When David Tomlin ran in the Toronto Marathon last year, eight of his students ran with him.

That respect is one reason why the John English Junior Middle School principal is one of 33 chosen as Canada's Outstanding Principals for 2008, an initiative of The Learning Partnership.

The award honours principals who have made a measurable difference in the lives of their students and their local communities by helping to ensure that Canada's young people receive a quality education.

A modest Tomlin makes it clear he's part of a team - with his vice-principals, teachers, staff and nearly 750 students and their parents.

"We have really great kids," said Tomlin, a father of three sons at university.

"We get a lot of compliments about the kids out in the community. It's a great school."

An educator for 30 years, this is Tomlin's 19th year as a principal, his fourth at John English in Mimico.

The school, in the Royal York Road and Mimico Avenue area, offers two streams of French Immersion, and is an equity pilot school for the Toronto District School Board.

In its third year, the school's Sustainable Strategies for Safe Schools' project has led, Tomlin said, to a school culture focused on securing and maintaining a safe, caring and welcoming environment, one which produces positive student achievement results.

"For the most part, our kids feel safe and supported at this school," Tomlin said, adding the school, like many, could use a full-time social worker and child and youth worker. "We want to create a happy, safe, welcoming learning environment."

Last week, the head of a panel delivered a stinging indictment of safety in Toronto's high schools.

School administrators revised the school's code of conduct, dress code, perform routine safety audits inside and outside the school, and host a safe schools committee.

Anti-bullying campaigns at the school discuss the issue with students year-round: "We give kids the vocabulary to talk about bullying," said Tomlin, who acknowledged he was bullied as a child. "Is it happening to me? What can I do about it?"

The phone number to Kids Help Phone, toll-free, 24-hour anonymous phone counselling for Canadian kids, is posted in each student's agenda book.

Support also comes from outside the school. Screened adults, many of them parents, mentor students an hour a week: "I think it has helped give some of our students an ear to listen to them."

Veronica Lacey, The Learning Partnership's president and CEO, said Canada's public education system is crucial to the country's quality of life.

"In helping to prepare young people to one day assume their place as leaders, more than ever, it is important that we continue to recognize the efforts of educational leaders, the principals who are shaping today's youth for a better Canada tomorrow," Lacey said in a statement.

Sitting in his office, with a plastic tub of suckers on the table, teddy bears and a SpongeBob SquarePants atop his book shelf, Tomlin said he believes all children can learn.

"Education is the great equalizer in society," said the Bloor-Jane area resident. "Public education gives kids an opportunity to expand their development potential and be who they can be."

Next month, the winning principals will participate in a five-day executive leadership training program at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.

All will be inducted into the National Academy of Principals. A gala dinner to honour recipients will be held Feb. 26 in Toronto.