Announcing the Nelson Excellence in Leadership Award

The CASSA-ACGCS Board of Directors is pleased to announce that as of 2024 the annual award to the member(s) who have exhibited exemplary leadership ability and who have enhanced school administration is being sponsored by Nelson Canada, Canada’s leading K–12 educational publisher, and will be known as the Nelson Excellence in Leadership Award.

We wish to acknowledge and thank XEROX Canada for their generous support and sponsorship of the leadership award, known as, XEROX Canada EXL Award, from 2002 to 2023.

Award Criteria

CASSA members who have exhibited exemplary leadership ability and who have enhanced school administration are eligible to receive this award, which includes an honorary life membership in CASSA. Nominees are expected to have brought honor to themselves, their colleagues, and their profession; given exemplary service to their provincial or national professional association; made significant contributions to the field of education through their service, writings or other activities; and who therefore serves as a role model and teacher to others and have 5 years of membership in CASSA.

Download the Nomination Form from the Awards Application Forms page..  (Employer & Nominee). 

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Nelson Excellence in Leadership Award: 2025

 

 

 

 Kevin Kaardal, CASSA Past President and Nelson Award Recipient 

KEVIN KAARDAL
British Columbia School
Superintendents Association

Kevin Kaardal is the superintendent of schools/CEO of Central Okanagan Public Schools, a position he has held since 2015. He previously served as assistant superintendent, deputy superintendent, and superintendent of schools for Burnaby Public Schools as well as an advisor for the College Board of Canada. His career in public education has included roles as a teacher, principal, and district senior leader in Alberta and British Columbia.

Under Kevin’s leadership, his district’s graduation rates increased from 88 per cent to 96 per cent. He led improvements of district Indigenous graduation rates from 76 percent to 86 per cent and exceeded the provincial graduation rates for new Canadians and students with disabilities.

He played multiple key roles in the district and provincial responses to the pandemic. BC’s Interior Health Authority Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer noted Kevin’s contributions helped to prevent outbreaks at the height of the pandemic, dispel misinformation, and support the quick uptake of vaccinations among staff and families to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Among his professional honours, Kevin has received the Academic Excellence Award from the Alberta Ministry of Advanced Education Excellence in Teaching; the Young Professional Award for the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; an Excellence in Teaching Award; and the Alberta Teachers’ Association Health & Physical Education Council Certificate of Achievement.

He has published numerous articles on diverse educational leadership themes for CASSA; led workshops on leadership development and teaching and learning improvement; and presented on subjects including equitable transitions to post-secondary education, environmental education, and AI.

At a systems level, he implemented new structures, policies, and procedures to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Central Okanagan Public Schools. This included setting up Families of Schools structures, ensuring accountability for each learner, and increasing classroom support for students with disabilities.

Kevin has served as the president, vice president, and treasurer of BCSSA; the vice president of Basketball BC, and the president of Basketball Alberta Coaches. He was the president of CASSA from 2022 to 2024. He currently serves as CASSA past president. He has been a member of CASSA for seven years.

[Kevin Kaardal was featured as one of the newsletter’s Faces in the Crowd in the December 2017 issue.]