It is an honour and privilege to be serving as the President of the Canadian Association of Principals (CAP) during the 2011-12 school year.

As an educator for over 30 years in Winnipeg, Manitoba, my classroom experiences were at the Middle Years and High School levels. I have been a school leader for the past 19 years. My school leadership experiences have been in a K-Grade 9 Dual Track School, a K-6 Immersion School and most recently at a Grade 9-12 Dual Track High School. The role of school leader is one which I enjoy very much because I am both enthused and energized about being able to shape the culture of a school in the interest of providing a positive and stimulating learning environment for students.

This past summer I had an opportunity to represent CAP at three conferences. In early July, I attended the Canadian Association of School Administrators’ conference where the theme of 21st Century Learning was explored in great detail. The opportunity to network with education colleagues from across Canada was an added benefit. This was followed by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation conference where global trends in education were discussed. Dr. Andy Hargreave and Dr. Dennis Shirley did an excellent job of connecting the information received in the interest of identifying current issues in education. Lastly, the International Confederation of Principals held their Conference in Toronto in August. What a wonderful opportunity to dialogue with school leaders from Africa, Australia, New Zealand; to name a few of the places!! No matter where educators come from what is first and foremost in their minds is what is in the best interest of the student!

I am very pleased to announce that CAP is embarking on a pan-Canadian research study entitled The Future of the Principalship, A Pan-Canadian Study. Dr. B. Levin, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Education Leadership and Policy at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, has agreed to act as a critical friend to this research project. The purpose of the study will be to examine the current conditions of practice that both limit and enable the aspirational leadership roles of school leaders in the context of the future forces that will shape public education in Canada. In particular, we hope to identify the trends and influences that will shape the work of the principal as school leaders in the future. Through focus groups, qualitative data will be gathered. The results of this study will have profound impact on the work of school principals.

I invite you to attend our National CAP Conference which will be held in Montreal Quebec from May 24-26, 2012. The host affiliate is AAESQ. The theme is Leadership Under Construction: Tools for the 21st Century. Check out their website at http://cap2012.aaesq.ca. I look forward to seeing you there.

I wish each and every one a professionally satisfying school year.

Joycelyn Fournier-Gawryluk
President