Since my last DG report in mid-September, I have been very busy with the usual activities that take place during the fall. Some of our schools and centres hold their graduation ceremonies in the autumn, and I was honoured to recently bring greetings to the 2024 graduating class at Macdonald High School and the students graduating from six vocational training programs at Verdun Adult and Career Centre.

Another celebration that took place at the end of September was the 25th anniversary of Light a Dream (www.lightadream.com). Light a Dream is a non-profit organization that was created by former LBPSB teacher and administrator Michelle Potter to serve Lester B. Pearson students with special needs to help them learn work training skills and offer socialization opportunities. Light a Dream has operated a candle making store for the last 25 years and now boasts dozens of alumni and students, many of whom continue to be involved in the store to this day. On September 28th, a celebration evening was held at John Abott college and featured inspiring testimonials and live entertainment by current and former students. Congratulations to this thriving organization and may they enjoy success for another twenty-five years!

At this time of year, there are also opportunities to take part in professional development. On pedagogical days, teachers and staff have a variety of options to choose from. On November 15th, a number of workshops and events were held throughout our system. For example, the post secondary education and training fair held at John Rennie High School was a resounding success, with over a thousand students and parents coming out to learn more about educational and career pathways. At the head office, our Centre of Excellence for Mental Health hosted educators from around the province to learn more about student mental health from researchers and clinicians from McGill University. Youth mental health was also the subject of discussion at the Canadian School Mental Health Leadership Summit held last month in Toronto. Chair Judith Kelley and I were among the invitees who came together with directors, superintendents and trustees from across Canada to discuss the role of system leaders to promote student mental health.

This month also marks in another significant event – the swearing in of a new council. Every four years, school elections are held for the purpose of constituting the new council of commissioners. Congratulations to Chair Kelley, all ward commissioners, parent commissioners, and student commissioners on being elected to these positions. We thank them for taking on this role to help serve the interests of students, champion public education and collaborate with the administration to offer the best services possible to our community.

Together, we will continue to build on the accomplishments of the Lester B. Pearson School Board while holding true to our values of innovation, integrity, inclusion, respect, and community. Our strength is our shared commitment to keep students at the heart of the collective work we do, and I look forward to the next four years of this council.