Carolynn Little

August 2022. South East Cornerstone Public School Division. Developed and led a professional development workshop for the SECPSD Board of Education and the CEO/Director of Education at their annual Strategic Planning Meeting. The workshop's purpose was to reinforce the role of governance and administration, and lay the foundation for a strong CEO/Board understanding, relationship, and tenure.

March 2023. Prairie Valley School Division. Supported the director hiring process by recruiting potential candidates and securing a strong applicant pool for the position of CEO/Director of Education for the Board of Education.

May 2024. Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division. Led the entire Director of Education/CEO search for the Board of Education, from an initial meeting with the Board to the negotiation and contract completion of the new hire. (Please find attached a letter from Board Chair Tuchscherer.)

• SECPSD is a large rural public school division, 31,000 square kilometers in size, and comprised of both urban and rural communities, serving 8,300 students. SECPSD is a member board of the Public Section of Saskatchewan. SECPSD partners with Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division, as students who attend HFRCSSD schools eventually transition into SECPSD schools in the communities of Estevan, Radville, and Weyburn.
• SECPSD is a 10-member board. The Board is committed to a policy governance model.
• The complete role and responsibilities of the director are specified in the Saskatchewan School Division Administration Regulations, in Section 45.
• The Board of Education of SECPSD Policy 12 outlines the specific duties that are the responsibilities of the director and are evaluated annually in SECPSD. They can be found at: SECPSD Board Policy. Evaluations are conducted externally every four years, and internally subsequently. The evaluations are directly correlated to the roles and duties specified in Policy 12. My evaluations were consistently positive.

Examples of tasks closely aligned with the role of Executive Director of the Public Sector include:

• I supported the Board Chair in preparation and resources, and attended all SSBA meetings and Board Chair Council meetings upon invitation.
• Supported the Chair and Vice Chair in their work specific to the Public Section; attended all meetings and was an active participant; supported agenda setting to ensure Public Section topics and discussions were prioritized; supported the Board Chair in preparation for court proceedings during the Theodore Trial.
• Supported preparation and presentation on the importance of autonomous public boards to the Perrins Review and Panel, 2017.
• During her time as CEO/Director of Education, Carol Flynn, SECPSD Vice Chair, also served as Vice Chair for the Public Section. I supported Carol in any way she required and requested.
• I annually supported the SECPSD Board in their advocacy meeting with the members of the Legislative Assembly representing constituencies in the SECPSD attendance area. Aside from items specific to the SECPSD Board, topics included the importance of public education, predictable and sustainable funding, board autonomy, and local voice.
• I served as the Provincial Leadership Team Co-Chair with the Assistant Deputy Minister for several years, co-planning PLT meetings and processes, co-chairing PLT meetings, and presenting plans and engagement/feedback sessions to board members from across the province at numerous SSBA events.
• I was a member of many committees throughout my directorship tenure: SSBA Working Groups, Ministry Committees, LEADS Committees, and LEADS President Elect.
• I worked closely with partners, including, but not limited to, the Ministry of Education, First Nation partners, the RCMP, City Policing, the Ministry of Social Services, the Ministry of Health, former Health Regions, and a member of the former Regional Intersectoral Committee.
• I led a senior team of six LEADS members and the CFO.

Highlights

• We established a new identity as an amalgamated system – pride and ownership across the system through a common vision, mission, and values.
• Our system became a data-driven school division. Wall walks to study data allowed for reflection, refocus, and commitment to identified goal areas.
• We re-envisioned the early learning program, supporting children and families with potential vulnerabilities, ages 0-5, and implemented our vision to benefit children and families across our system.
• We developed an English as an Additional Language process of assessment and support for students and staff. Many resources developed were adopted by the Ministry for use across the province.
• We improved reading rates at all levels. The Response to Intervention philosophy, inclusive of universal screens, tiered instruction, tiered response, and professional staffing, became foundational to our success in moving toward and meeting our targets.
• We began the journey of developing stronger relationships with First Nation bands within our system. We renegotiated agreements and signed Education Services Agreements with two First Nation partners.
• The Board continued open and honest dialogue with HFRCSSD, recognizing that we had a community where public education was not offered. On the back of a strong and respectful relationship, we opened a K-6 public offering in the community of Radville.
• We expanded our online course offerings to an eventual K-12 fully remote school, with achievement and graduation rates equitable to face-to-face schools in our system.
• We implemented trauma-informed practice and worked closely with our partner agencies in support of children and youth. We hired a mental health counselor (expert) to lead work with our contingent of school counselors.
• We initiated an elementary French immersion programming option in both the Estevan and Weyburn communities.
• We partnered with the Ministry to open the Early Years Family Resource Centre in Estevan, and supported HFRCSSD in opening one in Weyburn.
• We incorporated Kids First work and personnel into our Early Years portfolio for the benefit of children and families without access to formalized early childhood programming.
• We initiated a position to support FN children and families through Jordan's Principle.
• We worked with FYrefly, Dr. James McNinch, and Kyla Christiansen to GSA provide workshops for all board members, staff, and SCCs. We developed and implemented a GSA policy to support diversity in the system.
• We opened Weyburn Comprehensive School as a newly renovated and expanded Grade 7-12 program, and opened Legacy Park, a new elementary school in Weyburn, partnering with the city and bringing together three former schools.
• We consolidated transportation routes and moved to a system-owned fleet and management. During this process, we also built new bus garages to support the fleet.
• Steady progress was made on addressing facility needs through the PMR funding. Roofs and HVAC systems were targeted.
• We addressed declining budgets using innovative methods, such as moving 3% of teacher prep to the calendar and away from the timetable, negotiating this through LINC, reducing central office staff, and moving to technology-based processes.

• Responsible for the education side of the division, including strategic planning and implementation.
• Provided direct leadership to six coordinators and their respective portfolios (Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Technology, Learning Supports, Student Services, Early Learning and Care, and Analytical Services).
• Initiated work on assessment and reporting, grading practices, and system assumed responsibility for ECIP (ages 0–5); initiated and implemented Response to Intervention. The SECPSD Board of Education received SSBA Premier’s Award for Innovation and Excellence in Education for their submission, A Systematic Approach to Improved Student Achievement through Response to Intervention, in 2012.
• Led the principal group, all meetings, the Administrative Council, and professional development, ensuring system alignment.
• Prepared, coordinated, and delivered three monitoring reports to the Board of Education annually (Our students have opportunities to learn and succeed in every school; our students achieve high levels; and our division and its schools effectively use information to measure, monitor, and report continuous improvement).
• Worked with the Board and the system to develop the School Year Calendar.
• Oversaw the development, communication, and implementation of administrative procedures.
• Provided leadership on special projects; the Band Program review and implementation is an example.
• Represented SECPSD as a sitting member of the SE Regional Intersectoral Committee (RIC), South East Management Committee (Sub Group of RIC), Member of the Cognitive Disabilities Committee, Member and Co-Chair of the South East Regional Community Mobilization Steering Group, and Member of the Complex Needs Committee.
• Provided leadership for the development of the Violence Threat Risk Assessment Community Protocol in the southeast region.
• Provided leadership for the development of the system's strategic plan, as well as ensured alignment with the provincial plan.
• Provided system leadership for the system Catchball and Hoshin Kanri planning and implementation processes.
• Provided leadership for the development of the Continuous Improvement Achievement Framework to the Ministry, as well as developed and led the presentation.
• Co-led and facilitated system LEAN events.
• Supported the development of the Annual Plan, and provided leadership on the material pertaining to the education-specific items.

• K-8 School, 220 students.
• I taught Grade 8 ELA, Grade 8 Social Studies, and Grade 7 Guidance.
• In the fall of 2003, when I was appointed principal of Pleasantdale School, the school was transitioning from a K-6 school to a K-8 school. The population was 270 students, and the vast majority of the staff were new to the school. We worked diligently to build a new culture and identity. Our staff was among the first to implement Professional Learning Communities – Horizontal Team Meetings. I was also on the committee at the system level to provide leadership in the development of system PLCs – vertical groups that were very successful.
• In the spring of 2009, I was awarded the Canada Outstanding Principal Award, recognizing the work we had done as a staff and a community to build our new culture, which was grounded in innovation and high levels of student success.

• Oversaw the student services and curriculum portfolios in the Weyburn Public School Division, which was comprised of five schools: Assiniboia Park Elementary School, Haig Elementary School, Souris Elementary School, Weyburn Junior High, and Weyburn Comprehensive School.

Highlights

• Supported and led the work to transition the elementary schools to an inclusionary educational model by developing a philosophy, providing professional development, engaging community and board understanding, and developing an implementation plan.
• Led the initial stages in the work to develop a daycare at WCS.
• Led the work on the development of the Functional Integrated Program facility at WCS, including a Snoezelen Room (early sensory room).
• Led the establishment of the Bridge School, which was initiated under the SchoolPlus philosophy.

• 7-8 School, 280 students
• Highlights included the development of Student Leadership Teams, Teacher Assistance Teams (working to identify students who were struggling, meeting as teams, and setting a plan of action in place for them), MAPS Meetings (Multi Action Planning System), the implementation of Three Way Conferences, parent communication strategies (common phone messaging), and the implementation of an electronic gradebook, including regularly updated printouts for parents and students.

• K-8, 90 students.
• Taught Grade 7/8 all subjects except for French and Science.
• Initiated the practice of collaborative teacher teams.

K-6 School, 36 students.

• Taught Grade 5/6 ELA and Math
• Taught Grade 4, 5, and 6 Social Studies, Science, Health, Fine Arts, and Physical Education.
• Teacher Librarian - Resourced Based Learning and co-planning

K-12 School, 230 students.

• I taught all subjects in Grade 4.
• I taught Grade 3/4 all subjects.
• I taught Grade 4 and 5, all subjects.
• I taught Grade 7 English Language Arts.
• Led Common Essential Learnings workshops for the Ministry of Education.
• Led the implementation of the K-5 Science curriculum for the Ministry of Education.