1.0 Rationale
This Governance Policy establishes the governing principles for the process by which the Board will select a candidate for the position of Director of Education.
District School Board Ontario North East is committed to recruiting and employing a Director of Education who is highly qualified and possesses outstanding qualities in leadership.
The Board recognizes the importance of selecting and appointing a highly effective system leader to implement and lead the work of the board. The Board shall seek a Chief Education Officer/ Chief Executive Officer who promotes; success for all students, capacity building of all staff members, open communication, and positive community relationships.
2.0 Definitions
Consultant: refers to a support who may act as a facilitator and advisor to the Board during the process for selection of a Director of Education.
3.0 Policy
3.1 The Ontario Leadership Framework (Appendix A) is a valuable resource for the selection process. The Framework describes in some detail the following practices that are considered essential to effective system leadership: improving core processes such as setting directions and accomplishing goals; creating supporting conditions by networking and aligning the work of the system; supporting professional leaders; supporting Board elected leaders; and building productive relationships. In addition, the Ontario Leadership Framework includes a section on personal leadership resources, providing the best current evidence about leadership competencies and dispositions most likely to influence the effectiveness with which leadership practices are accomplished and enacted.
3.2 The Board has a Governance Policy 1.1.6 that defines the Role of the Director of Education which is relevant for the purposes of the recruitment and selection of a Director of Education. The description defines the role as a commitment to student achievement and well-being. It further defines that the Director must provide education leadership; exhibit fiscal responsibility; demonstrate vision for the system direction in a Strategic Plan and provide collaboration in organizational and personnel management.
The Governance Policy describes a Director who establishes positive working relation-ships with the Board of Trustees, the staff and community. Additionally, the Director is expected to communicate effectively with all stakeholders to promote public education in the district and the province.
3.3 The Board is committed to the establishment of a selection process for the Director’s position which defines the complexity of the workplace and provides practical, multi-criteria assessments of the degree to which the candidates possess the knowledge, skills, and attributes of a successful system leader.
3.4 To this end, the Board will establish a “Succession Planning Committee” of five (5) Trustees (Chair, Vice-Chair, Past Chair, and 2 current Trustees). The Succession Planning Committee will conduct Board business in relation to the Succession Plan as so directed by the Chair of the Board.
The responsibilities of the Chair will be to:
i. Create a timeline for the process of the hiring of a new Director;
ii. Create an RFT to find a consultant;
iii. Set up interviews of consultants to select consultant firm; iv. Begin the creation of a profile for the new Director, in consultation with the whole Board and key stakeholders.
The Chair shall communicate the progress with the Board on a regular basis.
