Building Belonging and Reimagining Learning: Patti MacDonald’s Leadership Journey
From creating new schools in New York to leading a reimagined learning culture in Toronto, Patti MacDonald shares what it means to lead with humility, research, and a relentless belief in every student’s potential.
Patti MacDonald’s office at Montcrest School is not your typical head of school suite. It’s full of life - plants basking in the sunlight, student art on the walls, and a steady stream of learners showing up for book clubs, knitting circles, food committees, and design challenges. “Everybody’s welcome here,” she said on The LearnIt Podcast. “We’re much too busy thinking about big ideas and creating.”
Since becoming Head of School at Montcrest in July 2022, Patti has brought her full self to the role: a researcher, a systems thinker, a warm collaborator, and a quiet but determined champion of every student’s growth. Patti’s path to leadership wasn’t straightforward, and it continues to evolve.
From Grade 2 Classrooms to National Leadership
Patti’s early teaching career began in public schools at a time of curriculum transition in Ontario. “I walked into my first classroom with no curriculum,” she recalled. “It was terrifying, but it forced me to build everything around the learners in front of me.”
That formative experience shaped her educational philosophy: prioritizing students’ needs first, followed by the curriculum. Over time, Patti moved between public education, university-affiliated schools like the Institute of Child Study, and eventually the world of independent schools. She served as Executive Director of Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) before joining Montcrest, helping to steer national strategy and strengthen school networks during the most disruptive years of the pandemic.
“Independent schools have the gift, and the challenge, of autonomy,” she reflected. “But when we come together, especially in crisis, we’re not competitors. We’re collaborators.”
A School Leader Who Still Runs Clubs
Even as Head of School, Patti insists on staying close to students. She runs four clubs each week, from a Grade 4 challenge reading group to a skateboarding club and a fiber arts club. “It’s the highlight of my day,” she said.
This deep relational ethos permeates Montcrest’s culture. When Patti first joined the school, she met one-on-one with every staff member. “I asked why they came and why they stayed. Everyone said the same thing: it’s the people.”
That sense of belonging isn’t just a vibe; it’s measured. Montcrest recently launched a belonging survey for students in Grades 5 to 8 to better understand how connected students feel and where the school can grow.
Patti MacDonald on The LearnIt Podcast
Redefining Inclusion and Success
One of Montcrest’s strengths under Patti’s leadership has been its evolving support for neurodiverse learners. “We believe it’s our responsibility to meet the needs of all learners, all the time,” she said. To that end, the Student Success Team is redesigning how Individual Education Plans are created, shifting from teacher-led documents to student- and family-informed profiles that emphasize learner voice and personalized strategies.
Patti also believes that inclusive design benefits all learners, not just those with diagnosed needs. “This is universal design in action,” she said. “When we understand every learner more deeply, everyone thrives.”
That same philosophy extends to innovation. Montcrest’s new “City Skills” program, for example, came from a group of Grade 7 students who identified a rise in helicopter parenting. Their solution? A structured program to build student independence, learning to take public transit, cook, babysit, manage money, and navigate digital spaces safely. The students pitched the program to leadership, and the school is now implementing it.
“These kids didn’t just talk. They designed a program, presented it to our board, and now they’re helping us roll it out,” Patti shared.
Leading with Data, Heart, and a PhD Mindset
Patti isn’t just a school leader; she’s a learner. Her PhD research has focused on teacher professionalism, and she brings that same mindset to Montcrest. “We expect professional learning here. It’s not optional,” she said. “Teachers are researchers. They study their students, reflect on their practice, and adapt in real time.”
Montcrest has also introduced MAP Growth assessments to help teachers tailor instruction to individual needs. But data is never the end goal, it’s a tool. “We use it to ask better questions, notice patterns, and improve how we teach,” she explained.
Her favourite leadership mantra? “Yes, and.” Yes to technology, and to human skills. Yes to structure, and to flexibility. Yes to rigorous instruction, and to joy. “We need kids to experience challenge,” she said. “And we also want them to find joy in doing hard things.”
A Place That Feels Like Home
Patti still remembers her first tour of Montcrest when she was with CAIS. “You could feel the love,” she said. That feeling remains today. Whether in the school’s community garden, its evolving learning spaces, or her own story-filled office, Montcrest is a place where everyone is seen.
As Patti continues to lead the school, she’s staying focused on one big question: “How do we keep leaning in, listening deeply, and making sure every learner feels known?”
If Montcrest School is any indication, Patti, and the students are well on their way.
