Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board (BGCDSB)
At the heart of the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board, every decision made by Director of Education Karyn Bruneel centers on supporting and nurturing each student. By ensuring that the Board’s values, public policy, and governance are all aligned with student development, Bruneel’s leadership keeps students’ growth and success at the forefront of her work.
“It's really about that shared purpose and working together to make sure that our decisions reflect who we say we are and who our students want to be,” said Bruneel.
Karyn's Journey From the Classroom to the Director's Chair
Like many directors, Bruneel’s path has taken her from the classroom to the boardroom.
Starting as a teacher, Bruneel taught French and French immersion and later gained her qualifications to become curriculum coordinator.
“I've always been really interested in special education and curriculum. It’s still where I draw a lot of my energy from because it directly impacts students.”
A requirement to become a coordinator was training for principal qualifications. That got the attention of the superintendent in London, who recruited Bruneel for her first vice-principal position. After principal postings in both Huron-Perth and London, Bruneel first moved to Bruce-Grey for the Board’s superintendent position. As her responsibilities grew, her perspective broadened. Once she became director, she could see how the role took on more systemic implications, “financially, culturally, politically and spiritually.”
“At the director level, I think Catholic leadership becomes less about programs and more about how our values shape every single system-level decision that we're making,” she said.
Learning the Director's Pivotal Role in an Effective System
Working more closely with trustees gave her a better appreciation of governance.
“As a director, it’s a role that really requires constant attention to trust, a focus on clarity of roles, and knowing what our shared purpose is.”
She describes the role of a director as “holding tensions” – managing sometimes competing interests, keeping one eye on the operational aspects of the administration while also managing relationships on the governance end.
“I've moved from decision-making around what we are going to do for our math strategy, to also thinking about things a lot more holistically and what the impacts are politically and what our best move forward is – always keeping our students and Board values in perspective.”
“I think a big part of what we do centrally is continue to build capacity in all different areas that are going to make our staff even more successful with students,” she said.
From the director’s perspective, the senior team is able to approach solutions with a broader, more strategic outlook, considering what will best support students and the overall educational environment, rather than being solely influenced by the immediate, day-to-day challenges faced within schools.
“I think we always have to be asking ourselves a question about why.”
For example: The Board is in the early stages of reviewing its French Immersion program, engaging staff and school councils to establish a shared vision for its purpose. The consultation addresses the balance between fostering bilingualism and ensuring strong conceptual understanding, especially in subjects like Math, where language proficiency can affect learning. By involving parents, guardians, staff, and students, the Board aims to align goals and support all learners moving forward.
“The answer has to reflect researched, evidence-based, peer-reviewed decision-making,” she said. “We want to make sure that whatever it is that we're doing, it's not only going to be helpful for a particular subgroup of students, but for all students. And how do we know that the decisions we are making are good for all students? That’s why we must anchor each choice in our shared vision, data, and evidence-based research.”
Bridging Government Policy with Teaching in the Classroom
Directors are also the bridge between government policies and making them happen in the classrooms, she said.
“Boards have many requirements, such as the development and implementation of a mental health plan, a Board Action Plan on Indigenous education, the Board’s multi-year strategic plan and the Board’s student achievement plan. What I've been doing is taking all of those plans and aligning the actions so that as a system we identify the key areas that we're going to focus on… and then providing the support so that people know how to do those things. Because with continuous improvement, everything's about implementation.”
Being a director with a strong senior team is critical but you also need to look elsewhere for peer support, she says. She credits CODE for being an important resource as she sounds out issues and seeks new ideas with other directors of education.
This network provides a valuable space for directors to share experiences, collaborate on challenges, and exchange innovative approaches to common concerns in education leadership. In a role where decisions can have broad impacts and require thoughtful consideration from multiple perspectives, having access to a community of peers allows directors to reflect, learn, and refine their strategies.
“I'm coming to know people, but I also know that it doesn't matter that I don't know them. I could easily pick up the phone and call them and say, ‘Hi, this is my name and this is my school board. Can you help me?’”
As she reflects on her journey so far, Karyn Bruneel remains enthusiastic about the future. She is committed to continuing her own professional growth, eager to learn from her peers and new experiences, and dedicated to using her evolving role to further advance student learning across the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board. Looking ahead, Bruneel is inspired by the opportunity to keep building on the Board’s successes and to champion an environment where every student can thrive.