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Branksome Hall News

Branksome Launches Centre for Strategic Leadership, Announces New Leadership Appointments

Agile, empathetic and steady leadership is needed more than ever in this extraordinary time. Branksome Hall is pleased to announce today that it is establishing a new Centre for Strategic Leadership, to build leadership capacity and development opportunities for our faculty and staff. Deputy Principal Karrie Weinstock will take the helm as Head of the Centre, and Junior School Head Amanda Kennedy will move into the Deputy Principal role, as of July 1.
"The pandemic has provoked us to think differently and pivot quickly," says Principal Karen Jurjevich. "It has also surfaced our key approach to leadership at the school—to share what we’ve learned and to teach others to support innovation and change.” 

Weinstock will transition from her current role as Deputy Principal on July 1. In her new role as Centre Head, she will develop school-wide programs to grow and strengthen the leadership capacity in emerging and experienced school leaders. These mentorship and professional development opportunities will align with the school’s values and strategy, and with its commitment to Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Weinstock will partner with Patricia DiNicolantonio, Head of Talent Management, in developing the Centre for Strategic Leadership’s integrated programs.

"Karrie is ideally poised to take on this new role as Head of the Centre for Strategic Leadership, given her deep expertise and breadth of experience," says Jurjevich. "As a longstanding member of the Senior Leadership Team, Karrie has mentored generations of students and leaders to develop their potential. She is truly remarkable—an inspiring leader and impactful role model."

As Weinstock transitions to her new role, Kennedy will become the new Deputy Principal, starting July 1. In this role, she will have school-wide leadership responsibility for strategic and operational planning, and implementation in support of Branksome’s mission and priorities. The student experience in the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools, Boarding, Student Support and Well-being, and Enrolment Management are the areas she will oversee in this role. 

Kennedy has worked closely with Weinstock and Jurjevich for more than 10 years and has held significant leadership positions since joining Branksome Hall in 2011, including Head of the Middle School and Head of the Senior and Middle Schools. A passionate and collaborative leader, she has been the Head of the Junior School since 2017. Additionally, she oversees the Boarding program, and co-leads the Transition Team, which has been responsible for guiding academic and school operations during the pandemic. 

The appointment of a new Head, Junior School will commence immediately and the search process will be overseen by the Principal and members of the Senior Leadership Team.

"I could not be more delighted to see Branksome move from strength to strength during this extraordinary time in the school’s history," says Jurjevich.
 
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We wish to acknowledge this land on which Branksome operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and go to school on this land.

Setting the new standard for girls' education everywhere takes collective action. From all of us.
 
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