Local high-school educator named outstanding principal

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Kristy Wallace

EMC Community - Jennifer Oake may have been named one of Canada's 40 outstanding principals for 2012, but the St. Pius X High School principal said her staff makes the school a better place.

"I've worked with lots of inspirational people," said Oake, who's been the school's principal for six years. "I've been very fortunate to work with fantastic people. I've learned something from every one of them."

Simone Oliver, the school's superintendent, was part of a team that nominated Oake for the award. She said her nomination was kept secret and the principal didn't find out until a staff breakfast was held the last day of classes before Christmas.

"Jennifer is someone very, very focused," Oliver said. "She has a shared vision and is very collaborative in her approach that includes families, staff and students. Her vision has a very holistic approach ... and she's very involved at the board level and at the community level."

According to the Ottawa Catholic District School Board, Oake's nominators cited her strong relationships with the school community including staff, students and parents.

Oake was also said to promote a collaborative problem-solving environment and she has a student-centred vision for the school, including trying to bring attention to mental health and wellness issues.

"As staff and teachers, one of our goals within the board is to de-stigmatize mental health and train educators about mental health," Oake said. "Not diagnoses, but knowing the signs and being comfortable referring them to people who can help them."

Oake said she's always known she wanted to be an educator and later a principal.

"I always had a passion for teaching, and I loved working with kids," she said, adding that she wanted to become a principal so she could create positive change and work with all the students in the school, not just those in her classroom.

On Feb. 28, Oake and the other winning principals will be formally honoured at the Canada's Outstanding Principals Gala Dinner Event, held in Toronto.