Diverse leadership reflected in top education positions in Ontario
December 7, 2021
Six educators promoted this year to senior leadership positions in Ontario were recently celebrated at a community reception in Markham.
Rashmi Swarup and jeewan chanicka are the Directors of Education in Peel and Waterloo respectively, Camille Logan and Lisa Leoni are the Associate Director of School Improvement & Equity and Superintendent of Education respectively with Peel District School Board (PDSB), Clayton LaTouche is seconded to the Ministry of Education as an Assistant Deputy Minister with responsibility for Student Support & Field Services and Cecil Roach is York Region District School Board’s (YRDSB) Associate Director for Equitable Outcomes & Schools.
Carl James, the Senior Advisor on Equity and Representation in the Office of the Vice President of Equity, People & Culture at York University, hailed the appointments.
“When I go to York University and a number of Boards, I see leaders who don’t look like us and I keep wondering how much experience they have had with people like us to be able to respond,” said the holder of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora in the Faculty of Education at York University. “What we see here is leadership. Not many of us want to go into leadership, but will always argue and want for people to lead them.”
While several Blacks have recently been appointed Directors of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) at universities and other organizations, James said that’s not enough.
“That’s good, but equity isn’t integrated into the work,” he pointed out. “We need Directors of Education and Curriculum Leaders. Yes, we want the Equity person because they are going to keep us in line and probably we spend more time thinking through the whole notion of equity. But, we also need those others in those roles. So it’s encouraging for me to see us in these kinds of positions. We aren’t bringing experience just based on Blackness. We are bringing our Brownness, Whiteness and experience based on our lived experience that is seen through these kinds of lenses. That’s what I want to see. Training doesn’t do it. Conversations do it.”
Donna Cardoza (l) hosted an event to recognize newly promoted educators Camille Logan, Cecil Roach, Lisa Leoni, jeewan chanicka, Rashmi Swarup & Clayton LaTouche (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Nubian Book Club co-founder Donna Cardoza was the event’s principal organizer.
“The individuals we are recognizing are effective leaders because they exhibit exemplary behaviour that’s demonstrated through their ethical leadership,” said the 2011 Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship recipient. “When we look around this room, we recognize and appreciate each of you for your contributions in building and strengthening the community. You have a remarkable opportunity to continue to lead the way and to practice the kind of leadership that will bring about noteworthy change.”
Swarup, who has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Delhi University in India where she was a teacher, Vice-Principal and Principal, spent 13 years with Toronto and YRDSB as a Curriculum Leader, Vice-Principal, Principal and Special Assistant to the Director before being promoted to YRDSB Superintendent where she served seven years.
In March 2019, she was appointed TV Ontario Vice-President of Digital Learning & Education Partnerships.
Last August, Swarup assumed the role of Director of Education with PDSB.
“Equity, well-being, leadership and learning have been inextricably woven into the fabric of my work as an educational leader,” she said. “My lived experiences as a racialized, immigrant, South Asian woman for whom English is a second language, have meant that I have had to navigate structural inequities and this has ignited my desire and commitment to make real change. Leadership for me is about building relationships by listening to all voices and understanding perspectives, and leading with integrity, compassion, transparency and accountability.”
chanicka was a YRDSB Superintendent, Principal and Curriculum Leader for 20 years before joining Waterloo Region District School Board two months ago.
Prior to his association with YRDSB, he split four years working as an Early Childhood Education Assistant and an Adult Literacy tutor and was a Learning Partnership (Canada) Program Counsellor helping young people from underserved communities re-engage in schooling.
Two years ago, he assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer/Superintendent of the Next Generation School in Dubai where he was responsible for leading and developing the blueprint for a global network of schools.
chanicka has consulted with the United Nations University of Peace as part of a team to develop a curriculum framework on Peace Education in the Islamic context and, in 2019, was recognized as one of the 14 TED Ed Innovative Educators from around the world. He delivered his talk at the TED Summit in Scotland later that year.
With a Master’s and PhD. in Philosophy, Logan demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ethical leadership and inclusive design in her 29 years with YRDSB before joining Peel last March.
As a change agent and instructional design expert, she collaborated with Curriculum and Instructional Services staff to co-design and facilitate professional learning opportunities to build awareness and capacity of leaders around Inclusive Design. In collaboration with YRDSB colleagues, she engaged in a research project with external consultants to capture the lived experiences of Black students, staff in schools, workplaces and communities.
Logan wrote YRDSB Board policies and guidelines and, with chanicka, conducted training sessions for Principals and Vice-Principals interested in utilizing inclusive design as a process to support school improvement practices.
Camille Logan (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Before joining the provincial Ministry of Education on secondment on September 29, LaTouche – who began his teaching career in 1994 with TDSB – was with YRDSB for 21 years.
He served as Vice-Principal, Principal, Superintendent of Education and Associate Director of Education for School & Operations and was the Co-Chair of the Anti-Black Racism Steering Committee that co-developed the Board’s ‘Dismantling Anti-Black Racism Strategy’ aimed at eliminating disproportionalities in the educational experiences and outcomes for Black students, staff and their families.
A co-founder of the Alliance of Educators for Black Students, Roach – who is passionate about learning, equity and social justice -- has been with YRDSB for the past 22 years.
He was the recipient of an African Canadian Achievement Award in 2015 for Excellence in Education.
As Principal at Regency Acres Public School, Leoni was recognized with the Town of Aurora 2020 Inclusivity Award.
