From Needlepoint to Northern Leadership: How Lesleigh Dye is Driving Student Success in Rural Ontario

The Director of Education at DSB1 reflects on her learning challenges, leadership journey, and the bold work of creating positive future stories for every student.

In the early 1970s, young Lesleigh Dye could be found under her classroom desk, quietly needlepointing while the chaos of an open-concept school swirled around her. She wasn’t disengaged, she simply wasn’t being taught the way she needed to learn.

“I would say to my Grade 2 self: you’re a good learner. You just need different instruction,” Lesleigh shared on The LearnIt Podcast. “Don’t let yourself be defined by the struggle you’re having right now.”

That message has become a guiding principle throughout Lesleigh’s nearly 30-year career in education. Now in her eighth year as Director of Education at the District School Board Ontario North East (DSB1), she leads with empathy, resolve, and a relentless focus on equity and student voice.

No Straight Lines: A Journey Marked by Curiosity and Care

Lesleigh’s path into education wasn’t direct. After earning her Honours in political science and history degree and working as a nanny in France, she was torn between law and teaching. She chose the classroom, and never looked back.

Her teaching career began with Grade 7 and 8 students in Toronto’s City of York. She later served as a vice principal, principal, system leader, and eventually superintendent in Sudbury. Today, as Director of Education, she oversees 32 schools spread across northern Ontario, including rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

“I never planned to become a principal or director,” she reflected. “But others saw something in me. They planted seeds.”

Service at Every Level: A Leadership Philosophy in Action

From classroom teacher to Director, Lesleigh’s approach has remained grounded in service. “As a teacher, I served the students in front of me. As a VP or principal, I served the staff who served students. Now I serve trustees and a leadership team so they can serve our communities.”

That mindset has helped her navigate one of the most complex leadership roles in education, balancing ministry directives, trustee priorities, parent expectations, union relations, and student voice.

She credits DSB1’s small but unified senior leadership team for that success. “We’re a tight group. We may use different words, but we give the same answer. That consistency builds trust.”

Leading With Data, Stories, and Heart

Under Lesleigh’s leadership, DSB1 has prioritized improving student attendance, one of the most pressing issues for northern boards. “We want our schools to be places students want to come to every day,” she said. The district now tracks attendance daily and reinforces that everyone from custodians to office staff plays a role in student belonging.

But data isn’t the only driver. Lesleigh believes in stories. Her vision is for every student to graduate with what she calls a “positive future story” - a sense of purpose and hope shaped by their experience in school.

That vision echoes current research. A 2022 study by People for Education found that fostering student engagement and well-being, especially through experiential learning and mentorship, is one of the strongest predictors of high school completion and long-term success.

Creating Real-World Opportunities in Rural Communities

One of DSB1’s standout strategies is its emphasis on co-op education, apprenticeship, and hands-on learning. “There are so many opportunities in our region where students can work with their hands,” Lesleigh explained. “We want them to try those paths early, not wait until after graduation.”

This approach supports the Ministry of Education’s renewed focus on experiential learning and skilled trades, a key pillar in Ontario’s economic development strategy.

Confronting the Challenges: Mental Health and Teacher Shortages

DSB1 faces two significant challenges: staffing and student mental health. Like many rural boards, attracting qualified teachers to remote communities is an uphill battle. “Some communities have no available housing. It’s not that people don’t want to come, it’s that they can’t find a place to live,” Lesleigh explained.

On the student side, she’s seeing growing anxiety and device dependency, even in the primary grades. But she’s also seen the impact of digital detox. After a week-long excursion without cell service, students were reluctant to reconnect. “They were at peace,” she said. “They enjoyed the quiet, the connection to nature, and each other.”

Her district has since taken a proactive stance on cellphone use, shifting the language from “banning” devices to offering the right tools for learning. “We tell students: today, your job is to learn. And we’ve got what you need to do that.”

A Leader Who Still Teaches, Listens, and Learns

Despite her senior title, Lesleigh hasn’t lost touch with students. She works closely with student trustees, co-teaches math lessons when possible, and regularly connects with staff. “Hearing from students and staff is my favorite part of the job,” she said. In fact, this year she launched a district-wide campaign inviting staff to share their “word of the year.” Her own? Amaze.

“I want to be amazed by our student work. Amazed by what our staff do every day.”

Lesleigh is also working on her PhD, researching how collective leader efficacy impacts student attendance - a reflection of her lifelong belief that leadership is never done learning.

When asked about legacy, her answer was simple: “More students with a positive future story. And a staff that feels honored and valued.”