Halton Public School Board selects Curtis Ennis as its first Black Director of Education
July 19, 2021
Reading the job description for Halton District School Board (HDSB) Director of Education, Curtis Ennis felt he was a perfect fit for the role.
“Right at the top of the advertisement, it said they were looking for an inspirational leader who believes school systems should champion supportive and inclusive practices to ensure equitable access for positive opportunities and outcomes for all students, someone who is committed to strengthening safe and caring environments and prepared to enhance learning conditions to boost student achievement,” he said. “I thought that sounded just like me”
Ennis was bang on target.
After 22 years with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), he’s leaving to become the HDSB first Black Director of Education.
Chair Andrea Grebenc said trustees were impressed with the wealth of knowledge Ennis accumulated through senior roles in the province’s education sector.
“He has diverse experiences that will be invaluable in building strong relationships with students, staff, families and community members, as the HDSB continues its journey to fulfilling the goals outlines in the 2020-2024 Multi-Year Strategic Plan, and providing outstanding opportunities for every student.” she pointed out.
The journey ahead excites Ennis who was a Superintendent of Education for a decade and Interim Associate Director with responsibility for Equity, Well-Being & School Improvement.
“The first thing I am going to do is make sure that I listen a lot to anybody that’s there,” he said. “It is going to be critical for me going in as a new person to really spend time with all the students, staff, community, trustees and parents, hearing their concerns and the things they are most proud of and the things they would like to see improved. I am going to be a Director who is visible in the community trying to understand the needs of members.”
One of two TDSB Black Student Achievement Community Advisory Committee Staff Leads, Ennis was instrumental in the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Black Students Achievement.
Ensuring that all students enjoy a level playing field is high on his agenda.
“A lot of the work I have been doing in Toronto is to really pay attention to students who aren’t achieving and have been historically underserved,” Ennis, who supported school administrators to examine bias and barriers, power and privilege and how that impacts the students the TDSB serves, said. “While we might be enjoying great success with most students, it is important that we look at who are not doing well.”
Working in the Education sector wasn’t his first career choice.
Graduating from Ryerson University in 1991 with a Bachelor’s in Business Management, majoring in Accounting & Finance, Ennis was an Auditor at a chartered accounting firm and an Assistant Manager of Operations at the Bank of Nova Scotia.
“I was being offered promotions in the management ranks of the bank and the industry was in a good position,” he said. “Though I was doing well, I felt there was something missing.”
Ennis was turned on to teaching while volunteering in a classroom in the Humber River-Black Creek area.
“I felt something inside of me saying this is where I needed to be,” he noted.
TDSB Principal Lorelei Eccleston acceded to Ennis’ request to volunteer at her school.
“I met Curtis at church and we were involved in youth groups,” said the 1986 Harry Jerome Award recipient. “I had never seen him in an environment with children, so I didn’t know what he was going to bring to the table when he asked to volunteer to work with the Grade One kids. As it soon became evident that he loved working with children, I gave him some additional responsibilities and he started to inquire about what he needed to do to go into teaching. I supported him 100 per cent. He’s such a humble person, yet knows exactly what he wants. I also saw him as a role model, especially for the young Black boys.”
With the support of his wife, Ennis completed his Bachelor of Education degree in 1996 and joined the then North York Board of Education.
“We had two young kids at the time and she was supportive of me following my heart’s desire,” he said. “It was just a moment that clicked for me. I volunteered in a classroom and realized that inspiring young people and helping to shape lives is something that’s very rewarding.”
Starting at Brookhaven Public School, Ennis taught several elementary grades, including kindergarten before being promoted to Vice-Principal at Elia Middle School.
He served as Principal at Indian Road Crescent and Carleton Village public schools before becoming a Superintendent in 2010.
Curtis Ennis (r) with then Africentric Alternative School Principal Luther Brown (second from left), Vice-Principal Lanya Lewis and Parent Council Co-Chair Paul Osbourne at the Africentric school graduation in July 2018 (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Born and raised in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Ennis came to Canada at age 20 to join his father and younger siblings.
The late Clifford Ennis migrated when his son was eight years old.
“When dad was with me in Jamaica and after he came to Canada, he always supported his children,” said Ennis who was the head boy at Brown’s Town High School in St. Ann parish. “He always provided for us in ways that I am very appreciative. When I came to live with him, he told me I am big enough to make decisions and he will be there to support me in whatever I choose to do, whether it’s going to school or working. For me, schooling seemed the way to go and I stuck to that.”
Completing Grade 13 at Weston Collegiate Institute, he started his post-secondary journey at Ryerson in the late 1980s.
If Ennis had the opportunity to dedicate his accolades to an individual, it certainly would be his mother.
Mary (Miss Mary) Clarke passed away two years ago.
“My mother couldn’t read or write, but she believed in education and ensured that I attended school every day,” Ennis said. “She was born in rural Jamaica and, as a child, never had the opportunity to attend school. I often think about her and all the incredible sacrifices she made and hard work she put in.”
Teachers and the church family in Jamaica also played an integral role in his development.
“I remember even those from kindergarten like Ms. March who was my first teacher,” he said. “She was very caring and loving. All my teachers were an incredible support to me. Ms. Johnson in Grade Six was so focused on learning that her students had no choice but to learn. She was very strict and she made sure you were going to do well. I am grateful to all of them. The folks in my church were always there for me.”
Married for 29 years, Ennis and his wife – Beverley -- have four daughters, ranging in age from 20 to 28.
“They have fully supported me along this journey,” said the former Ministry of Education Regional Manager for Toronto and surrounding areas.
Ennis assumes the new role on August 1 at a Board, a few of whose schools have been accused of anti-Black racism.
Last month, two Black female students in Oakville spoke about the four years of racism they encountered at White Oaks Secondary School and demanded accountability.
In October 2020, the Board acknowledged it received dozens of complaints from high school students about systemic racism they have been subjected to at Oakville Trafalgar.
The HDSB serves more than 65,000 students in 88 elementary and 15 secondary schools.
