Joseph L. Zaroda, principal of Blessed Trinity Secondary School in Grimsby, Ontario, received the Ontario Educational Leader of the Year Award from Niagara University’s College of Education on Dec. 13, 2017, during a meeting of the directors of the Niagara Catholic District School Board at Club Roma in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Zaroda was one of the original five instructors to teach at Blessed Trinity when it opened its doors in September 1994 with just 77 students. As principal, he guided the school through an expansion effort that now includes over 800 students and 80 staff members. Over the years, he has demonstrated a commitment to excellence by facilitating the implementation of programs that meet the needs of individual students, supporting their development through academic pathways within the context of Catholic education.
Zaroda currently serves on the research collaborative team of Educating for Youth, a multidisciplinary group intent on educating and advocating for evidenced-based and equitable outcomes and activities for students through a human rights framework and policy reform in secondary school education across the province.
Zaroda holds a master’s degree in secondary business education from Niagara University.
To learn more about Niagara University’s College of Education, please visit www.niagara.edu/education.