BROCKVILLE, Ontario – Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Director of Education Stephen Sliwa has announced that he will retire on June 30, 2021 after 35 years in the teaching profession.
“I am grateful for the privilege of serving students, the Board of Trustees, and the local community during my time as the Director of Education,” said Sliwa. “I have enjoyed the opportunity to provide leadership to staff, who have significantly elevated the operation of our schools and have generated a greater range of partnerships in our community that enhance the experiences of our students.”
Beginning his career as a teaching assistant in Peel Region in 1985, Sliwa’s first job as an executive in a school board was when he became Superintendent of Education in the Renfrew County District School Board in 2004, then going on to be Superintendent of Instruction at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in 2010.
Sliwa became the top executive officer at the UCDSB in 2015.
“It has been a real pleasure to work with Stephen, and I’m looking forward to continuing this collaboration until the end of June. His calm and collected manner and his seasoned leadership are exactly what this school district needed, especially over this past year, which has had many struggles. Stephen has helped us, as Trustees and me as Chair, to become better in our respective roles. I want to thank Stephen for all the work he has done to move this board forward. His dedication to his work and our students has never gone unnoticed,” said Chair of the Board John McAllister.
Sliwa’s has overseen the UCDSB as Director of Education through a variety of challenges, including the Pupil Accommodation Review (PAR) process in 2016-2017 which proposed a significant restructuring of the UCDSB school system leading to some schools to close and some schools to be amalgamated with others.
Most recently Sliwa and his administrative team have had to face the challenges of delivering education during a pandemic.
“This has not been an easy time for anyone within our school board, but I give credit to all UCDSB staff for going above and beyond the call of duty while fully attending to students during this historic time,” said Sliwa. “It’s been my pleasure to work alongside you to navigate this complex time for our families. I am proud of all the work we have accomplished, and I know that you will continue this great work.”
The UCDSB states that it will begin the process of finding Sliwa’s replacement, with hopes of concluding their search in the summer of 2021.
