Ron Cadez is currently the Assistant Superintendent supporting Instructional Services, Student Services, and Clinical Services with the Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Toronto, a Diploma in Education from McGill University, and a Master of Education degree from the University of Lethbridge School of Graduate Studies.

Ron’s 31-year career journey spans a decade of teaching music in the Louis Riel School Division, followed by a progression to school and system leadership within the Division, including roles as Vice-Principal, Principal, Director of School and Classroom Supports, and Assistant Superintendent, his current position. He highlights his experiences with assessment for learning, focusing on literacy, numeracy, and child development. He acknowledges being inspired by Canadian educators such as Wayne Hulley, Brenda Augusta, and Anne Davies, and emphasizes the importance of effective leadership in staff learning and modelling desired practices.

Ron shares his experience with early years screening, a field in which he has been involved for many years. He describes a collaborative effort with researchers from the University of Toronto, McGill University, and Carleton University, among others, to develop a cohesive plan for universal screening and progress monitoring in both English and French immersion schools in LRSD. The Division has implemented evidence-based tools and data collection methods to improve student outcomes and align instructional practice with research. Ron discusses the purpose of screening tools, emphasizing their role in identifying potential learning risks among students from Kindergarten to Grade 8. He explains that these tools help educators identify students who may benefit from alternative, targeted, and research-based teaching practices, ultimately aiming to improve outcomes for all students. Ron highlights the use of specific tools such as Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and the Early Math Assessment tool (EMA), a classroom-based tool developed at Carleton University to identify students in Kindergarten to Grade 4 who may need extra support in foundational math skills. Ron emphasizes the importance of accessible and reliable tools for teachers, noting that while some digital tools are available, not all are evidence-based, reliable, or valid.

Ron explains that the screening schedule in his School Division involves literacy and numeracy screening twice per year for all students, and three times a year for students at risk in reading. Results are submitted through a digital system, and accessible reports are generated via Power BI. The Louis Riel School Division is partnering with Vretta to offer digital early years screening through the EMA. Data from these assessments are used to identify students at risk in numeracy, and teachers are trained to use this information to improve student outcomes. Ron indicates that the School Division is unique in the province in its approach to early literacy and numeracy, particularly in French immersion schools.

Ron discusses the limitations of Manitoba’s provincial assessment program, which relies heavily on teacher observation rather than standardized measures, making the data unreliable for meaningful analysis. He expresses a strong preference for investing in evidence-based early screening and progress-monitoring tools that provide actionable insights, emphasizing that the most critical time for intervention is in the early years. Ron shares his pride in the implementation of a two-language literacy program and the recent recognition from the Manitoba Human Rights Commission report, which acknowledges his School Division’s approach as aligned with the report’s recommendations.