RBC President visits Change Your Future Students Tribute Dinner

Spring 2008
Tribute Dinner celebrates 10th anniversary
May 8th marked the tenth anniversary of
The Learning Partnership’s Tribute Dinner
in Toronto, as close to 1,400 leaders
from business, government, education
and the community joined together with
students and teachers to celebrate public
education and honour Dr. John R. Evans,
C.C., O.Ont., Gordon M. Nixon, O.Ont.,
and Dr. Indira V. Samarasekera, O.C.
Dr. Samarasekera was honoured for
her many years of contributions to
education - including her current role
as President and Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Alberta. Dr. Evans was the
youngest president of the University of
Toronto and the first Dean of Medicine
at McMaster University. Mr. Nixon has
devoted considerable time ensuring that
the youth in Canada stay in school and
try to reach their full potential.
(Left to right) - Michael H. McCain, Master of Ceremonies, Dr. John R. Evans, evening’s honouree,
Dr. Indira V. Samarasekera, evening’s honouree, Veronica Lacey, President and CEO, Gordon M.
Nixon, evening’s honouree, Claude Lamoureux, Board Chair at the 10th Annual Tribute Dinner
This year’s Master of Ceremonies was
Maple Leaf Foods President, Michael H.
McCain. Mr. McCain and his family have
been active supporters of Canada’s public
education system and The Learning
Partnership for many years.
The event, held at the Metro Toronto
Convention Centre, has had incredible growth since it was first launched
in 1998, under the auspices of the
Collegium of Work and Learning (which
(Continued on page 4)
RBC President visits Change Your Future Students
Gordon Nixon, President and Chief
Executive Officer of RBC, recently paid
an informal visit to 19 students and
alumni enrolled in TLP’s Change Your
Future (CYF) Program at Jarvis Collegiate
in Toronto.
“This was a great opportunity to see
a terrific TLP program that the RBC
Foundation is supporting, and to
experience firsthand the impact that
programs like this have on students’
futures,” says Mr. Nixon, who spent time
chatting with the students about their
academic goals and future career plans
and answering questions about working
in the financial sector.
Gordon M. Nixon, President and CEO, RBC Financial
Group and a Change Your Future Student
CYF is an innovative educational program
designed to increase the odds of success
in school by providing students from
diverse backgrounds with the necessary
support to stay in school and to plan their
futures. Participating students in grades
9 to 12 are encouraged to overcome
barriers, set goals and build confidence
through the guidance of a CYF Program
Counselor, as well as a leadership camp
and extra-curricular school activities.
“It was a very interesting and positive
visit for the students,” says Christine Bascombe-Gould, CYF Program Counselor
at Jarvis Collegiate. “They got a greater
perspective from Mr. Nixon about how
the working world works and the opportunities available to them in banking.”
(Continued on page 8)
What’s Inside
10th Annual Tribute Dinner 1
Gordon M. Nixon and CYF 1
President’s Column 2
Latest Early Learning Report Unveiled 3
Succession Planning Research 3
Regional Advisory Committees 3
Take Our Kids to Lunch 5
New Program Banners for TLP 5
I3 in Alberta 6
EA Reaches Rural Communities 6
Canada’s Outstanding Principals 7
COP Winners Join National Academy 7
Express Yourself Conference 9
Welcome to Kindergarten Reaches Edmonton and
New Brunswick 9
Annual Tribute Event Photospread 10
Q & A with TLP Chair, Claude Lamoureux 12
Gavin Ezekowitz - A Profile 12
Succeeding Against All Odds 13
Join Leaders in Learning 14
The Learning Partnership is a national
not-for-profit organization dedicated to
championing a strong public education
system in Canada with its partners through
innovative programs, credible research,
executive leadership, policy initiatives and
public engagement of Canadians.
The Learning Partnership Papers is a
publication of The Learning Partnership.
Any ideas?
We would like to hear from you at:
info@thelearningpartnership.ca
www.thelearningpartnership.ca
2 The Learning Partnership Papers
President’s
Column
I can hardly believe that another school
year will soon come to a close – and
what a busy year it has been! The past
year has been a glowing success because
of the efforts of our partners - students,
educators and the larger community.
At The Learning Partnership we are
privileged to be afforded the opportunity
to work with educators from all levels
from Junior Kindergarten through grade
12 as well as colleges and universities
right across the country. We are also
fortunate to partner with families,
business, community leaders, and those
contributors who provide tremendous
support.
Our programs are continuing to grow
and expand. We are continuing to work
with you to ensure that every student of
public education is equipped with both
the ability and opportunity to strive for
personal excellence and to reach their
potential.
In the program’s first year, five years
ago, Welcome to Kindergarten™ served
1,200 families. This past year we served
over 50,000 Canadian families and this
coming school year we expect 75,000
families to participate! Thousands of
students participated in the Inventrion
Convention this past May. The Invention
Convention is the culmination of The
Learning Partnership’s program I3
Investigate! Invent! Innovate!, which is
an integrated science and technology
program for grades 7 and 8 students.
The conventions have seen growth
in Calgary and Toronto and this year
marked the first time involvement by
hundreds of students in Edmonton and
St. John’s.
The Entrepreneurial Adventure (EA)
Program is celebrating its 12th year
with showcases in Calgary, Winnipeg,
Halifax, Ottawa and Toronto and for
the first time, the showcase is being
presented in Fredericton. Thousands of
students across the country have been
working with their teachers and business
volunteers to develop and create new
and exciting ventures.
We are proud of the programs that
continuously engage the minds of our
youth. These students never cease to
amaze me with their ideas and ventures.
They work for months with their
teachers, mentors and peers to develop
concepts that are innovative and, in
many instances, touch on social issues
that our country faces today.
We continue to work with our education
leaders because we know that the
benefits to our youth are tremendous.
In February, we honoured 33 individuals
as Canada’s Outstanding Principals™
(COP) for 2008. They join more than
90 previous COP winners as part of
the ongoing National Academy of
Canada’s Outstanding Principals™, which
encourages and facilitates continuous
learning and information sharing among
our country’s public education leaders.
We hope you enjoy this edition of The
Learning Partnership Papers. It is but
one way we can share the many exciting
things happening in our country with
all of you. I invite you to read about
our initiatives, our programs and our
generous partners.
Yes, it has been a very busy school year!
We look forward to the next few months
as we prepare for the upcoming school
year and we are looking forward to
working with all of you again in the fall.
Wishing you all a great summer.
Sincerely,
Veronica Lacey
President & CEO,
The Learning Partnership
Latest early
learning report
unveiled
The Learning Partnership (TLP) has
recently released School Readiness:
A Marker That Matters. The fourth
installment of TLP’s Progress Report
on the Quality of Public Education is a
16-page publication outlining where
Canada stands with regards to early
learning and school readiness.
“The report sheds light on how we can
enhance early learning opportunities for
children in challenging socio-economic
circumstances, as well as for Canada’s
growing number of immigrant and
Aboriginal children,” explains Ellen
Kachuck-Rosenbluth, TLP Policy and
Research Manager.
Based on a research paper prepared for
TLP’s Early Years Conference, held in
Toronto in early 2007, the report covers
ways to measure the school-readiness
of children ages three to five, providing
a sampling of exemplary early learning
practices from across Canada and
suggestions for action for governments,
educators, communities and parents.
The report concludes with a call to
action for “Canada to take the initiative
on early learning to ensure that all of
our children are ready for school and
their future success.” Six action steps are
recommended:
1. Canada needs a national vision for a
sustainable early learning system.
2. New
investments
are
needed
to improve early learning and care
programs.
3. Early learning programs should be
play-based, focusing on the whole child.
4. Programs and services for young
children should be integrated to avoid
the current patchwork approach.
5. Parents should be involved, informed
and active with respect to their young
children’s development and learning.
“We encourage all Canadians to use this
report as a blueprint for sharing ideas
informally and formally, and ultimately,
to help develop public policy responses
to the challenges we have identified,”
says Veronica Lacey, TLP President and
Chief Executive Officer.
To download and circulate a copy of
this report, please visit the publications
section of our website below:
www.thelearningpartnership.ca
TLP leads innovative
succession planning
research
Succession planning is now being explored in the specific context of the education sector. With rising turnover rates
and a trend towards earlier promotions,
ensuring education leadership positions
are filled with the best candidates has
become a challenge.
The Learning Partnership is currently
conducting research on succession
planning for vice‑principals, principals,
supervisory officers and Directors of
Education in Ontario. The project is being
conducted on behalf of the Institute for
Education Leadership (IEL).
TLP has assembled a four-person research
team to gather data on succession
planning. After gathering and assessing
the available data, the researchers will
provide a report highlighting practices
that promote effective succession
planning, as well as the factors that
encourage – or discourage – people in
taking on education leadership roles.
The report will also include a series of
recommendations to inform Boards of
Education regarding future direction.
Regional Advisory Committees ensure
local success of TLP programs
As its national expansion continues, The Learning Partnership developed the concept
of regional advisory committees to ensure that TLP programs are relevant and useful
to the community.
Today there are seven advisory committees across Canada, made up of local leaders
from business, education, labour, government and non-profit. Ben Hume, President
of the Vancouver Advisory Committee (the first to be set up in 2006), cites the
role of the council as a “huge opportunity for the business community to make a
meaningful contribution to the public education system.”
Advisory Committees strengthen TLP’s presence by focusing locally in each city,
and engaging senior community leaders for their support and buy-in. Sol Kasimer,
National Advisor for TLP says, “When TLP is looking for funding for programs,
potential local sponsors want to know that TLP has roots in the community and that
they are talking to local people.”
6. Canadians need to discuss the options
for the best system to support early
learning.
The Learning Partnership Papers 3
Tribute Dinner
(Continued from page 1)
amalgamated with The Learning
Partnership in January, 2002). Today the
event provides a significant percentage
of TLP’s operating funding, ultimately
supporting the development, delivery
and success of TLP programs across the
country.
The Tribute Dinner’s success is due, in
large part, to the generous contributions
from the corporate sector. This year,
the generosity of 25 companies was
acknowledged throughout the evening.
“The Tribute Dinners have become
the centerpiece of our work,” says
Veronica Lacey, President and CEO of
The Learning Partnership. “They are part
of our outreach to a large community
of leaders who all have a stake in
ensuring excellence in public education
in Canada for the good of our society.
Over the years, these events have been
a wonderful opportunity to honour so
many well known and highly respected
individuals in our community.
“Above all, the Tribute events are a
celebration of public education and
its importance to the future of our
communities, our provinces and our
country.”
This year’s 10th anniversary event was a
particularly special celebration with the
introduction of the Champions of Public
Education Hall of Fame. A number of
previous honourees - Harold Brathwaite,
The Honourable William Davis, Robert
Gordon, Claude Lajeunesse, Peter
Herrndorf, William Hogarth, Eric Newell
and Courtney Pratt - were in attendance.
They were once again recognized for
their dedication to public education in
Canada.
The Tribute events honour outstanding
individuals whose life-long passion,
dedication and hard work have
contributed to continuing to make
the Canadian public education system
strong, effective and recognized the
world over as one of the very best. Since
the event’s inception in 1998, more than
30 outstanding Canadians have been
honoured in cities across the country, as
Champions of Public Education.
The list of past honourees reads as a
“Who’s Who” of some of Canada’s most
influential leaders, ranging from former
Premiers of Ontario, The Honourable
William Davis and The Honourable Bob
Rae, to notable community leaders
such as Hal Jackman, The Honourable
Margaret McCain and Tony Comper.
Notable masters of ceremonies and
keynote presenters (some of whom
have also been honourees) include David
Dodge, Governor, Bank of Canada, The
Honourable Frank McKenna, former
Premier of New Brunswick and Jim
Balsillie, President of RIM.
TLP’s CEO Veronica Lacey was herself
among the first Tribute Dinner honourees
in 1999 (she joined The Learning
Partnership in 2000), recognized for her
work as a commited and compassionate
educator.
“People are always overwhelmed
when they see the quantity and calibre
of the people involved at our Tribute
events,” says Ms. Lacey. “This is a
meeting place of different worlds –
where classroom teachers meet with
Premiers and with captains of industry.”
Andrea Waines, TLP Board member and
one of the Tribute Dinner committee cochairs, adds, “One of the reasons the
event is so popular and well attended is
because it is all about education, with a
focus on the honourees and the young
people that TLP’s programs impact.”
In addition to honouring Champions of
Education, the Tribute events showcase
the programs that The Learning
Partnership and its supporters have
delivered to students and classrooms
across the country. Showcase booths are
staffed by students who have participated
in and have been impacted by TLP
programs such as I3, Entrepreneurial
Adventure and Change Your Future.
A dedicated volunteer committee
contributed enormous time, energy and
talent to creating the Toronto Tribute
Dinner. They helped select the honourees,
develop the program for the evening and
sell sponsorships and tickets.
“We are very grateful for the support
we have received from our Committee
members and extremely proud of
the honourees selected from across
the country for their very substantial
contributions to public education,” says
Mitch Frazer, this year’s event co-chair.
Past Champions of Education honourees (left to right), Veronica Lacey, Courtney Pratt, Eric Newell,
The Honourable William Davis, Harold Brathwaite, Claude Lajeunesse and William Hogarth
4 The Learning Partnership Papers
Following seven years of successive
growth in Toronto, the Tribute events
began their expansion outside of Toronto
in 2006 with the inaugural Western
Canada Tribute Dinner, held February 9th
in Calgary. This was followed by
successful lunch events in Edmonton in
Winter, 2007, in Saint John, in the fall of
2007 and this year’s inaugural lunch in
Halifax. Plans are underway for an event
in Vancouver on March 4, 2009.
Inaugural Take
our Kids to Lunch
event extends TLP’s
flagship program
For 14-year-old Ben Bales, the message
was clear...stay in school, work hard and
get involved in extra curricular activities.
Ben was one of 360 people attending
the first-ever Take Our Kids to Lunch
event on November 7, 2007 at the
Sheraton Centre. The luncheon offered
an opportunity for students participating
in Take Our Kids to Work™ (TOKW) to
attend a Canadian Club luncheon to
hear a panel of speakers discuss their
careers and how they achieved success.
Take Our Kids to Work™ is an annual
program providing grade 9 students
across Canada with the opportunity to
experience a day at a workplace. Lisa
Alsop, TOKW Program Manager explains,
“The lunch event was introduced this
past year as an extension to TOKW, to
round out and enrich the experience
for kids.” Corporations participating in
the TOKW program purchased tables
for The Canadian Club luncheon, and
then either brought in their own grade
9 students or donated the tables to
The Learning Partnership who filled
them with participating students from
elsewhere.
Moderated by City TV Anchor Merella
Fernandez, the panel included Bryan
Colangelo, President and General
Manager for the Toronto Raptors;
Marissa
McTasney,
Founder
and
President of Tomboy Trades; and Disney
Animator Andrew Wolf. The panelists
shared anecdotes rich with high school
trepidations, summer jobs, and university
experiences. The key message for the
kids? “It doesn’t matter if you’re working
in a pizza parlour or a garden centre...
every job and experience you have is an
opportunity to learn,” says Ms Alsop.
TLP unveils new
program banners
The Take Our Kids to Lunch event was
such a resounding success that The
Learning Partnership is now exploring
the possibility of expanding this event
nationally next year. For students like
Ben Bales that’s good news. “I loved it!”
Ben shares. “It was a great experience, I
learned a lot, and I would definitely go
again.”
The Take Our Kids to Lunch event was
presented by The Learning Partnership in
partnership with The Canadian Club of
Toronto, and sponsored by Scotiabank.
Visit www.thelearningpartnership.ca to
view video coverage of the November
7th lunch event.
The Learning Partnership has unveiled a new
series of marketing program banners. These
banners are 2.1 metres tall and will help promote
The Learning Partnership’s many programs at
various events and conferences across the country.
The generic banner (pictured above) will be sent
to events where there is limited display space. This
banner highlights TLP’s Take Our Kids to Work™,
Welcome to Kindergarten™, I3 and Entrepreneurial
Adventure programs.
(Left to right) Bryan Colangelo, Marissa McTasney, Andrew Wolf and Merella Fernandez at the
first Take Our Kids to Lunch event at the Canadian Club of Toronto
Twelve individual banners were developed to
detail specific programs that include the above as
well as TLP’s Leadership Institutes, Turning Points
and Change Your Future. Several of the banners
are available in English and French.
The Learning Partnership Papers 5
I3 shapes young
innovators in
Alberta
Designed to encourage grades 7 and 8
students to enjoy learning about science,
mathematics and technology, The
Learning Partnership’s I3 - Investigate!
Invent! Innovate! program is an activityoriented experience. Students identify
a problem in their own lives and then
invent or innovate a product or process
based on I3 concepts learned in the
classroom. They work closely with their
teachers over a period of four months
to turn their ideas into reality. They
then showcase their inventions to their
community at the Invention Convention
every April.
The program has been a resounding
success in both Calgary and Edmonton
because it is matched to the grade 7 and
8 Alberta science objectives, allowing
participating teachers to easily integrate
the program into the existing school
curriculum. Edmonton launched its I3
program earlier this year while Calgary’s
program has been in place for three
years. Calgary now has 22 teachers from
11 schools participating in I3, with more
than 450 students showcasing their
ideas at the Invention Convention at
Calgary City Hall.
Marni Brown, grade 7 teacher at Robert
Warren Junior High School in Calgary
explains, “I3 is a fantastic program in
that it cultivates entrepreneurship.
Students are encouraged to use critical
thinking skills, research, surveying, math
skills, and presentation and writing skills
to achieve their desired goal – it’s an allaround beneficial experience.”
I3’s popularity in Alberta is increasing
now that interest from teachers who are
hearing about the program are signing
up to participate. Gordon Cumming,
TLP program manager for I3 in Calgary,
is thrilled about the program’s success,
adding, “We’re working to expand I3
to meet the increasing interest, while
maintaining the program’s excellent
quality.”
6 The Learning Partnership Papers
Program continues to ignite
“entrepreneurial flame” in regional
communities
A new spin on a pioneer TLP program
is allowing children in rural and remote
communities the opportunity to tap into
their entrepreneurial spirit.
Building on the success of its
Entrepreneurial Adventure (EA) program,
The Learning Partnership launched the
Regional Entrepreneurial Adventure
Program in October 2007 with a pilot
in North Bay, Ontario, and has plans
to expand to other Ontario rural and
remote communities in 2008.
“They are absolutely ingenious at
discovering how smart they are! It’s
this discovery that empowers them
and builds self-confident students
that believe they can do what they
set out to do.”
- Lorraine Chambers,
Program Manager
EA has been providing K-12 students with
hands-on entrepreneurial experience
since 1995. The students brainstorm an
idea and, with the help and support of
their teachers and volunteers from the
business community, design, launch,
and operate their own entrepreneurial
venture. The Regional EA Program
has been designed as a self-directed
initiative specifically for remote and rural
communities that are not located near a
city centre with a centrally managed EA
program. These communities often see kids leaving
to go to schools in bigger cities and not
returning, leaving an economic and skill
gap in the local business community. The Regional EA Program cultivates and
encourages the entrepreneurial skills
these kids need to stay and thrive in
their own communities. In the regional,
self-directed format, although the TLP
program manager is not able to be onsite
to facilitate a face-to-face orientation
workshop for teachers and corporate
volunteers, participants still have access
to all available EA materials and online
resources, as well as TLP support by
phone.
North Bay Mayor Vic Fideli was so excited
about the possibilities for his community
that he decided to send letters to his
northern community counterparts to
encourage them to participate. As a
former successful entrepreneur himself,
Mayor Fideli understands the need to
ignite and develop the entrepreneurial
flame that’s just waiting to be discovered
within these kids. “I want to do everything I can to support
entrepreneurial work in my community,”
Mayor Fideli explains. “The EA program
provides a powerful, real-life opportunity
to be entrepreneurial. These kids get to
think creatively, explore possibilities,
experiment, communicate, collaborate
and, in the process, develop skills and
attitudes that are essential for success!”
The emphasis is not on making money –
it’s more about what the kids can do to
make a difference in their communities. Lorraine Chambers, EA Program
Manager at TLP, explains, “We show the
kids the way and then we get out of the
way. They are absolutely ingenious at
discovering how smart they are! It’s this
discovery that empowers them and builds
self-confident students that believe they
can do what they set out to do.”
Launched in partnership with the Ministry
of Small Business and Entrepreneurship,
the Regional EA Program will eventually
be expanded across Canada. To learn more about Entrepreneurial
Adventure, visit the program section at
www.thelearningpartnership.ca
Canada’s Outstanding Principals
COP Winners join
Honoured for Innovation, Leadership and National Academy
Partnerships
Close to 40 previous COP winners
For Mohammed (Moh) Odeen, making
connections with kids is one of the most
important keys to developing successful
children – and a successful school.
As principal of Deninu School in Fort
Resolution, North West Territories,
Mr. Odeen had a profound impact
on the school by forging “authentic
relationships” between students from
different grade levels, between students
and their teachers, and between students
and community elders.
On February 26, Mr. Odeen was
one of 33 principals honoured for
their
accomplishments as Canada’s
Outstanding Principals™ (COP) for 2008.
our love, commitment and dedication
for what we do.”
Since being launched, more than 120
exceptional leaders from across the
country have been selected as Canada’s
Outstanding Principals. This year’s COP
winners have now joined their colleagues
in the National Academy of Canada’s
Outstanding Principals.
Canada’s Outstanding Principals 2008
was made possible through the generous
support of CIBC, Deloitte &Touche LLP,
Petro-Canada, the Governments of
Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia,
and Prince Edward Island, Delta Hotels
and Multi-Health Systems Inc.
In addition to the Gala Celebration
in Toronto, attended by more than
300 people, 2008 honourees had the
opportunity to learn from each other and
continue their own educational journey
at the five-day Executive Leadership
Training Program, held at the prestigious
University of Toronto’s Rotman School of
Management.
“I was astounded by the quality of the
speakers, and by the respect we were
shown throughout this experience,” says
Leslie Moody, principal of Queen Victoria
School in Toronto and a 2008 honouree.
“What really struck me about my fellow
COP winners was the overwhelming
similarity in our challenges, and also in
The Honourable Peter Bjornson, Minister of
Education for the Province of Manitoba addresses
the audience at the COP Gala in February
Canada’s Outstanding Principals™ of 2008
from as far away as B.C., Nunavut and
Newfoundland and Labrador attended
this year’s National Academy of Canada’s
Outstanding
Principals
Executive
Leadership Training Program, held on
February 23 to 26 in Toronto and hosted
by The Learning Partnership.
Running parallel to the 2008 COP
Executive Leadership Training Program,
the Academy offers participants the
opportunity to attend an interactive
course at the Rotman School of
Management, as well as visit area
schools and meet inductees at the 2008
COP Gala Celebration.
Some of the training program highlights
included presentations on the Change
Management Model from Dr. Ben Levin,
Professor and Canada Research Chair in
Educational Leadership and Policy, OISE,
University of Toronto; The Opposable
Mind, from Roger Martin, author and
Dean, Rotman School of Management;
An Organized Approach to Leadership
from Jim Fisher, Vice Dean MBA Programs
& Executive Education at Rotman; The
Importance of Canada’s Public School
System, from Gerald T. McCaughey,
President & CEO, CIBC; Leadership
Imperatives for Outstanding Principals,
from Dr. Avis E. Glaze, Chief Student
Achievement Officer of Ontario and
Nurturing Talent in Your Organization,
from Alan MacGibbon, Managing
Partner & Chief Executive, Deloitte &
Touche LLP.
Veronica Lacey (left), President & CEO of The
Learning Partnership with The Honourable
Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Education for the
Province of Ontario at the COP Gala
The Learning Partnership Papers 7
CYF Students
(Continued from page 1)
Two graduates from the CYF program at
Jarvis Collegiate, who are now attending
the University of Toronto, joined the
current CYF students to share their own
stories, attributing much of their success
to the benefits of the program. Says Mr.
Nixon, “The connection they had with
Christine was very obvious. You could
see how much they appreciated her
mentorship, which highlights the value
of the program.”
“I was impressed by how much the
students had already thought about what
they wanted to do post high school,”
says Mr. Nixon, citing varied interests
from acting to specialty medicine.
“I have no doubt that these students –
and so many others out there who need
extra support to achieve their potential –
can benefit from Change Your Future,”
adds Mr. Nixon. “Because RBC places
great importance on helping to ensure
Canada’s prosperity and success, we
have been a significant supporter of
education and development over many
years. We are proud to support programs
like Change Your Future.”
More than 480 students from across
the GTA are enrolled in CYF during
the 2007/08 school year. Change Your
Future is currently funded by the Ministry
of Education and RBC Foundation.
Change Your Future counsellor, Paul Gill presents
a successful CYF student with an award at the
annual luncheon in May.
Gordon M. Nixon and Veronica Lacey spent a morning
visiting with Jarvis Collegiate students this past May. Mr. Nixon
(recently honoured by The Learning Partnership as a Champion
of Public Education) is actively involved with TLP’s Change
Your Future program .
8 The Learning Partnership Papers
Express Yourself Conference shows how to develop the traits
of solid character
The Express Yourself Conference, a
component of The Learning Partnership’s
Turning Points program, was held on
Thursday, February 21, 2008 in Toronto
to provide more than 300 students in
grades 6 to 12 with the opportunity to
explore, examine, and articulate the core
values and beliefs that influence choices
and how they live their lives.
The
morning’s
keynote
speaker,
Esther Colwill, internationally renowned
mountain-climber, shared how her own
personal experience helped her achieve
success. Students then participated in
a variety of exercises and activities with
their peers and teachers that helped them
reflect on and develop the important
messages delivered by the speaker.
Running for over nine years, Turning
Points is a character building and
literacy program that provides learning
opportunities to assist students in
meeting the Literacy Outcomes of
the Ontario Curriculum. Students are
encouraged to “read, write and think” by
Welcome to
Kindergarten™
supports young
learners in
Edmonton and New
Brunswick
The Learning Partnership’s Welcome to
Kindergarten™ program (WTK™) meets
a critical need in many communities,
according to Patricia Semeniuk, TLP’s
WTK program manager in Edmonton.
By providing teacher-supported activities
and a resource kit with items like
magnetic letters and numbers, story
books, and play dough, the WTK
program encourages children and their
parents to practise literacy and numeracy
skills that will prepare them for school
success and lifelong learning. The
program is currently offered in British
focusing on self-reflection and discussion
with teachers and peers about their core
values and a time in their lives when they
recognized these values.
“This process of personal values
development engages students in the
kind of self-examination that is essential
for confident decision making and
developing solid charater,” explains
Marni Angus, Turning Points Program
Manager.
The final goal for the Turning Points
students is to prepare and submit an
authentic personal essay that outlines
their understanding of their personal
definition of success, their core values,
and the relationship between the two.
Students are encouraged to submit their
essays for a formal process of evaluation,
recognition and publication. The 36 essay
winners were announced at an awards
celebration in May 2008, and more than
$5,000 in prize money was awarded.
Conference was an enriching and
inspiring experience. “I realized what
was really important to me and how it
will make a difference in my life,” says
Katherine.
Diana describes the experience as
“expanding my horizons and seeing the
big picture.”
She adds, “I’m learning not to be afraid
to think differently, and that it’s good to
share my thoughts and ideas. I think this
will really help my future!”
For 16-year-olds Katherine Pham
and Diana Vo, the Express Yourself
Students and teachers from St. David’s Catholic
School in Vaughan attend TLP’s Express Yourself
Conference
Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario,
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince
Edward Island.
through raising awareness of the WTK
program, as well as building more
community partnerships.
In Edmonton, the WTK program has
been particularly beneficial and wellreceived by immigrant and aboriginal
communities. The program is taught
in the families’ native language and
resource materials are often tailored to
support cultural values. The program has
doubled in size to 600 families in just
one year.
That’s good news for the families
that live in these communities. As one
Edmonton mom commented, “This
program is terrific! I wish it had been
available when my older children started
Kindergarten.”
New Brunswick is now in its third year
of WTK, delivering the program in both
English and French. All francophone
school districts participate in the
program, as well as seven anglophone
districts, providing support to more than
5,000 families in New Brunswick.
Feedback has all been positive in both
Edmonton and New Brunswick, and the
goal is to expand the program in these
two regions. Plans include increasing
family and school-district participation
The Learning Partnership Papers 9
Champions of Education Toronto
Tribute Dinner
- May 2008
Gerri Gershon
Gordon M. Nixon, Past Honouree Peter Herndorff and
Dr. Indira Samarasekera
Dr. Avis Glaze
Michael McCain
Eric Newell
Kathleen Taylor
Michael McCain & Claude Lemoureux
Veronica Lacey & O.P.P. Honour Guard
Harry Elliott & Peter McInenly
Dr. Indira Samarasekera
The Honourable Roy McMurtry
Michael McCain, Andrea Waines, Mitch Frazer & Veronica Lacey
Gordon M. Nixon
Dr. John Evans
Student Volunteers at the
Toronto Tribute Dinner
Students from Unionville Jazz Band
Student singers from Rosethorn Middle School
Student Volunteers from Dr. Norman Bethune High School
Champions of Education Halifax
Tribute Luncheon
- March 2008
The Honourable John Manley
Doug Hall, Chalmers Doane
Doug Hall, The Honourable John Manley & Veronica Lacey
The Honourable Myra Freedman
Chalmers Doane
The Honourable Jamie Muir
Veronica Lacey
A Conversation with…Claude Lamoureux
Claude Lamoureux was appointed Board
Chair of The Learning Partnership in late
2007. Mr. Lamoureux, who was the President
and CEO of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension
Plan from 1990 until his retirement in 2007,
spoke recently with TLP about his interest in
public education, his new role as Board Chair
and his thoughts about the future of The
Learning Partnership.
How did
with TLP?
you
become
involved
This is my first time serving on the Board
of The Learning Partnership, but I am
not new to the organization. Prior to my
appointment as Chair, I served on the
Corporate Advisory Board for four years.
This is a group of corporate leaders who
provide an important linkage between
TLP and the business community, helping
to support TLP’s work.
You have been involved and interested in
public education for a long time.
Being with the Ontario Teachers’ Pension
Plan, I was involved in the sense that I
ran the pension fund, but I didn’t deal
with education issues. After retiring from
the OTPP, it was good timing for me to
get involved in education issues, and
working with TLP is a way to give back to
the education community. Quite simply,
without a good education system, it’s
tough to have a successful economy.
How are you approaching your new role
as TLP’s Board Chair?
My experience is not in education
issues but what I do know is how to
run a business. I look at my role from a
governance point of view. First, I want
to ensure there is good management in
place. Having the right CEO is important,
and we are very lucky to have Veronica
Lacey, who is so dynamic and has been
so involved in educational issues for
many years.
Next, I look at the strategic plan. Where
are we going? I am new and not the
type to come in and try to revolutionize
everything. At this stage, I am doing a lot
of listening. I will be looking to use our
strengths, while being mindful of our
limited resources, to make sure we will
have the maximum impact. There is so
much good to be done, but we will have
to pick and choose – this is a management
decision like in any business.
What aspect of The Learning Partnership
impresses you the most?
The organization is very dynamic.
There are great people and a lot of
very successful programs. I believe it
is important to have an organization
like TLP contributing to society. We
are coming at it from a different angle
than the Ministries of Education but
are working in cooperation with what
they are doing. I think a lot of people
welcome our input.
What do you see as the strengths and
weaknesses of public education?
The key strength is that it is accessible
to everyone. We tend to focus on the
weaknesses, but for me, public education
has served our country very well. But
there is always room for improvement
in this very competitive world. The more
we can do to improve education, the
better. This is what TLP is working to
do with programs such as Welcome to
Kindergarten™, which prepares children
for a lifelong adventure in learning.
The message is that continuous learning
should be part of our life. We are not
done when we finish school – we are
never finished learning.
New Board Member Profile – Gavin Ezekowitz
In the fall of 2007, The Learning
Partnership welcomed Gavin Ezekowitz,
Managing Director, RBC Capital Markets,
to its Board of Directors.
As Managing Director and Head of
Canadian Equity Sales and Coverage
Trading in North America, Gavin has
responsibility for management of the
relationship between RBC Capital Markets
and the institutional investor community
in North America. Based in Toronto, he has worked in his
current role since 2003.
“I am delighted to be involved with The Learning Partnership,”
says Gavin. “As someone in the financial sector, I see the work
of TLP as important to what we do in our business and to what
we do in the community. I believe that public education is an
essential building block of our society and that it’s important
for all Canadians to be engaged, regardless of whether they
are currently accessing the system.”
12 The Learning Partnership Papers
RBC has been a major corporate supporter of The Learning
Partnership since its inception, and Gavin is excited to extend
this commitment by playing an active role on the Board.
“One of the core agenda items is ensuring the work of TLP
is broadly funded across the community, including through
individuals,” he says.
Gavin has been an individual donor to The Learning
Partnership’s Leaders in Learning annual fund, and personally
bought a table at this year’s Tribute Dinner in Toronto, passing
along the tickets to teachers involved in TLP’s Change Your
Future program, which RBC has supported.
Gavin is already thinking long term about the Board’s role in
ensuring The Learning Partnership’s success: “We need to look
ahead five years and ask the question, ‘What do we want to
achieve and how we can we achieve those goals?’ Hopefully I
can make a contribution in that regard.”
Board of Directors
Claude Lamoureux, Chair
Past President & CEO
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Gerry Connelly
Director of Education
The Toronto District School Board
Michael Coté
Vice President
Corporate and Regulatory Affairs
Purolator Courier Limited
Deb Craven
Chief Financial Officer
Nike
Gavin Ezekowitz
Managing Partner
RBC
Dr. George Fleischmann
Managing Partner
TNET Management Consultants Inc.
Dr. Robert Gordon
Past President
Humber College
Doug Hall
Corporate Director
Kevin Kobus
Director of Education
Toronto Catholic District School Board
Veronica Lacey
President & CEO
The Learning Partnership
Susan LaRosa
Director of Education
York Catholic District School Board
Alan MacGibbon
Managing Director and Chief Executive
Deloitte LLP
Carolyn Murphy
Martha Tory
Partner
Ernst & Young LLP
Andrea Waines
Partner
Heidrick & Struggles Canada Inc.
Corporate Advisory
Board
Gerald T. McCaughey, Chair
President & CEO
CIBC
Pierre-Marc Johnson
Senior Counsel
Heenan Blaikie
Claude Lamoureux
Past President & CEO
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
The Honourable Margaret N. McCain
Researcher & Former Lieutenant Governor of NB
The Margaret and Wallace McCain
Family Foundation
Eric P. Newell, O.C., A.O.E.
Chancellor
University of Alberta
Dr. James Nininger
Senior Visiting Fellow
Canadian School of Public Service
Gerry Pond
Chairman
Mariner Partners Ltd.
Greta Raymond
VP HR & Environment, Health & Safety
Petro-Canada
Dr. Bernard Shapiro
Consultant
Principal & Vice-Chancellor
McGill University
Lynn Palmer
Carol Stephenson
Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Council of Human Resources
Associations
Courtney Pratt
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Toronto Region Research Alliance
Connie Roveto
President
Cirenity Management
Antony Stanislaus
Chairman
CMR TV
Dean
Richard Ivey School of Business
Dr. Robert Westbury
Chair, TELUS Community Board
TELUS
Dave Williams
Chairman
Shoppers Drug Mart
National discussions
highlight how
children can succeed
against all odds
Two years ago, The Learning Partnership
hosted the successful National Dialogue
on Students at Risk, bringing together
more than 150 Canadian leaders
in education, social services, health
and justice, business, labour and the
community to identify strategies for
helping youth at risk complete high
school.
Building on the success of this forum and
subsequent policy work on at-risk youth,
The Learning Partnership is now initiating
a series of discussions across the country
on a related topic – resilience.
“Resilience is the flip-side of talking
about risk,” explains Helle Tosine, TLP
National Director, Strategic Planning
and Partnerships. “When we talk about
resilience, we are asking the question,
‘How can kids, against all odds, make it
and be successful?’”
TLP in collaboration with the Canadian
Council on Learning, is working with
nine provinces and territories, hosting
roundtables on resilience. The regional
roundtables engage representatives
from mental health, community services,
government and municipalities – as
well as parents and family members –
to discuss and better understand the
concepts of resilience in youth.
Before attending regional roundtables,
participants are asked to review two
academic papers on resilience prepared for The Learning Partnership
and to think about their responses to
specific questions on resilience. The
goal is to help identify existing policies, programs and interventions that
help individual children beat the odds
of becoming “youth at risk” and those
at the systemic level that help change
those odds.
The Learning Partnership will compile
written summaries from the nine
roundtables as preparation for a first
ever, national dialogue on resilience
in youth – at a conference slated for
Novermber, 2008 in Winnipeg.
The Learning Partnership Papers 13
Join Leaders in Learning to
support public education
Members of Leaders in Learning are committed to ensuring
TLP programs reach as many children in as many schools in
Canada as possible.
The Learning Partnership is the only nonprofit organization in
Canada dedicated to bringing together business, education,
government, labour, policy makers and the community to
develop partnerships that strengthen public education in
Canada. As the vital link between these stakeholders in
education, TLP is creating positive outcomes for students,
for public education and ultimately, for the prosperity of our
country.
TLP creates, implements and sustains programs in the public
education system that truly make a difference in the lives of
students. We do this through innovative programs like Change
Your Future, which encourages students to stay in school; or our
flagship Take Our Kids to Work™ program, which helps prepare
students for the learning transition from the classroom to the
work place. Other programs provide innovative opportunities
for students to enhance literacy and conceptual thinking,
promote careers in science and technology and opportunities
integrate arts into the curriculum.
As we continue to grow, we need to build on our
accomplishments and ensure that we can deliver on a national
mandate to improve the public education experience for all
Canadian students. There are still many schools with children
across Canada on a waiting list for TLP’s innovative and vital
programs, and many Canadian cities where TLP’s programs are
not yet available.
That’s why we hope you will consider a gift today to Leaders
in Learning, our annual giving society launched in 2006.
In addition to our programming, we engage in thoughtprovoking policy discussions and research initiatives that
inform and shape the future direction - not only of TLP’s own
programs, but of public education across the country.
Your gift of $25 helps one child enhance his or her reading
and social readiness for kindergarten. Your gift of $50 enriches
the science, math and technology learning of students in the
classroom. Your gift of $100 provides a young student at risk
of dropping out of high school with a month of sessions with
one of our counselors, right in their school.
Please join Leaders in Learning today. Your gift will make a
positive difference in the lives of children and youth attending
public school across Canada.
You can learn more about the giving levels and benefits of
the Leaders in Learning program by visiting the TLP website at
www.thelearningpartnership.ca, or by contacting Claudia Ria,
Senior Development Manager directly at 416.440.5105 or via
email at cria@thelearningpartnership.ca.
Yes, I want to help The Learning Partnership expand programs
like Welcome to Kindergarten to children across Canada!
Friends in Learning:
( ) $25
( ) $50
( ) $75
Name:__________________________________________
( ) $100 ( ) $150 ( ) $200
Address: ________________________________________
( ) $500 ( ) $750 ( ) $900
City: ___________________________________________
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Partners in Learning:
Phone: _________________________________________
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Email: __________________________________________
( ) I prefer to make a gift of $_________
I’ve enclosed my cheque payable to: The Learning Partnership
OR
Please charge my gift to my
Card Number: ________________________________________________ Expiry: ______/ ______ Signature: _________________________
Please mail this form, with your choice of giving. The Learning Partnership does not trade our donor mailing list. To encourage
giving, we list our donor names in our Annual Report and on the Leaders in Learning web page. If you do not want your name
included on honour roll listing, please check here .
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14 The Learning Partnership Papers