ABOUT THIS REPORT

CURRICULUM SERVICES CANADA 439 University Avenue, Suite 1450 Toronto, ON, M5G 1Y8

www.curriculum.org

In the 2012-13 fiscal year Curriculum Services Canada (CSC) faced a range of external challenges that influenced the organization. In the face of changes in the educational landscape, we have been creative and resilient, focusing on the positive outcomes that will arise from the journey. Driven by innovation and change, the organization is headed towards new growth and opportunities. We are certain that CSC’s future is undeniably bright. Each page of this report resoundingly conveys our standard of excellence and passion for lifelong learning. There is work to be done, changes to be made, and success to be achieved.

Emilia Piskorski CSC Intern

WHO WE ARE 2

VALUES 2

MESSAGES 4

CSC TEAM 8

SERVICES 10

ISO 14

MYCLASSNEEDS 14

FINANCIALS 16

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 17

CONTENTS

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WHO WE ARE

The education landscape is constantly evolving. In order to adapt to our environment and meet the ever-changing needs of our clients, CSC is guided by its vision, mission, and values. These keep us grounded and focused on our strategic intent—designing quality solutions for learning.

VISION

Our vision is to be the trusted and recognized international standard for quality services, programs, and resources that help others achieve their learning goals.

MISSION

We serve as a leader in meeting the ever-changing needs of learners—anywhere, anytime, any stage of life—through high-quality standards and innovation for learning.

VALUES EXCELLENCE

We are accountable to the highest standards of excellence in everything we do.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

We reflect upon our work and the feedback of others and evolve our practices to become better at what we do.

INTEGRITY

We are balanced, thorough, and honest in all of our decisions and actions.

CREATIVITY

We foster a culture of innovation in the pursuit of fresh approaches to learning in all contexts.

COLLABORATION

We work as a team with all stakeholders, building on our diverse perspectives.

PEOPLE

We recognize that people are our greatest asset. We nurture our positive relationships and foster creative partnerships.

SUSTAINABILITY

We conduct our business to continue to have a positive influence on diverse communities of learners in the long term.

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I would like to take this opportunity to thank our new members for joining us and those who have recently left.

Nancy Kirby, from the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association, who served as treasurer and member of Executive Committee, left the Board in October after six years of service.

John Crocco, from the Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers’ Association, left the Board in May after three years of service.

Nellie Kelders, from the Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario, retired from the Board in October after two years of service.

Frank Leddy, from the St. Clair Catholic District School Board and representing the Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers’ Association, joined us in June.

Deirdre Kinsella Biss, representing the Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario, joined the Board in December.

I believe that this Board brings a well-rounded set of skills and experiences to the table, which is critical to the development of CSC. Thank you to each Board member for their continuous support and advocacy!

It is both stimulating and challenging to be President/Chair of the organization at this time of transition, and I am grateful for the engagement and the commitment of both staff and Board members. I would also like to thank Dr. Michael Simmonds for working with us this past year. We wish him well in his next endeavour! We welcome Amy Coupal back to her role as Executive Director, and I am sure she will note many changes over the brief period she has been away!

We hope you will enjoy reading this Annual Report and look forward to our activities over the coming year. It is a privilege and a pleasure to serve as President and Chair of CSC and MCN.

—Ardeth Staz President and Chair of the Board

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR

On behalf of the Board of Directors, it is my pleasure to present this report for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013. This is my third year as Chair, and I can easily say it has been the most exciting, yet the most challenging, to date. It has been a year of thought-provoking discussion and challenging decision making; we’ve often tapped into the skills and knowledge of both our staff and Board members. We have clarified the future directions for both CSC and our revised charitable initiative, My Class Needs Foundation (MCN). The year 2012-13 marked the midpoint of our strategic plan, and this work completed the cycle of review and revision we have been engaged in over the past few years.

CSC’s revisioning of The Curriculum Foundation has been the most exciting achievement for the Board. Thanks to staff members Danijel Margetic, Dr. Michael Simmonds, and Amy Coupal, the restructuring of the foundation to MCN is well on its way. Board members have been engaged in learning more about crowdfunding models and have been adding their experiences and opinions to the decisions about what the initiative will look like. Following a ‘soft launch’ in 2012, we are about to engage in a more vigorous marketing approach. We are pleased to support Canadian classrooms by engaging students in unique learning initiatives and activities!

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MESSAGE FROM THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CSC continues to play an important role in building the capacity of professionals and organizations against the backdrop of a shifting educational landscape—a landscape that was shaped this past year by unexpected political forces. There was ongoing teacher labour unrest, political leadership changes, and the proroguing of the Ontario provincial legislature. Taken collectively, these factors affected CSC in significant bottom-line ways. The omnipresent influence of technology in how students and teachers learn was another driving force that informed CSC’s work.

This year, as I have been on leave, I have had a different vantage point on CSC’s development. While away, I have been delighted to follow the progress and hard work of my colleagues. Despite some unexpected bumps in the road, I have been impressed by their creativity and unyielding resilience in the face of these challenges.

Thank you to Dr. Michael Simmonds, who served as an outstanding Interim Executive Director for the 2012-13 year and led with wisdom and enthusiasm. I am excited about the new initiatives the team has undertaken, including developing an outstanding project management interface. Thanks also to our adept Board Chair, Ardeth Staz, for continuing to shepherd the organization with exceptional leadership and good judgment. I am so pleased to be returning to such a wonderful team that is doing great work, and I look forward to taking on the opportunities the new year will bring.

—Amy Coupal Executive Director

CSC has established a strategic plan that is well conceived in relation to these external forces. In my 15 months as Interim Executive Director, I have been thankful to the Board and the Leadership Team for their respective roles in pursuing a substantive strategic plan that guides our daily practice—a plan born out of generative thinking.

“Generative thinking is about deciding on what to decide, probing assumptions about the organization, and identifying the underlying values that should be driving strategy and tactics” (PwC, Strengthening Leadership and Governance for Nonprofit Boards). There is nothing fixed about generative thinking. And it is not easy work. But CSC’s relevance as an educational organization that “designs quality solutions for learning” is made possible because the people who make up the organization think generatively. This is true of the Board, the Leadership Team, and staff.

Reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to the future, I am excited at the possibilities for CSC and its charitable affiliate—My Class Needs Foundation. By staying true to the core organizational strengths for which we are known, and by creating new sustainable opportunities for innovation in the future, CSC will continue to play a significant and leading role in the field of education.

Finally, I’d like to say that the past 15 months have been amongst the most professionally rewarding of my career to date. I appreciate the ongoing support, wisdom, and guidance I’ve had from the entire CSC community. Together we’ve navigated some turbulent waters while celebrating milestone triumphs along the way.

—Dr. Michael Simmonds Interim Executive Director

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THE CSC TEAM

Yannick Constant Bilingual Project Liaison

Rich McPherson Project Leader

Troy Fullerton Instructional Design Associate

Reanne De Cairos Communication Specialist

Lyndsey Breslow Senior Instructional Designer

Logan Bright Coordinator, Media Production Services

Shaan Singha Coordinator, Media Production Services

Pauline Beggs Director, Program Design & Resource Development Services

Anita Sherwin-Hamer Director, Standards & Evaluation Services

Gina Melvin Director, Operations

Lina Perrone Director, Professional & Organizational Learning Services

Inderpreet Sidhu Finance Administrator

Kimberly Fung Project Development Assistant

Danijel Margetic Manager, Media Production Services

Linda Schmidt Education Resources Administrator

Not Pictured:

Dr. Michael Simmonds Interim Executive Director

Jen Coens Project Leader

Susan Howell Manager, Professional & Organizational Learning Services

Kate Robayo Sheridan Senior Bilingual Project Leader

Gordana Vuksic Administrative Assistant

Gerson Pena Co-ordinator, Media Production Services

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STANDARDS & EVALUATION SERVICES

Standards and Evaluation Services (S&ES) provides exceptional standards-based project management services. One of the department’s most notable projects continues to be evaluating textbooks for the Ontario Ministry of Education (EDU). CSC evaluated English-language textbooks for posting on the Trillium List of approved textbooks for use in Ontario schools. S&ES also worked alongside EDU, publishers, and our French-language counterpart, Centre canadien de leadership en évaluation (Le CLÉ), to revise policies that affect textbook evaluation. Additionally, S&ES completed Pan-Canadian evaluations of supplementary learning resources and added both newly submitted and re-evaluated resources to CSC’s list of recommended resources.

For the third consecutive year, S&ES provided services for the Premier’s Awards for Accepting Schools, which aims to promote safe and inclusive learning environments across Ontario. S&ES received and processed the nominations, engaged evaluators to create a shortlist of candidates, and facilitated the selection panel that made the final selection of award recipients.

In true collaborative spirit, S&ES worked with other divisions at CSC throughout the year. One such project involved the development of informative study guides for the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC), Toronto Chapter.

PROGRAM DESIGN & RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Program Design and Resource Development Services (PD&RDS) provides clients with the consultation and development services they need to produce high-quality instructional and learning resources. PD&RDS also assists private and public-sector clients with creating competency-based accreditation standards, courses, and assessments.

This year, PD&RDS managed several projects related to the Ontario Ministry of Education’s initiatives for learners from early years to mature students. PD&RDS also conducted a major research investigation, in English and French, for the Ministry of Education on 45 pilot sites to determine the role and impact of technology on 21st Century teaching and learning in Ontario schools.

PD&RDS continued to expand its services by developing competencies and assessments for a variety of professions including not-for-profit organizations and regulatory colleges. For example, PD&RDS developed, organized, and conducted the testing of over 2,000 candidates seeking registration with a regulatory college.

As project lead, PD&RDS collaborated with other CSC departments to produce learning resources. One such project was for the Hudson’s Bay Company History Foundation, for which several resources are now available online.

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MEDIA PRODUCTION SERVICES

PROFESSIONAL & ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING SERVICES

Media Production Services (MPS) provides a wide range of engaging professional media, both independently and in collaboration with other CSC departments.

Most notably, MPS created innovative, high-quality accessible video resources for AccessForward and the Ontario Human Rights Commission. These training resources are dedicated to describing the accessibility regulations and are available online. While continuing to provide live streaming implementation from a number of local and remote events—such as the John Hattie presentation in Toronto, the School Based Mental Health and Substance Abuse Symposium in Calgary—MPS maintained a full schedule and expanded its capacity in animation production.

Professional and Organizational Learning Services (P&OLS) provides technology-driven solutions to support both self-directed and facilitated online professional learning opportunities. Popular delivery modes and approaches developed by P&OLS include interactive and live-streamed web conferences, webcasts, podcasts, online learning resources, websites, and social networks.

This year, P&OLS developed an online professional learning resource for Ontario’s Institute for Education Leadership, in English and French. The resource is designed to help collect, sort, and distribute learning resources conveniently on the web. The project featured ten engaging, high-quality videos and introduced social media integration within their website. This project successfully increased the organization’s online presence.

P&OLS also partnered with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario to develop an important online training module on the new accessibility standards in Ontario. The module includes introductory videos and printable training resources for the newest standard under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), Design of Public Spaces. The training module and associated online resources will be used by organizations across the province to train employees on the requirements of Section 7 of the IASR under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

While working with the Ministry of Education’s Learning Environment Branch, P&OLS developed interactive online modules, videos, and print resource guides for the Ontario School Food and Beverage Policy. These resources are used to encourage healthy lifestyles among students. P&OLS continues to work collaboratively with the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat at the Ontario Ministry of Education to produce a range of resources for educators including the extremely popular webcast series on innovative instructional practices.

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ISO To ensure that CSC provides services of the highest possible quality, the organization undergoes an annual International Organization for Standardization (ISO) audit. ISO is an internationally recognized audit standard which provides organizations with guidelines on how to manage a quality management system. ISO 9001 is built on four principles:

1. Strong focus on customers

2. Accountability of top management

3. Focus on the process approach

4. Assurance of continual improvement

This annual audit ensures that our services and organization are managed with integrity. Our use and review of ISO processes inform our work on a daily basis and ensure high-quality delivery to our clients.

MYCLASSNEEDS My Class Needs Foundation (MCN) is a Canadian crowdfunding charity that was created to change the educational experience of students across Canada. Launched by CSC in 2012, MCN connects K–12 teachers with willing donors to fund a wide variety of projects. The project details are posted to the MCN website, where anyone can browse and donate to projects as they wish. The MCN team works with teachers to maximize funding success and to provide support along the way. MCN recognizes that each classroom is composed of diverse students, and encourages unique projects that teachers believe would benefit their students’ learning experience. Through MCN, many students are already gaining from successfully funded projects, and the numbers will increase as the organization continues to flourish. To learn more, visit MCN at myclassneeds.ca.

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FINANCIALS

REVENUE CHART:

16% Standards & Evaluation Services27% Program Design & Resource Development Services17% Professional & Organizational Learning Services 22% Joint Projects 16% Media Production Services 2% Grants, Donations, Interest and Other

EXPENDITURE CHART:

34% Staff Contracts16% Operating Support2% Standards & Evaluation Services13% Program Design & Resource Development Services7% Professional & Organizational Learning Services10% Joint Project Expenses9% Media Production Services9% Operational Expenses and Other

CSC reports revenue of $2,912,615 during fiscal 2012–13.

We continue to focus on cost-effective project management and development. Because CSC receives no core funding, the organization’s financial stability is dependent on project revenues. We are pleased to report that despite reduced revenue, the organization was able to balance its books through sound fiscal management.

Future efforts will focus on rebuilding CSC’s revenue base and continuing to diversify our client base to minimize the impact of external factors.

The simplified charts on this page show Revenue and Expenditure Analyses for 2012–13. CSC’s financial statements have been fully audited by MNP LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, and are available from CSC upon request. Charts may be read clockwise.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The 2012/13 Board of Directors of Curriculum Services Canada and My Class Needs Foundation:

EXECUTIVE MEMBERS

Ardeth Staz CSC President and Board Chair; Ontario Public Supervisory Officers’ Association (OPSOA)

Helmut Tinnes CSC Board Vice President; Ontario Principals’ Council (OPC)

Lincoln Simmons CSC Board Treasurer; Financing Specialist, RBC

William Mugford CSC Board Executive Member; Partner, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Carol Cotton Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)

Howard Goodman Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA)

Deirdre Kinsella Biss Catholic Principals’ Council Ontario (CPCO)

Linda Knight Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Dr. Frank Leddy Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers’ Association (OCSOA)

Peter Levesque Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Knowledge Mobilization Works

Suzanne Shawbonquit Founder and Executive Director of Youth Innovation

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CURRICULUM SERVICES CANADA ANNUAL REPORT 2012–2013

439 University Avenue, Suite 1450 Toronto, ON, M5G 1Y8

www.curriculum.org