Board Welcomes Stephen Lewis and Avis Glaze
District School Board Ontario North East has invited two humanitarians, Stephen Lewis and Avis Glaze, to address educational issues with teachers, educational assistants, and classroom support workers at the Professional Activity Day on Friday, September 25, 2009.
Why have we chosen to invite these two humanitarians?
At District School Board Ontario North East our mission is to provide a safe, positive and mutually respectful student focused environment which promotes the development of skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for life long learning. Our goal in inviting these humanitarians is to:
- Create a culture of continuous improvement
- Demonstrate commitment to our students' well-being
- Recognize and realize the promise of diversity
- Answer the call from parents to bring out the very best in their children and help them to reach their full potential
- Demonstrate the shared commitment of school administrators, teachers, classroom support workers, to be the best that education has to offer
Our Beliefs and Priorities in Education
At District School Board Ontario North East we believe in all children succeeding and that all children have equitable access to education.
"Inclusive education is central to the achievement of high-quality education for all learners and the development of more inclusive societies. Inclusion is still thought of in some countries as an approach to serving children with disabilities within general educational settings. Internationally, however, it is increasingly seen more broadly as a reform that supports and welcomes diversity amongst all learners." (UNESCO, 2008, p.5)
- All students, parents, and other members of the school community are welcomed and respected;
- Every student is supported and inspired to succeed in a culture of high expectations for learning.
(Ontario's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy, 2009, page 10)
"[Creation of] positive learning environments so that all students can feel engaged in and empowered by what they are learning, supported by the teachers and staff from whom they are learning, and welcome in the environment in which they are learning. Student, teachers, and staff learn and work in an environment that is respectful, supportive, and welcoming to all. (Ontario's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy, 2009, page 12)
Here is the biographical information for both our speakers:
Dr. Stephen Lewis
Stephen Lewis is a Professor in Global Health in the Faculty of Social Sciences at McMaster University. He is Chair of the board of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which is dedicated to turning the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa. He is also the co-director of AIDS-Free World in the United States.
His work with the United Nations has spanned more than two decades. He was the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa from June 2001 until the end of 2006. From 1995 to 1999, Mr. Lewis was Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF at the organization's global headquarters in New York. From 1984 through 1988, Stephen Lewis was Canada's Ambassador to the United Nations.
Mr. Lewis was an elected member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly from 1963 to 1978. In 1970, he became leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party, during which time he became leader of the Official Opposition.
Stephen Lewis is also the author of the best-selling book, Race Against Time. He holds 30 honorary degrees from Canadian universities and is a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest honour for lifetime achievement. He was awarded the Pearson Peace Medal in 2004 by the United Nations Association in Canada; the award celebrates outstanding achievement in the field of international service and understanding. In 2007, the Kingdom of Lesotho (a small mountainous country in Southern Africa) invested Mr. Lewis as Knight Commander of the Most Dignified Order of Moshoeshoe. The order is named for the founder of Lesotho; the knighthood is the country's highest honour.
Education: The World's Greatest Force for Good
For his presentation, Stephen Lewis will explore the ways in which education transforms the lives of children throughout the world, and is perhaps the greatest unacknowledged instrument we have for dramatic social change. A positive, concerted focus on helping students achieve their highest potential is the goal of all educators and a foundation for providing equitable access to opportunities for children in all nations. The ability to read and write, to think critically, to contribute positively to society and to believe in the potential of each human being are all core goals informing the efforts of every teacher in every classroom.
Dr. Avis Glaze
Dr. Avis Glaze is known as an international leader in the field of education. As one of Canada's outstanding educators, she has been recognized for her work in leadership development, student achievement, school and system improvement, character development and equity of outcomes for all students. As Ontario's first Chief Student Achievement Officer and founding CEO of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, she played a pivotal role in improving student achievement in Ontario schools.
It is her strong belief that all children can learn with the proper supports and effective teaching. For her, poverty is not destiny. She is convinced that, as educators, we now know the strategies that are effective in improving student learning. Her primary focus in education is on building capacity to ensure that all students achieve, regardless of background factors or personal circumstances. She has been a tireless advocate for equity of outcomes for all students and for the enhancement of public education. It is her core belief that educators play a fundamental role in sustaining democracy. The professional learning of those who work in schools must be a government priority, as it currently is in Ontario. Her focus is on maximizing the talent of students, teachers and administrators by developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes and dispositions necessary within an informed, literate and caring society. Her major assertion, based on her experience as a leader in Ontario's literacy strategy implementation, is that we can, indeed, improve results without rancour or ranking.
Dr. Glaze completed two Master of Education programs - one in educational administration, a second in guidance and counselling, and a Doctorate in Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. She also has training in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Advanced Facilitation, and the Assessment of Emotional Intelligence. She has taught at all levels of the K-12 education system, in rural and urban areas, in public and catholic schools, and at the elementary, secondary, community college and university levels. She has worked as a classroom teacher, special education teacher, guidance counsellor and secondary school administrator. Avis has been a superintendent of schools in several school districts, an Associate Director of Education with the York Region District School Board and Director of Education of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.
At the university level, Avis has been an Adjunct Professor in counsellor and teacher education in faculties of education in Ontario. She also served as an Education Officer with the Ontario Ministry of Education and as Research Coordinator with the Ontario Women's Directorate of the Ministry of Labour. In 1994, Avis served as a Commissioner on the Ontario Royal Commission on Learning and had the opportunity to influence the direction of education in Ontario through the recommendations of the Commission.
Avis has extensive experience in international education. She was chosen by the Canadian government to assist with educational reform in South Africa. She represented Canada at the UNESCO conference on Inclusive Education in Riga, Latvia. As well, she knows schools across the globe firsthand, having worked with educators in Australia, England, Finland, Singapore, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, the Caribbean and many parts of the United States.
Within her community, she served as Chairperson of the Harry R. Gairey Scholarship Fund, enabling outstanding black students to attend university. She has established the Avis Glaze Scholarships with the Markham African Caribbean Association for post-secondary education. She is also supporting a second scholarship for studies in education at the University of Ottawa. Avis is well known as a results-oriented leader and mentor to many educators. She is responsible for several innovations in education in Ontario. She is a recognized author of many publications and has received honourary doctorates from several Canadian universities. She has won more than thirty awards for outstanding contribution to education, including Educator of the Year, the Distinguished Educator Award, the 2001 YWCA Women of Distinction Award, the Harry Jerome Award and the Order of Ontario, among others.
After serving as Ontario's first Chief Student Achievement Officer and founding CEO of The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, Avis was later appointed as Ontario's Education Commissioner and Senior Adviser to the Minister of Education. Dr. Glaze is currently a Senior Adviser to the Ontario Ministry of Education and Professor in Residence in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa. Her company, Edu-quest International Inc. offers a wide range of services internationally. She continues to do what she does best: motivating and inspiring educators through speaking engagements. She consults with school districts, non profit organizations and businesses to maximize talent and achieve results.