About Leanne Forrest
Leanne Forrest, is the Program Manager for Educational Assistants at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. Her career has spanned over 35 years in special education. She was nominated in 2022-2023 for the Ronald K. Lynch Award for an outstanding and significant contribution reflecting either a sustained compassionate and dedicated commitment by an OCDSB employee to the success of students with special education needs.
She began her career as an Educational Assistant supporting students with autism in specialized program classes, then joined the central Learning Support Services team for Autism. As more leadership roles became available, Leanne moved into the role of Applied Behavior Analysis Coordinator and then became the first Program Manager of Educational Assistants in 2024 at the OCDSB.
Connect with Leanne Forrest: Email | Linkedin
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Resources Mentioned
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
Bonus Q&A with Leanne Forrest
1. Why do you do the work you do with young people?
I’m drawn to working with young people, and particularly in special education, because I believe every child deserves the chance to thrive. I’ve seen firsthand the incredible potential that exists with our students, regardless of the challenges they face. It’s about looking beyond the labels and diagnoses, and seeing the individual – their strengths, their passions, and their unique way of learning. For me, special education isn’t just about accommodations and modifications; it’s about building genuine connections, understanding each student’s specific needs, and creating a learning environment where they feel safe, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
It’s also about the staff who support these young people. A lot of my work now revolves around supporting Educational Assistants who walk alongside students each and every day supporting their mental health, social, communication and learning needs.
2. What got you into this work?
My path to this role was driven by a deep belief in the power of inclusive education and ensuring our students with special education needs were met. I’ve seen firsthand how dedicated teachers and EAs can transform a student’s experience, providing not only academic support but also a sense of belonging, safety and joy. I was inspired by their compassion and commitment, and I wanted to be part of a system that supports these incredible individuals and amplifies their impact.
How it all began for me:
When I was 16 years old I had an opportunity to do a volunteer placement at a specialized school in our district for students with developmental disabilities. I had never been in an environment like this and was in awe of the students’ needs and how the educators supporting them were positive and passionate about what they were doing. I found a place where I felt I belonged, where I shared the same joy in giving back, and pride in seeing students reach their full potential. I knew from that time on I wanted to work in special education.
It led me to pursue my post secondary education in supporting students with special education needs. Through my education I experienced another life changing student placement opportunity where I worked in a specialized class for students with Autism. Supporting and learning from some of our most vulnerable
students with complex needs gave me a sense of purpose and drive to do more. In these environments you are surrounded by caring and dedicated staff invested in creating safe and caring spaces to welcome students where they are at.
3. What challenges are you currently faced with?
With my new role as the Program Manager of Educational Assistants, one of the ongoing challenges is ensuring we have adequate staffing to meet the growing needs of our students. Finding and retaining qualified EAs is crucial. Another challenge is providing consistent and relevant professional development to keep EAs up-to-date on best practices and specialized skills and ensure EAs feel valued.
4. How are you overcoming those challenges?
We’re actively working on several fronts. Our HR department has implemented targeted recruitment strategies to attract qualified candidates.
We’re actively working on developing mentorship programs to support new EAs and help them thrive in their roles.
We’re developing partnerships with local colleges and universities to create pathways into the field of education assistance.
And we’re continually seeking feedback from EAs themselves to understand their needs and address them effectively. Staff feedback is crucial to understanding not only the barriers they face in the work they do but also an amazing way to gain insight and suggestions from those doing the work.
It is also about elevating the job and bringing awareness and appreciation of the work they do. You were a large part of sharing in the recognition of the important work EAs do when you joined us in August for the EA Leaning days.
We’ve also just had our first EA appreciation day back in November and I will continue to strive to bring recognition and support to the role of EAs across our district.
5. What programs did you run last year that were a success with students and teachers?
Last year we ran a number of After School Social Skills Development Programs for neurodiverse students who were having difficulty with play skills in Primary
grades as well as a program called PEERS for Intermediate and High School students who were having trouble making and keeping friends.
Both programs gave students the opportunity to learn vital play and social skills in a safe and caring environment where they could take chances and build skills and peer relationships. Teachers got the opportunity to focus on important skills, learn the evidence based strategies to elicit the skills and build connections with students they may not have already had.
6. What gives you hope? What do you think is the biggest opportunity right now?
What gives me hope right now is the unwavering dedication and passion of our Educational Assistants. In my new role I have had the privilege to walk alongside EAs who are doing remarkable things for students.
They are truly amazing individuals who go above and beyond for their students every day. The biggest opportunity right now is to elevate the profession of Educational Assistants. By providing more training, support, and recognition, we can attract and retain top talent, ensuring that every student has access to the support they need to succeed. I think there’s a growing recognition of the vital role EAs play, and I’m excited about the future.
7. What mistakes have you made and learned from that are worth sharing?
Early in my career, I wanted to be the fixer. I wanted to solve the issues. I didn’t always take time to listen and reflect before trying to solve an issue. Through my leadership courses and some amazing mentors in my career I have learned the importance of this.
You know System Principal Deb Lyon, she has been an amazing mentor to me and helped me understand the power of listening to others and taking the time to reflect. You don’t have to react immediately and make suggestions, you can give others time with their own questions to reflect and maybe come up with the solution before you make a suggestion. I find it really empowers others.
I have also learned the importance of surrounding yourself with people who not only share your values and views but the importance of being around those whose views differ from yours, who add the diversity and creativity that makes the process of collaboration so important.
I’ve also learned the importance of student voice, parent/guardian voices alongside our educators in the decisions we make. We can’t make decisions
about them without them. We can’t make lasting, supportive change unless we include the voice of everyone involved.
8. What is your motivator (or your driver)?
“My motivator is seeing the positive impact our educators have on students’ lives. It’s not easy work but they do it anyway. Knowing that I’m playing a role in supporting these dedicated individuals and ultimately helping students thrive is what drives me every day. It’s about creating a more inclusive and equitable education system where every student and staff member feel valued and supported.
9. Tell me a story about a situation where you heard the impact a program had on a student.
As I mentioned earlier, in our After School Social Skills Development Programs part of my role was to train staff to run the programs at their schools. When I would do onsite visits I would hear first hand how students were building play skills and making connections with one another. I would see the excitement and joy staff had in running the programs and feeling like they were really getting to know their students and building connections with them. They would tell me it was the best part of their day!
I had a parent stop me and tell her how her son in Kindergarten was playing with others for the first time and asked when the program would be running again so they could keep making friends.
In our PEERS program I had a student who for the first time walked home with a peer, got invited to a hangout at someone’s house and felt like he had a friend. It may not seem like a lot but for many this is the difference of wanting to come to school, having a sense of belonging and can really support their mental health and well being.
10. Where can other educators reach you if they want to bounce ideas around?
I’m always happy to connect with others. They can reach me by email at leanne.forrest@ocdsb.ca or through my linked in account. I believe in the power of collaboration and sharing best practices, and I’m always open to discussing new ideas and approaches to supporting students and EAs. As I am still new to the role and not sure if other boards have a similar position, if there’s anyone out there that supports educational assistants in their boards I’d love to connect.
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