Board's Math Achievement Action Plan. He will also lead literacy from Kindergarten to Grade 6. He will be responsible for the elementary and secondary schools in Sudbury West, Espanola and Manitoulin Island.
"It is an absolute honour for me to work in the field of education where we make a difference for children and young adults each and every day," said Dan Koziar. "It is very rewarding to support administrators, teachers and staff to inspire students to achieve their full potential as they progress through the grades. Our focus remains on continuous growth."
Leslie Mantle will lead French Immersion and French as a Second Language programming from Kindergarten to Grade 12 as well as arts education. She will oversee a family of schools in Sudbury South and Valley North. She will also be responsible for safe schools.
"Rainbow Schools provide welcoming places for students to thrive in English and French Immersion," said Leslie Mantle. "I look forward to working with our talented administrative teams, teachers, support staff, students and families in our shared mission of nurturing confident and caring members of society. When students succeed, we all succeed."
Dan Koziar has been the Board's Principal of Program from Kindergarten to Grade 6 since September 2021, sharing his expertise on a system-wide level. He has been overseeing the delivery of the elementary curriculum with an intense focus on literacy and numeracy which provide the foundation for all learning.
Under his guidance, Rainbow District School Board implemented a number of initiatives to improve learning outcomes, including high yield teaching strategies. Literacy and Numeracy Lighthouse Classrooms were also launched to model best practices in reading, writing and math. With these renewed efforts, Rainbow District School Board experienced an increase in EQAO results in Grades 3 and 6.
Dan Koziar's support for schools extends beyond the classroom. He has contributed to Early Years transitions with childcare partners, 21st Century Learning, French as a Second Language and the Joan Mantle Music Trust. Recognizing the importance of parent engagement for student learning, he has made many presentations to the Parent Involvement Committee, sharing strategies parents can use at home to support classroom learning.
Since joining the Board in 2004, Dan Koziar has taught Kindergarten, Grade 1, music, gym, as well as special education and intensive support programs. He has worked on numerous projects related to special education. He also led the Summer Learning Program which combines reading, writing, math and recreation.
Dan Koziar was promoted to an administrative role in 2015, starting as Vice-Principal of A.B. Ellis Public School and then as Principal of Lansdowne Public School followed by Princess Anne Public School. In all schools where he has worked, he has inspired collaborative learning cultures where students thrive and schools flourish.
A proud graduate of the Science and Technology Education Program (STEP) at Lockerby Composite School, Dan Koziar has a Bachelor of Arts from Laurentian University and a Bachelor of Education from Nipissing University. He recently completed a Master's of Professional Education at the University of Western Ontario.
Leslie Mantle
Leslie Mantle has been Senior Administrator of School Support Services since August 2023. She supports human resources, parent engagement, safe schools, Early Learning programming, Kindergarten, character education, outdoor education, elementary summer school, and suspensions and expulsions. During the current school year, she has also been Principal of the Restart and O'Connor Park programs.
An administrator since 2000, Leslie Mantle was a Vice-Principal at Sudbury Secondary School. She then served as Principal of Sudbury Secondary School, Chelmsford Valley District Composite School and Lively District Secondary School, where she was a science teacher earlier in her career. She also taught in the elementary panel. Leslie Mantle cultivates a culture that fosters opportunities for students and continuous improvement.
A contributor to many Board initiatives over the years, Leslie Mantle has been representing the Mantle Family on the Joan Mantle Music Trust Steering Committee since its inception in 2008. She continues to be a strong advocate for music education and the arts.
Leslie Mantle has also made an immense contribution at the provincial level as an executive member and councillor of the Ontario Principals' Council (OPC). She helped plan OPC conferences. She also participated in an International Principals' Association project.
A respected colleague, Leslie Mantle has served as President and Treasurer of the Rainbow District Principals' Council and Chair of the Rainbow District Secondary School Principals' Association. She was an Instructor for the Principal Qualification Program, preparing teachers for administrative roles. She also served as a Secondary Principal representative on negotiating teams for support staff.
A proud graduate of the Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School French Immersion program, Leslie Mantle has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Laurentian University with a focus on biochemistry. She obtained Bachelor and Master's degrees in Education from Nipissing University. Areas of study included interpersonal relations in administration, supervision of instruction, principles of curriculum and practice, curricular strategies and adults as learners.
