After 39 years in education, Emelda Byrne will step down as Director of Education at the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board. Her retirement, which takes effect on August 1, 2026, was announced at a private meeting of the Board of Trustees last night.

Byrne took over the role of the WECDSB’s top administrative position in 2021, becoming theWECDSB’s first female Director of Education. She began her teaching career in 1987 with the Simcoe-Muskoka Catholic District School Board, but joined the WECDSB a year later.

She has taught in every division and has served as a curriculum consultant, a Vice-Principal at the former St. Bernard Catholic Elementary School, and Principal at St. Maria Goretti, St. Pius X and St. John the Baptist Catholic Elementary Schools.

Prior to becoming Director, she occupied various administrative positions over a 14-year period including Supervising Principal, Superintendent, Executive Superintendent and Associate Director.

Board Chair Lisa Soulliere thanked Byrne for her passion, professionalism and unwavering commitment to student achievement and her Catholic faith.

“Emelda has a tremendous amount of respect across our system and throughout our community, and she earned that respect through her tireless work ethic, her exemplary leadership skills and her dedication to always doing what’s best for our students,” Soulliere said. “During her tenure we have seen our programming expand, our enrollment numbers grow and our student achievement results remain above provincial averages. All of those things take a total team effort, but they all start with true leadership.”

Byrne said that she is looking forward to spending more time with her family.

“This is a very demanding job, but it has also been the most rewarding part of my career,” she said. “We have an excellent senior administrative team and it’s been a privilege to work with them. Guided by our Catholic faith, we’ve always kept our attention focused on supporting our students, both academically, physically, mentally and spiritually. Catholic education is a true gift and I can look back with immense gratitude on how we worked together towards creating spaces where students feel supported and loved.”

Soulliere said that over the next few weeks, the Board will begin to define the process of finding a replacement for Byrne.