GUELPH – As he enters his new role as Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) director of education, Peter Sovran is looking to reframe traditional narratives surrounding learning and work environments in education, while ensuring a safe return to school for students and staff.
PETER SOVRAN
Sovran replaces Martha Rogers, who led the board as director of education for 26 years.
Sovran said the first day of school is always a great day, but it’s been extra special for him this year as he starts it off as the new director of education at the UGDSB.
“But it’s also special because of what everyone’s been experiencing with the COVID-19 pandemic and being in school and being out of school so often last year.
“It’s probably one of the first times that I can honestly say that being behind the school bus with flashing lights and having to wait for all the students to load onto it brought a real smile to my face because it was a symbol, it was a symbol of the fact that our schools are open.”
Sovran, who transitioned from working the past eight years at Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, is entering his 28th year of working in education.
He said as he enters this new role, the very top priority as students and staff return to school during the pandemic has to be making sure that schools and classrooms are safe.
“That students feel accepted, that they’re supported and that those classrooms are inclusive,” he added. “That is absolutely the top priority.
“I know in all my years of education that having an environment that is welcoming – which means that it is inclusive, which means it’s accepting and you feel safe – that’s the necessary condition in order for learning to occur.”
Layers of protection
Sovran officially stepped into the role of director of education on Sept. 1 which he said began at 8am with a virtual gathering among system leads, principals, vice principals, managers and supervisors across the board.
Sovran said the board has had staff across the system working to ensure a safe return to school for students and educators, adding throughout the summer the board focused heavily on ventilation.
He explained with added funds provided by the various levels of government, the board has been able to improve its ventilation systems which has included upgrading many of the boards current systems and purchasing a number of standalone HEPA units.
Sovran added while the Ministry of Education had indicated HEPA units should be focused in learning spaces with no mechanical ventilation, the board went over and above that and put HEPA units in all classrooms kindergarten to Grade 8.
“The reason why we really focused on those grades is because those students primarily are students who are 12 and under and are not eligible currently to receive a vaccine,” he explained.
“Whereas in our secondary schools … we know that a very large portion of our secondary school students have received the vaccine, either a first dose or a second dose or are fully vaccinated.”
The board has also gone above provincial requirements, which dictate students in Grade 1 to Grade 12 are required to wear masks indoors, by mandating masks in classes, hallways and school transportation for students kindergarten through Grade 12.
He explained the board has been in constant conversation with public health officials, adding directions around the multiple layers of protection (masking, proper hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, distancing) is all done with public health guidance.
“Some things would be out of our control as we’ve learned and so we’re going to focus on the things that are within our control and continue with all the practices we know will help keep schools open,” Sovran said on ensuring schools remain open.
Reframing the narrative
Sovran said while the three “R”s in education traditionally refer to “reading, writing and arithmetic,” he’s looking to shift the framework to one that focuses on “reengaging, refreshing and reimagining” learning environments and work in UGDSB moving forward.
“Of course, since March of 2020, the world’s been a very different place. We’ve had to adapt really quickly, and it hasn’t been easy,” he explained, adding he believes they’ve managed it “overwhelmingly really well.
“Considering that March 2020, we all left for March break and we didn’t come back to in person learning and then we came back in sort of little bits during the last school year.
“So we learned a whole bunch of different ways to work and to learn and to interact,” he added, referring to the board’s ability to reach students remotely in addition to in person.
“That’s also exciting because we know that we’re able to reach students in a variety of different ways and really meet them where they are in terms of their needs and their comfort level.”
Sovran reiterated his focus for the board is first and foremost ensuring the safety of students, teaching staff and all education workers in addition to ensuring they feel safe, accepted and included.
He added the board will continue to work on all aspects of learning whether it be early literacy for its youngest students to all the experiences for students in secondary school towards graduation and ensuring students have the ability to acquire the skills they need.
“The focus is in some ways not any different than what has always been the focus, which is making sure we address the needs of each and every one of our students, that we focus greatly around equity and inclusion and perhaps even…a greater spotlight on mentally healthy classrooms and a focus on student mental health.”
