Leading a diverse school during times of demographic change in rural Canada: Reflection, action and suggestions for practice

As children and families from around the world arrive in Canadian communities, school leaders and teachers are responsible for welcoming them into their schools and for providing appropriate educational programming for all students. However, many educational leaders struggle supporting their colleagues, as well as engaging and working with diverse students, their families and communities; instead many default to educational and leadership strategies that they have relied upon throughout their careers. In this article, we argue that leaders must support all stakeholders they serve and be proactive to engage Canada’s newcomer citizens in/with authentic and meaningful approaches. Drawing from a study on changing demographics in a western province in Canada, and a developing study in New Brunswick as well as on our own teaching experiences, the authors discuss several leadership strategies that principals and teachers may find beneficial in diverse schools and communities as Canada’s population and schools continue to welcome people from all over the world.