Great principals make great schools and great schools lead to great communities.Elise Saraceni, principal at St. Jean Brebeuf, has been recognized as one of Canada's Outstanding Principals. Saraceni is one of 30 exceptional principals across Canada to receive the award from The Learning Partnership, a national charity that advances public education.
"Principals are so important to the success of our schools and our students," says Debra Kerby, president and CEO of the Learning Partnership. "They ensure our schools are dynamic, engaging places to learn and that students are inspired every single day. "These 30 principals are all instrumental in connecting students, educators, families and the community together and we recognize their indispensable contributions to helping Canada continue as a global leader in education," she says.
The awards program recognizes principals' unique and vital contributions, while the charity helps to further their leadership skills. Principals are nominated by their colleagues, school staff and community members. Nominations are evaluated and final winners are selected on a representation-by-population basis by a national selection committee of Canadian educators, community leaders and private-sector leaders. "This award is humbling," says Saraceni. "The best leaders know that its' never about them as individuals though. Ultimately, good leadership is about turning to the people you work with daily and sharing that honour."
Saraceni joins the prestigious ranks of the National Academy of Canada's Outstanding Principals, which boasts more than 400 members including other CCSD principals. Throughout 2019, they will act as champions of the program and participate in ongoing discussions about issues in leadership.
Awards winners also received an exclusive executive leadership training program through the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. In the program, they learned leadership and management practices from business, government and education leaders along with Rotman faculty. "I came out of there with my head so full and so inspired," says Saraceni. "I was deeply inspired by the philosophy of leadership that was presented and learning about a culture of growth."
Help us in congratulating our outstanding principal.
