Superintendent Steve Cardwell is leaving the Vancouver School Board for a new job at UBC.
Cardwell started work at the VSB in January 2010. UBC has hired him as professor of teaching and director of executive educational leadership — a newly established position.
Cardwell leaves the district at the end of December and begins working at UBC in January 2015.
Cardwell, 56, told the Courier his time with the VSB has been “richly rewarding,” but noted his original commitment with the board was for five years. He said it’s a natural time to leave with the upcoming election and the opportunity for a new board to hire his replacement.
“This opportunity has come up and I wanted to give them lots of transition time. So it’s a good time. I could have gone longer, of course, but they’re going into an election in the fall, so it makes some sense for the new board, when it takes office, to hire a new superintendent. So, it just a natural step for me. And the opportunity at UBC is just fantastic.”
Cardwell said working with the people within the district, in all positions, has been a highlight over the years.
“My best days are when I’m out in schools, visiting with staff and students. It’s personally rewarding to see the great educational system that we have. The low side — it’s when I see students coming to school who are living lives in poverty and are struggling in many respects. The school is really their haven and the place that they come for support,” he said. “So I’m proud of the work that Vancouver does to support students in these circumstances. And that’s what brought me to Vancouver, the diversity and variety of educational opportunities for students.”
Cardwell has dealt with a range of challenges during his tenure, including budget cuts, the prospect of closing five elementary schools, the possibility of introducing a balanced calendar — also known as year-round school (it hasn’t happened but he still supports the concept), labour disputes and the recent controversy surrounding the district’s updated policy dealing with transgender students.
He said passing the updated policy was a high point as superintendent, as was increasing the graduation rate for aboriginal students, which has risen from 30 per cent to about 43 per cent.
“We still have a long way to go, but I’m very pleased to see this focus we’ve put to helping and supporting aboriginal students in being successful. That’s one of the more longer term highlights of my time with the district,” Cardwell said.
Cardwell has touted the importance of technology since the VSB hired him and describes improvements in that area as a “huge success.”
“It’s never about the technology, but we have vastly improved our capabilities with respect to technology since I arrived. When I first arrived there was not one school that was wireless. We did not have mobile devices anywhere. It was very limited use of technology. Now, throughout the system, every school is wireless and we’re able to utilize technology to support teaching and learning,” he said.
Another of Cardwell’s goals was to create a succession plan to replace top managers at the VSB — several left in the past few years, including deputy superintendent Jordan Tinney. Tinney took a job with the Surrey school district, citing Vancouver’s high house prices. Other senior managers left for new positions or to retire.
“[When I arrived] we did not have a layered approach to the district and now we do,” Cardwell said. “So we have a layer of directors and a layer of associates on the education side and we have differentiated, just through our hiring, a range of people in the system ready to step into roles. So I think we’re in a much better position to address the needs of succession planning. In terms of my replacement, that would be up to the board.”
Board chairwoman Patti Bacchus said in a VSB press release that Cardwell will be greatly missed.
“We’ve been fortunate and privileged to have Steve at the helm for the past five years. As Superintendent of Schools, Steve has led the district through the good times and the frequently challenging times. His commitment to supporting equitable access to quality learning opportunities for all students and his leadership in moving the education system forward have benefited our school system in countless ways,” she said. “Steve’s passion for increasing student engagement and improving outcomes and opportunities for aboriginal students will leave a lasting and positive legacy in Vancouver schools.”
UBC Faculty of Education dean, Blye Frank, said Cardwell’s experience in educational leadership makes him a perfect choice to lead the new Executive Educational Leadership Program.
“Steve has had a long and distinguished career as an educational leader in British Columbia,” he said in the press release. “We are incredibly excited about the fact that Steve will be joining us in the new year.”
