The Leo Baeck Day School is pleased to announce the appointment of Yvette Burke as North Campus Principal, succeeding Howard Laderman. The North Campus Principal is the senior administrator responsible for all educational/academic site operations. Ms. Burke will assume her duties July 1, 2010.

Ms. Burke has been in charge of Student Services at Leo Baeck for 24 years, supporting the learning and socialization of all students. While she is well known to the Leo Baeck family, her selection is the result of significant and thoughtful deliberation on the part of the school's Parental and Faculty Advisory Committees.

In her current position as Dean of Student Services, Ms. Burke has played a fundamental role in the development of the school’s educational program, particularly our key mission objective of providing a child-centred learning environment. As a member of the senior administrative team, she has been engaged in all aspects of our candidacy for the International Baccalaureate designation, including training and implementation. Ms. Burke has also worked closely with Howard Laderman in his tenure as Principal, and plans to champion the positive initiatives Mr. Laderman began, most notably his significant commitment to innovative teaching practices in the area of early literacy.

Prior to joining Leo Baeck, Ms. Burke taught for six years at two of Toronto’s most prestigious private schools where she was responsible for the educational assessment and remedial programs for students aged 6 to 12 years. Yvette holds a Masters of Education in Human Development and Applied Psychology from the University of Toronto (OISE), as well as a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. She is also recognized as a Special Education Specialist and has the Ontario Principal's Qualifications designation.

In addition to her impressive credentials and service to Leo Baeck, Ms. Burke's commitment to the school is further demonstrated by the fact that she has been a Leo Baeck parent for almost as long as she has been a member of our staff: she and her husband sent three children (Michelle, Andrea and most recently David) from preschool through to graduation at the school.

In short, Ms. Burke’s long and meaningful history at the North Campus and her deep understanding of the school - its teachers, students, parents, culture and values – give her remarkable experience, insight, and leadership qualifications as we grow and progress into the future. She will also be able to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. Her commitment to the Leo Baeck community, together with her excellence as an educator, will serve the North Campus well.