Navigating Transformation through Collaborative Leadership
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) embarked on a comprehensive strategic planning initiative for the years 2023-2027. This case study explores the detailed approach and significant outcomes of this process, emphasizing the board's commitment to inclusive education and community engagement.
The Client
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), is a prominent educational institution in Ontario, Canada, responsible for educating over 70,000 students.
With an annual operating budget of $1.1 billion, the OCDSB is dedicated to fostering an environment of achievement and growth. The board’s extensive resources are allocated to maintaining high-quality programs and services, ensuring equity, excellence, and inclusion in its educational practices.
The Challenge
In 2022 and 2023, the OCDSB faced multiple challenges, including adapting to post-pandemic educational needs, addressing systemic inequities, and ensuring that all students receive high-quality education. Additionally, the board experienced significant internal tensions between trustees and superintendents, which impacted decision-making processes and overall governance. Key incidents included disputes over mask mandates and allegations of misconduct among trustees, which highlighted the need for cohesive and effective leadership.
Our Approach
Comprehensive Environmental Scan
A thorough environmental scan was conducted to understand the internal and external factors influencing the OCDSB. This scan provided a detailed profile of the board’s current state, including demographics, enrollment trends, staff data, and the political and economic landscape. The scan identified key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, which were crucial in shaping the strategic direction
Extensive Data Collection and Consultation
Between November 2022 and March 2023, the OCDSB undertook an extensive consultation process to gather insights from students, staff, families, and community members. This process involved:
- One-on-one conversations with key stakeholders.
- Small group discussions with advisory committees, student groups, and staff groups.
- Large public meetings with multilingual support to ensure broad participation.
- Electronic feedback from over 4,500 participants to capture a wide range of perspectives
The consultation report highlighted six key themes: student learning, well-being and belonging, teaching practices, school and classroom environment, curriculum and programs, and board and administration initiatives
Strategic Planning Workshops
Facilitated by Sayid Consulting Inc., a series of strategic planning workshops were conducted to analyze the consultation data and develop actionable strategies. These workshops focused on:
- Reflecting on the board’s current state and identifying areas for improvement.
- Building team alignment and decision-making capacity.
- Developing a shared vision and objectives for the next four years.
The Impact
Development of a Comprehensive Strategic Plan
The strategic planning process led to the creation of a detailed action plan that addressed the identified challenges and leveraged the board’s strengths. Key outcomes included:
- Enhanced Student Success: Implementation of evidence-based instructional strategies, targeted support for underserved students, and initiatives to improve literacy and numeracy skills.
- Strengthened Community Connections: Increased engagement with families and community partners, and fostering healthy, safe learning environments.
- Promoted Equity and Inclusion: Addressing systemic inequalities, enhancing mental health supports, and ensuring a diverse and inclusive educational environment.
- Developed Strong Leadership: Comprehensive professional development programs for staff and initiatives to build leadership capacity at all levels.
Conclusion
The collaborative and data-driven approach facilitated by Sayid Consulting Inc. resulted in a strategic plan that is responsive to the needs of the OCDSB community. By prioritizing inclusivity, equity, and continuous improvement, the OCDSB is well-positioned to navigate future challenges and provide high-quality education to all its students. This case study exemplifies the principles and effectiveness of Sayid Consulting Inc. in guiding organizations through complex transformations, ensuring they are prepared to achieve their goals and create lasting impact.
From the outset, you understood both the importance and complexity of the strategic planning process for a large public sector organization.
From our very first meeting your positive energy and optimism and your in depth knowledge about strategic planning was evident. You listened carefully, and thoughtfully mapped out a facilitation plan for our Board and senior staff retreat.
You facilitated our large and complex discussions with grace and successfully navigated any challenges in the process. Your ability to pull out common threads in the discussion brought cohesion to our thinking.
