Sherri-Lynne

Pharand

Bachelor of Education, Masters of Education
Thunder Bay, ON

I still remember the day when I received acceptance into the Education program at Lakehead University.  It was my lifelong goal to become a teacher and the acceptance letter was a major milestone on that journey. I chose Lakehead University because of the reputation of the program, the partnership for student teaching with the Lakehead Board of Education and the desire to come home. I had attended elementary and secondary school in Thunder Bay and looked forward to the opportunity to come full circle.

Following my BEd program, I started my career with the Lakehead Board of Education as a French teacher at Sir John A Macdonald and Vance Chapman Public Schools.  Not long thereafter, the desire to continue my own learning brought me back to Lakehead University where I completed my Masters in Educational Administration.  Many of my classmates are now my colleagues both in Thunder Bay and around the region.  It was while completing my Masters that I developed an interest in educational research.   A key component of student success is the ability to identify what makes a difference in student learning and how you know that you are having an impact.

As a Superintendent of Education at Lakehead District School Board for the past 8 years, I continue to work very closely with Lakehead University, creating partnerships that support research and innovation in education. Together, we have completed research in the areas of Large Scale Assessment, Aboriginal Education and Mathematics that has been published and/or shared within our region, our province and some it, internationally. Partnerships in the areas of Information Technology in Education, Assessment and Evaluation and Associate Teacher Education also support our joint priorities.

As a proud graduate of Lakehead University and employee of Lakehead District School Board, it is my privilege to work to support the success of our students by providing them, through education, life opportunities and life choices. It is also an honour to work collaboratively with our trustees, staff, students, parents and stakeholders to ensure a strong public education system within our community.