Kathy Witherow

Background

About Kathy Witherow

Currently working as an Associate Faculty member at Royal Roads University in the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership & Management Program and as a Sessional Lecturer at OISE/UofT in the Department of Leadership, Higher & Adult Education. Retired educator from the Toronto District School Board. The last role I held in TDSB was Director of Education (Interim). Before that I was the Associate Director of Leadership, Learning and School Improvement with the Toronto District School Board. I spent three years on secondment with the Ministry of Education as Field Team Lead for the Barrie Region in the Student Achievement Division. I was previously the Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services in York Region District School Board. My career has included many years as a classroom and Special Education teacher, and school administrator. I have also worked as a Leadership Advisor with the Ministry of Education in Ontario turning around low performing schools across the province of Ontario. As a Principal on Assignment in Leadership Development in YRDSB, my work focused on school improvement, facilitating learning networks, accessing and analyzing data, and building leadership capacity with aspiring and experienced school and system leaders. My doctoral studies included research on knowledge mobilization and how secondary schools used research to improve instructional practice. I enjoy teaching graduate level courses in leadership and school improvement, and collaborative inquiry. Specialties: coaching, leadership, system and school improvement, knowledge mobilization, professional learning, network design and facilitation, educational research, innovation