FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2004

Director of Education tenders resignation, leaves a legacy
Director of Education, Larry Langdon, has tendered his resignation to the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board for the purpose of retirement. Langdon’s resignation is effective January 31, 2005.

In his resignation letter, Langdon noted “After thirty-five and a half years in the education profession, I make this decision with the satisfaction of being able to say that I have enjoyed every moment of my involvement in the education of our young people. While I will miss greatly the direct contact with the Board, my senior and school-level administrative colleagues, staff and students of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board, I leave with the knowledge that this Board well deserves being considered A Great Place to Learn and A Great Place to Work.”

Director Langdon has held his current position since September, 2000, having previously served as director of education for the former Prince Edward Board of Education, beginning in January, 1990. In his tenure with the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board, he has:

• Led the Board through a long-term strategic planning process with the focus on enhancing learning and instruction;
• Instituted a comprehensive leadership succession plan and performance appraisal process for senior and school-level administrators;
• Introduced an emphasis on character education approaches including Don’t Laugh at Me and Together We Light the Way;
• Initiated the International Student Program which has grown over his tenure from an initial three secondary students at its inception to over 100 students who are engaged in their studies in both elementary and secondary schools; and
• Provided the impetus for the formation of the Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation which has provided major organizational and financial support for the FOOD FOR LEARNING program, the Quinte Regional Science and Technology Fair, and the Back to Books fundraising campaign that is dedicated to the provision of library books to all libraries in the district’s schools.

“As a Board we accept Director Langdon’s resignation, although we do so with great reluctance. He has been a pillar of knowledge and strength to all trustees, to students, and to the entire HPEDSB organization,” remarks Judy Edgar, Chair of the Board. “We wish Director Langdon well in his retirement.”

Director Langdon’s career highlights also include significant contributions to education at the provincial level. During his years in public education, he has:

• Been recognized by colleagues for communication and leadership abilities and interpersonal and organizational skills through election as the Chair of the Council of the Ontario Directors of Education; president of the Ontario Public School Teachers’ Federation; and president of the Ontario Public Supervisory Officials’ Association. He has been recognized by the Ontario Teachers’ Federation through being awarded a fellowship in that organization, and was the recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for contributions to education.
• Been a life-long learner through his career. In addition to his Masters of Education, Principal’s and Supervisory Officer certificates, and Ministry of Education qualifications in Reading and Special Education, he has obtained national certification in the areas of Strategic and Site Based Planning by the American Association of School Administrators, Leadership Assessment by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and Alternative Dispute Resolution by the J.E. Atkinson School of Liberal and Professional Studies, York University.
• As the director of operations and field services for the Ministry of Education, utilized his knowledge in the areas of communication, personnel, and curriculum gained through local, provincial and national experience to assist the Ontario government in the implementation of the Ontario Curriculum in the elementary and secondary panels.

The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board, in order to facilitate the transfer of responsibilities, has established a search committee of the Board which will develop recommendations for a formal process for the recruitment of a new director of education.

The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has 46 elementary and eight secondary schools serving 18,700 students, employing 1,067 teachers and 775 support staff. The Board covers a wide geographical area of 7,221 square kilometres bordered by Maynooth to the north, Deseronto to the east, Prince Edward County to the south, and Quinte West to the west.

For more information, contact:
• Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, ext. 2354 (613) 966-1170, or 1 800 267-4350
• Judy Edgar, Chair of the Board, (613) 921-3203, or to leave a message 1 800 267-4350, ext. 2354
• Larry Langdon, Director of Education, ext. 2257 (613) 966-1170, or 1 800 267-4350