Leadership interview with Derek Logan, Kingsway College School

Kingsway College School was getting underway when I joined, about 10 years ago, with approximately 150 students. As a Grade 8 teacher in history and language, I also had opportunities for leadership positions that eventually led me to this role.

We have a program called ‘Wake Up with the Arts,’ held about six times a year at the start of the day. Around 10 students sign up for each session to perform, playing the piano, dancing, or showcasing their talents. It's a great way to start the day for students, staff, and families in our main lobby. Occasionally, we also have evening activities, such as the recent gala for our school.

The majority of our students join us in our Kindergarten program.

With the addition of a senior school in Etobicoke, students have the opportunity to complete their schooling with us before moving on to secondary education, university, college, or work. Previously, students would attend until Grade 8 and then transition to another independent school.

We have a very strong retention rate in our teachers. Now, we have a staff of almost 90 people that we've added the high school. As an example, this year, we have two staff members who are moving to be closer to family, moving towards the Ottawa region, we have a retirement, and we have a couple of maternity leaves. Because we're growing as a school, we're also adding staff in Grades 9-12. What we try to create here is an environment for our teachers to be the professionals they were trained to be. They're compensated, they’re given the resources they need, they're supported in their professional development, and they have a partnership with the parents and the students that allows them to deliver on what our program has and expects. We find that teachers are not looking for other opportunities at other schools. They may look occasionally for leadership roles, but generally, we have very strong retention.

Our staff are committed educators who love what they do and do a great job. I would like to think that all of our teachers embody the values of the school.

We have three school rules that are respect, manage, and provide your best. And when a new student comes into the school, whatever grade they are, right off the bat, we talk about our three school rules. We talk about those rules in assemblies, in our chapels, in classrooms, how they relate out on the sports field or during our music hall. As I always say, if you can follow those three school rules in life, you're going to have a pretty good life. We have our teachers understand those rules. They teach them to the students, they live those rules, and we remind the students when they might deviate from one of the rules: ‘Here's a couple of other choices you might have made. How should you make the choice next time?’

Because we've been in elementary school for almost 33 years, we're very pleased in terms of the alumni that always come back to visit us. I think as we roll out our high school over the next couple of years, I think we'll have strengthened alumni support, because oftentimes alumni associate their high school with their schooling years, not including university. We had a lot of alumni come back to participate in our gala, for example. We just set up a senior school just this week. We had an alumni speaking to our Grades 9-10 students. So, we have a good connection, and I think we're continuing to build that connection with our alumni.

What families have told us is that they like our four doors to learning, academics, arts, athletics, and citizenship, that their children will have a very strong academic program with a solid foundation for being a good citizen. Because as I say to our students in assemblies and whenever I have the opportunity to remind them of this message, we want smart people, and that's what we're going to help you to become as a student in our school. But if you can combine that by being a good person at the same time and doing things for others, that's the real success of our school. It's the combination of academics with a strong belief in graduating good people.

Sometimes we come across students who need smaller class sizes or more attention than we're able to provide in the class of 20. And that student may have some social issues or some discipline issues that may not. We just don't have the ability to support that. Or if the student really needs a lot of attention in terms of their academic skills. So it's on the spectrum of where a student needs a really small class, like a handful of students or six students. That is oftentimes where we have conversations with families and we try to find a better fit for them.

The relationship between families and the school staff is very positive, at least 95% of the time. They work together. There are always some difficult moments that require difficult conversations, and we do our best to support families with whatever is happening with their children. Not all of those conversations can always be positive. They sometimes need to be difficult. And we work through those conversations as best we can.

If the school were a person, I would describe it as respectful, welcoming, kind, and thoughtful, because I think we do spend quite a bit of time as a leadership team or as a staff in thinking about what's next for the school.

For parents who are considering KCS, I think the first thing is that you have to visit the school. I know a lot of families spend time on websites and read magazines, but I think to really get a good feel for the school, you have to interact with the people that are there. I would say visit the school and, if you can, visit during the school day. The school has a very different feel, when you have nearly 400 students and 90 staff walking around. It's an opportunity not only to walk around the school, but to talk to the people in the school. And I think that would give you a sense of whether you think this would be a good fit for your child or children.