Darren McFarlane new Superintendent of Education

Darren McFarlane, new Superintendent of Education

Former Prince Edward Collegiate Institute principal Darren McFarlane has been appointed as a new Superintendent of Education at Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board effective February 1. He is replacing Laina Andrews who is retiring.

McFarlane was most recently a system lead at the Education Centre responsible for safe schools, supporting the Special Education and Equity portfolios. He has been an education leader since 2003, serving as a principal and vice-principal at secondary schools in Prince Edward County, Trenton and Central Hastings.

“HPEDSB serves a diverse range of students and families who come to us for welcoming, safe and inclusive education experiences at our K-12 schools,” said McFarlane. “I am looking forward to serving in this senior leadership role and further engaging with our highly-skilled, dedicated and caring teaching and support staff. By working together, we will optimize our services to enable improved outcomes for all students.”

Katherine MacIver, Director of Education, notes she’s pleased to welcome McFarlane to the new role.

“His work and dedication to equity and achievement will be an asset to the senior team, and to his new role. I am confident Darren’s leadership and experience will serve HPEDSB well in the years to come.

“The ability to build relationships is another of McFarlane’s strengths, which will be key as he leads the human resources portfolio. While on the school board Leadership Development Steering Committee, he learned alongside colleagues, reinforcing his approach to creating relational trust. He has coached staff to take on new challenges and develop their skills, many of whom had been reluctant to take a risk related to exploring leadership beforehand.”

McFarlane obtained his Supervisory Officer qualifications in 2019. He holds a Masters of International Education Leadership from Charles Sturt University (Australia), Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University and Bachelor of Arts Honours from Trent University.