 Niagara Catholic District School Board
CATHOLIC LEADERSHIP: PRINCIPAL AND VICE-PRINCIPAL SELECTION ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES | |
200 – Human Resources
| No 202.2
|
Adopted Date: April 28, 1998
| Latest Reviewed/Revised Date: October 7, 2025
|
· be in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT)
· have a minimum of one-year successful experience as a Vice - Principal at the time of application
· be a participating member of a Catholic community as attested by a parish priest
· successful completion of:
1. Religious Education Qualifications
Part III Specialist of the OECTA/OCSTA Religion course or equivalent course
or
Four full graduate courses in Theology/Christian Education toward a degree or diploma in Theology from a Catholic university.
or
Part II of the OECTA/OCSTA Religion course and two graduate courses in Theology/Christian Education toward a degree or diploma in Theology from a Catholic university.
2. Ontario School Principal's Qualifications Part I and Part II as per Ontario Regulation 184/97 under the Ontario College of Teachers' Act.
3. Part II of the Special Education qualifications as per the Ontario College of Teacher Qualifications or Part 1 of the Special Education Qualification Course as per the Ontario College of Teachers Qualifications and the Special Education – Autism Additional Qualification course for Administrators.
· Preference will be given to applicants with the following:
1. Previous experience in an administrative role.
2. Successful completion of the Board Principal Discernment Program or an equivalent leadership program.
PROCESS FOR APPLYING TO A CATHOLIC LEADERSHIP PRINCIPAL POSITION
Where appropriate, vice-principals who are serving in their first year at a school may have a conversation about their intention of pursuing the role of the principal with the principal of their previous school assignment.
Step 2: The principal will use the Leadership Candidate Profile/ Supervisor’s Attestation Form to guide the conversation about the vice - principal’s experiences and leadership journey. This form is not to be submitted.
Step 3: The principal will decide whether to support the vice-principal and recommend to the Family of Schools’ Superintendent (FOS) for consideration.
Step 4: The FOS will meet with the principal to discuss the vice-principal’s candidacy.
Step 5: The FOS will meet with the vice-principal to discuss their leadership experiences.
The FOS can use the “Attestation Form” to guide a discussion. The FOS will decide whether to support a recommendation to Senior Administration.
· *Candidates must receive support from both the Principal and FOS
to move forward in the selection process. *
Step 6: The vice- principal completes their Leadership Letter of Intent – signed by both the Principal and the Superintendent.
The Leadership Letter of Intent outlines the vice principal’s Leadership Growth in the areas of:
· Building relationships and leading people
· Conflict Resolution
· Curriculum leadership
· Faith Leadership and Development
· Problem solving
Step 7: The FOS will present the applicant to the Senior Administration team (along with the Leadership Letter of Intent) providing reasons why the applicant should be considered for the principal pool.
Step 8: Successful candidates will be notified by the Director of Education.
Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by the Director of Education and will be provided with an opportunity for a debrief.
PROCESS FOR APPLYING TO A CATHOLIC LEADERSHIP VICE-PRINCIPAL POSITION
Step 1
· Applicants interested in a Catholic vice-principal leadership position should inform their immediate supervisor of their intent and have a robust conversation about their leadership competencies and pathway. This discussion should take place throughout the school year and not be limited to the time of the application.
· The applicant will provide their immediate supervisor with their application package and the appropriate Leadership Candidate Profile/ Supervisor’s Attestation Form for review and further discussion on the readiness of the applicant.
· The immediate supervisor will have a meeting with the Family of Schools’ Superintendent of Education about the applicant's readiness for the role of vice-principal.
· The immediate supervisor will complete and submit the Leadership Candidate Profile/ Supervisor’s Attestation Form directly to the Executive Officer of Human Resources Services on behalf of the applicant.
· The Leadership Candidate Profile/ Supervisor’s Attestation Form will be signed by both the Principal and the Family of Schools Superintendent (FOS).
·
Endorsement by the principal is required for the applicant to proceed to the next step.
Applicants are to submit the following documentation through Apply to Education:
1. A completed Application for Administrative Position Form.
2. A written pastoral reference (dated within two years)
3. A current copy of the applicant’s Ontario Certificate of Qualification (OCT).
4. A copy of the applicant’s most recent Performance Appraisal.
The Executive Officer of Human Resources Services, in consultation with Senior Administrative Council, will review all Leadership Candidate Profiles/Supervisor’s Attestation forms and applications to determine which applicants shall be considered for an interview.
· The FOS will present the applicants that they endorse to the Senior Administrative Council for consideration.
·
The Executive Officer of Human Resources Services will invite those applicants for consideration to meet with the Senior Administrative Council for an informal discussion of their leadership journey.
The Executive Officer of Human Resources Services will invite successful applicants to participate in the interview process.
The recommendations of the Selection Committee will be presented to the Senior Administrative Council for further review and approval from the Director of Education. The FOS of the applicant will contact the successful and unsuccessful applicants and coordinate a debriefing upon request by the applicant.
· Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
Adopted Date:
Revision History:
April 28, 1998
January 8, 2002
October 23, 2002
January 25, 2011
February 28, 2012
February 28, 2017
December 17, 2019
June 27, 2024
December 9, 2024
January 6, 2025
October 7, 2025