New Catholic Schools superintendent appointed

By LAUREEN McMAHON

The Archdiocese of Vancouver has named Doug Lauson the new Superintendent of Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese, effective the beginning of the 2007 school year.

Lauson will succeed Janina Diodati, who will retire this June after five years at the Catholic schools’ helm.

Laureen McMahon / The B.C. Catholic Doug Lauson has been appointed the new Superintendent of Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese.

“It’s a wonderful time for Catholic education,” said Lauson, who came to the Superintendent’s Office in 1985 after serving as principal of Saint Thomas Aquinas Regional Secondary in North Vancouver.

“On a personal level, I am very excited at the prospect of guiding our two-fold mission of the promulgation of the Catholic faith and the education of children to the next stage. Everything we do is to support these two basic goals.”

The just-completed Archdiocesan Synod, Lauson noted, has served to highlight those educational issues that most need addressing, such as the promotion of ongoing spiritual formation of teachers in Catholic faith and culture and the need to utilize resources in schools that represent Catholic culture and history.

“I have read these documents in some depth and we have begun discussions at the board level on how we can achieve the goals in close association with the Archdiocesan Office of Religious Education.”

Born and raised in South Africa, where he completed his undergraduate and post-graduate education at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, Lauson immigrated to Canada in 1973.

One in every 10 children in B.C. attend independent schools

After attending UBC to familiarize himself with the B.C. education system, he studied accounting and general business programs through the Certified Management accounting (CMA) program.

Lauson began his teaching career at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Vancouver in 1974.

After serving in the Superintendent’s Office as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for a few years, he was appointed the Director of Administration. He then became the Associate Superintendent of Administration and Finance for the 45 elementary and secondary schools of the archdiocese.

“In my role as superintendent I will continue to do what I have always done to support our school system, but I expect to adopt a more global perspective concerning curriculum, instruction, administration, and finances,” he noted.

Lauson was recently re-elected to a fifth term as president of the Federation of Independent School Associations.

Just over 10 per cent of B.C.’s elementary and high school students are enrolled in one of the province’s 360 independent schools, he said. “One in every 10 children in the province attending an independent school is a significant number.”

He also serves on the board of advisers of the UBC School Leadership Centre. This “think tank” group, he explained, keeps abreast of new trends in education and carries out research at the provincial, national, and global level.

Lauson, who enjoys being on the board of Catholic Family Services, is hopeful he will be able to continue the association.

He is married to Judy and is the father of two adult children. His son Clifford is currently earning a doctorate in Art History at the University College of London, England, and his daughter Samantha is a science honours graduate completing her masters degree in genetic counselling at UBC.

“Our Catholic schools do so many things well, but there are also challenges to be faced. I consider it an exciting opportunity to be asked to deal with them.

“We know that, in spite of a declining provincial population, our enrolment is stable: a very encouraging sign. Most schools have a waiting list, so one priority will be to help open the door so even more students will be able to enjoy the tremendous advantages of a Catholic education.”