Growing Leadership Across KCDSB: A Year-Long Journey Begins
What is your impact?
It’s a simple question, but one that sparked reflection as leaders from across the Kenora Catholic District School Board came together to begin a year-long journey focused on growing leadership at every level of the organization.
Led by KCDSB’s Senior Administration team, Chief Executive Officer Jamey Robertson and Superintendents of Education Kylie Hughes and Alison Smith, the leadership development initiative will bring leaders together throughout the 2026-2027 school year for focused learning, reflection and growth.
The journey kicked off in August, when Executive Council, Principals, Vice-Principals, Supervisors and participants in KCDSB’s new Growing Leaders Program gathered for a day of learning with leadership development facilitator Nicole Morden Cormier.
The opening session, Leadership as Influence: Bringing Our Strategic Plan to Life, explored leadership identity, the influence people have on those around them, and how everyday leadership can help bring KCDSB’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan to life.
Cormier brings extensive experience in K-12 education and leadership development and has previously worked with educational leaders in the region. Her approach centres on relationships, self-awareness, individual strengths and service to others, an approach Robertson says aligns closely with KCDSB’s vision for leadership.
“Nicole understands that leadership begins with relationships, self-awareness and service to others. She has an ability to connect with people in authentic ways while creating opportunities for meaningful reflection, honest conversations and personal growth.”
For Robertson, that broader understanding of leadership is central to what Senior Administration hopes to build across KCDSB.
“Leadership is not limited to a particular role or title. Every employee has the ability to influence others, contribute to positive change and make a difference in the lives of students.”
Following the full-group session, Principals and Vice-Principals, Managers and Supervisors, and Growing Leaders participants moved into focused learning designed around their roles. From building school and department culture to examining leadership identity and influence, the sessions created a common starting point for the leadership learning that will continue throughout the year.
Growing Leaders
An important part of the broader leadership initiative is KCDSB’s new Growing Leaders Program, which was open to all employees interested in developing their leadership capacity, with 20 participants joining the cohort.
Throughout 2026-2027, the cohort will learn together through monthly sessions, mentorship and job shadowing, collaborative learning, and virtual and in-person opportunities with internal and external facilitators.
Robertson says the program builds on leadership development work that has evolved at KCDSB over many years and supports the Board’s strategic commitment to investing in staff and cultivating leadership.
“The strength of KCDSB is and will hopefully always be our people and our community. Investing in leadership development from within helps ensure that our future leaders are grounded in our faith, our values and our commitment to Catholic education.”
For participants, the first session offered an opportunity to recognize the leadership they already demonstrate and consider where they want to grow.
Julia Lizzi, Speech-Language Pathologist, said Cormier’s question, What is your impact?, stayed with her.
“It encouraged me to reflect on my current practice and left me feeling inspired and ready to make a meaningful impact as we begin a new school year.”
Shawn Dufrense, Teacher at St. John Paul II School, joined Growing Leaders because of a commitment to lifelong learning and is looking forward to becoming a more confident leader.
“Nicole brought enthusiasm to the session which left me with excitement and optimism for the new school year.”
For Kerri Snyder, Early Childhood Educator at St. John School, the session reinforced that leadership can be demonstrated in many different ways.
“What stood out to me most was the idea that leadership is demonstrated through collaboration and supporting each other. It made me see the ways I already show leadership in my role and inspired me to think about how I can grow.”
The August kickoff was only the beginning. Throughout the year, Senior Administration will continue to lead the broader leadership development journey, with Cormier working virtually with KCDSB’s leadership groups and returning in the spring for another in-person session. Growing Leaders participants will also continue their monthly learning journey, putting new ideas into practice and building their leadership capacity along the way.
Robertson says the long-term goal is to see the impact of that investment reflected throughout KCDSB.
“We hope that this program strengthens our culture in ways that are visible throughout the organization. We would like to see staff feeling more confident in their ability to lead, collaborate and contribute regardless of their position.”
As the journey continues, the learning will move from reflection to practice, in classrooms, schools, departments and across the system, always returning to the question that started it all: What is your impact?
