Joe de Bruijn

Joe recently retired after 32 years in education, 31 of those years with the Durham District School Board. During his career, Joe has taught in a variety of classes including teaching academic subjects to special needs students at the secondary and elementary levels. He has also held positions as an Academic Resource Teacher, a Program Resource Teacher for Special Education, Special Education Consultant, Vice Principal and Principal.

Joe started his career with the Sudbury Board of Education at the secondary level before transferring to the elementary level after being hired by the Durham District School Board. He initiated the educational program at Durham House Children's Mental Health Centre and then moved after two years to teach a class for students with learning Disabilities for five years. Joe then moved to Lake Vista Senior Elementary School in the position of Academic Resource Teacher for three years subsequently moving to the Special Education Department of the Durham District School Board in the capacities of Program Resource Teacher and Special Education Consultant. Joe was then successful in applying for and being assigned as a Vice Principal and spent the next portion of his career in that position at four schools. He then was short-listed for Principal and assigned to schools in Oshawa where he completed his career.

During his years in education, Joe has had a profound interest in the education of Exceptional and at-risk students. He was a member of the Council for Exceptional Children for twenty-five years and took an active leadership role in that organization at both the local and provincial levels. Joe was elected to and performed the duties of President of the local chapter twice and served on the local executive for eight years. He served on the Local Arrangements Committee planning the 1981 Provincial Conference for the Council and over the rest of his career has contributed to planning at the local level for several subsequent conferences. Joe was elected to the Provincial Executive for the Council in 1991 and served the executive in the capacities of assistant treasurer, treasurer, vice president, president-elect, president and past-president. Joe was recognized for his local contributions to the education of exceptional students with the prestigious Barb Phair Award and provincially with the achievement of Level II Leadership Award.

Joe has also been active locally on the executives of the Durham Elementary School Administrators organization and the local Ontario Principals' Council serving in the capacity of treasurer for both organizations. Active in his community, Joe has coached soccer for many years and is a self-described, semi-retired senior soccer referee with 30 years of match experience.

Joe has always had an abiding interest in the Education of and development of teachers. His position as a Faculty Advisor allows him to continue this abiding interest and fulfills his commitment to this interest.