About us
CODE Consortium for System Leadership and Innovation
Welcome From Co-Chairs, Michael O'Keefe & Michelle Forge
Welcome to the CODE Consortium for System Leadership and Innovation Website.
As Consortium Co-chairs, we are fortunate to work with a highly innovative and energetic group of system leaders from across Ontario. Improving achievement and well-being for our students and our staff is our priority. We do that through collaboration amongst our members and with the help of our critical friends. Please explore our website to learn more about our beliefs, practices and projects.
Michelle Forge and Michael O’Keefe
Our Beginnings
The CODE Consortium for System Leadership and Innovation (CCSLI) represents ten Ontario district school boards that, since 2005, have been involved in a province-wide initiative to improve the educational experiences of all students. The ten Consortium school boards were part of the CODE Special Education Leadership Project (2005-2008) that supported system leaders in improving learning for students with diverse learning needs including special education needs. During that time, a significant body of evidence was developed related to promising practices for special education programs and services that benefitted all students. In addition, significant insights about program and system leadership began to emerge.
From 2009 to 2012, the ten school boards funded, informed, and supported a research project that focused on the work of the CODE special education project. The research study was conducted by Andy Hargreaves and Henry Braun of Boston College. The final report of the study is entitled, Leading for All: A research report of the development, design, implementation and impact of Ontario's "Essential for Some, Good for All" initiative. The idea and strategy of "Leading from the Middle" emerged through the research study and the work of the boards and has been expressed conceptually and strategically in several papers and books on educational leadership.
Our Founding Members
- Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario
- Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board
- Halton Catholic District School Board
- Keewatin Patricia District School Board
- Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic DSB
- CCSLI Leadership Team
- York Region District School Board
- Greater Essex County District School Board
- Hamilton Wentworth District School Board
- Lambton Kent District School Board
- Conseil scolaire Viamonde
The Consortium encourages other districts, organizations and individuals to contact us to learn more and/or become involved as we move forward with system leadership and innovation.