As the new school year gets underway, the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board (SWLSB) is entering a period of transition and renewal marked by new leadership, growing enrolment in several regions, and a commitment to addressing emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence and cellphone use in schools.
In an interview with Chairman James Di Sano and newly appointed Director General Florence Delorme, both leaders emphasized a common theme: keeping students at the centre of every decision while preparing the board for the future.
New leadership and a clear vision
One of the most significant developments for SWLSB this year is the appointment of Florence Delorme as Director General, effective July 9, 2026. Delorme brings more than 25 years of experience within the organization and is well known across the board, having served in several senior leadership positions, most recently as Director of Student Affairs and School Organization.
For Di Sano, Delorme’s appointment represents continuity and stability at a time when the board continues to evolve.
“She’s occupied many, many significant posts within the organization,” said Di Sano, noting that her extensive experience will help foster strong collaboration between governance and management.
For Delorme, however, the focus is less on her appointment and more on the board’s mission. She said her first message to staff and administrators this year has been to return to the fundamental purpose of education.
“We really want to come back to the basics of why we are here,” Delorme said.
That purpose, she explained, is centred on three priorities: student success, well-being and learning, a fitting “SWL” acronym that mirrors the initials of the school board itself. Delorme emphasized, however, that achieving those goals depends just as much on supporting the staff who work with students every day.
“The more we support the success, well-being and learning of our staff, the more impactful that will be for our students,” she said.
According to Delorme, that message has been consistently reinforced during meetings with management teams, head office staff and elected commissioners throughout the start of the school year.
Investing in teachers
One of the board’s major initiatives this fall has been a renewed focus on professional development for teachers.
Delorme described the initiative as the first large-scale pedagogical professional development program organized by the board in many years. The effort brought together hundreds of educators from across the territory before the school year was fully underway.
The first event took place on Sept. 18 at Laurentian Regional High School in Lachute, where nearly 300 teachers participated in workshops and training sessions. A second event at Rosemère High School attracted approximately 600 teachers.
The initiative was developed through collaboration between the pedagogical services department, head office personnel and the teachers’ union.
Delorme said the goal is twofold: to provide educators with high-quality training while also creating opportunities for networking and collaboration between teachers who work in different schools and regions.
The board hopes to make the professional development days an annual tradition.
“It’s really teacher-focused,” Delorme said. “This is us as an organization investing in our employees.”
As schools continue adapting to evolving educational realities, board leaders believe investing in staff development is one of the most effective ways to improve student outcomes.
Regional growth brings new opportunities
Another major story this year is enrolment growth in parts of the board’s territory.
While English-language school boards across Quebec continue to face enrolment challenges due to eligibility restrictions, SWLSB is seeing encouraging growth in several of its regional sectors.
Di Sano highlighted growing student populations in both the Laurentians and Lanaudière. According to the board, enrolment has increased by approximately 160 students in the Laurentians and about 300 students in Lanaudière compared with last year.
“We’re growing in the regions, and the numbers don’t lie,” Di Sano said.
That growth presents both opportunities and challenges. Increased enrolment creates greater demand for facilities and services, but it also strengthens the case for future investments in infrastructure.
Di Sano said the board intends to continue investing in schools located in rapidly growing communities to ensure they can meet future demand.
“It speaks volumes to the growing communities in the regions and the opportunity that it poses for us as an organization,” he said.
Delorme noted that while enrolment remains relatively stable overall, English-language boards must work harder than their French-language counterparts to attract students because not every child residing within their territory qualifies to attend English schools.
Despite those challenges, the continued growth in the Laurentians and Lanaudière regions provides optimism for the years ahead.
Finding the right balance with AI
Like school boards across the country, SWLSB is also grappling with the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence.
Both Delorme and Di Sano acknowledged that AI has already become part of everyday life in education and that the focus should be on managing it responsibly rather than attempting to resist it.
“AI is there. It’s not going away,” Delorme said.
She explained that the Ministry of Education requires school boards to develop guidelines and parameters governing AI use. While some schools, particularly high schools, have already begun implementing local approaches, she said more work remains to be done.
SWLSB is also collaborating with other English-language school boards to develop a common framework that will help students and staff use AI effectively and ethically.
The board’s approach is largely centred on education rather than restriction. Delorme believes AI can be a powerful learning tool if used properly, but schools must also ensure students continue developing essential skills.
A key concern is preserving critical thinking.
While much of the public conversation around AI focuses on fear and potential risks, Delorme said the more important question is how educators can leverage the technology to strengthen student learning rather than weaken it.
Di Sano echoed that sentiment. He acknowledged that AI is already being used by teachers and employees throughout the organization to improve efficiency.
“Teachers are using it. Staff are using it,” he said.
At the same time, he warned that educators must remain mindful of the ways AI could potentially undermine critical thinking and independent judgment if students become overly reliant on it.
Developing a clear action plan to guide AI use across the board therefore remains a priority throughout the coming year.
Cellphone ban showing positive results
The board is also reporting encouraging results from the province’s cellphone restrictions in schools.
The policy, introduced by Quebec’s Ministry of Education, limits students’ ability to use cellphones during the school day. While enforcement initially presented challenges, both Delorme and Di Sano said schools have largely adapted and students appear to understand the expectations.
According to Delorme, one of the most noticeable outcomes has been an increase in face-to-face interaction among students.
Without constant access to their phones, students are spending more time talking with one another and engaging in school life. She also noted that students appear more physically active during breaks and lunch periods.
Another positive effect has been a reduction in social media-related conflicts during the school day.
While some students still attempt to circumvent the rules, Delorme said the majority have accepted the restrictions and adjusted their habits accordingly.
Di Sano offered similar observations and praised the ministry’s decision.
“I applaud the initiative of the Ministry of Education,” he said.
For him, the biggest benefit is that the policy encourages the social aspect of education.
“It’s optimized human interaction,” he said. “The goal of education is socialization.”
Eyes on the future
As SWLSB moves through the 2026-27 school year, its leadership appears focused on balancing tradition with innovation. The arrival of a new director general, ongoing regional growth, significant investments in teacher development, and a measured approach to AI all point toward a board seeking to strengthen its foundations while preparing for future challenges.
At the same time, early results from the cellphone ban suggest that some of the simplest policy changes can have a noticeable impact on student life.
