Peterborough's Karan Leal Has Been Selected One Of Canada's Outstanding Principals
/St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School Principal Karan Leal has found herself in some prestigious company, having been selected by The Learning Partnership as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals of 2017.
A group of staff, students, parents, clergy and fellow educators nominated Mrs. Leal for the award, which is among the highest honours for a principal in public education.
Principal Karan Leal with school prime minister and Grade 8 student Jodi Overwijk.
“I was extremely touched by the nomination,” Mrs. Leal says about hearing she had been selected. “When I found out, it warmed my heart deeply.”
Now celebrating its 13th year, The Learning Partnership’s Canada’s Outstanding Principals program recognizes the unique and vital contribution of principals in publicly funded schools. The 40 principals, nominated by parents, colleagues, and community members, and chosen by a national selection committee, are being celebrated for demonstrating innovation, leadership and for employing creativity in finding solutions and opportunities within their school communities.
They will be awarded for their accomplishments at the annual Canada’s Outstanding Principals gala on February 28th at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.
Mrs. Leal has been an educator in the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board for more than 31 years and has been principal at St. Patrick CES for five years.
“The staff here at St. Patrick are incredible—they all have special gifts, so my role in many ways is to empower them to go out and explore their gifts to the fullest,” Mrs. Leal says. “And because of that, we have the ability to offer an incredible wide range of opportunities for our students.”
Under Mrs. Leal’s leadership, St. Patrick has been recognized as a gold-level Ontario EcoSchool and the school offers a wide-range of extracurricular activities for students such as a robotics club, math and problem-solving teams, school musicals, talent shows, spelling bees, public speaking competitions, Skills Ontario teams (robotics, videography and cardboard boats) and an array of sporting opportunities.
Mrs. Leal also helps organize the school’s annual Christmas hamper campaign, where gifts and food are collected and hand-delivered to underprivileged families in the community.
Those who nominated Mrs. Leal talked about her ability to inspire students and staff alike, her collaboration with the local parish and parent communities, and her strive to create a welcoming, inclusive school environment where students have ample access to technology.
St. Patrick CES hosted the first ever Board-wide Robotics Competition in November 2016. Principal Karan Leal said her role as a Principal is to empower her staff to take chances and to embrace their talents and interests. Students at the school benefit from an array of extracurricular activities as a result.
