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Letter to the editor: Former school board chair speaks out

Questions need to be asked why this current board of inexperienced trustees announced the replacement of its superintendent just five months after taking office. 
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SD57 Board Chair Sharel Warrington.

On March 10, the board of education announcement that Superintendent Cindy Heitman had left the district and was being replaced and on March 11, two highly respected trustees resigned.  These events should leave the public asking the question why.   

After only five months into their term of office, trustees Betty Bekkering and Gillian Burnett stated they could no longer support the manner in which the board was functioning. Trustee Burnett described it as “dysfunctional.”  Trustee Bekkering stated that members of the board “didn’t seem interested in the role of the trustee.  They really wanted to concentrate on the operations of the district which is the jurisdiction of the superintendent.” One can only question what was going on behind the scenes to create this untenable situation.

A board of education has specific responsibilities, one of which is to demonstrate it understands its governance role.  This role is extremely complex. It requires working as a team that draws upon and respects the skills and experience each member brings to it.   It requires supporting and respecting its superintendent, its administrative team and its employees and it requires creating a positive organizational culture.  It requires keeping focussed on the long-term goals and strategic direction of the district. Trustees need to understand the damage that can result when decisions are made that interfere, undermine or create a climate of uncertainty around the management and operation of the district.

Questions need to be asked why this current board of inexperienced trustees announced the replacement of its superintendent just five months after taking office.  Superintendent Heitman over the past four years led the district through difficult and challenging times. She made every effort to engage with the community and ensure all voices were heard. She has been unwavering in her work to rebuild the district’s relationship with the Indigenous community and in addressing the recommendations of the Special Advisor’s Report. 

Through a highly collaborative process, she and her team led the development of the district’s strategic plan. At every opportunity, she provided factual data and evidence to help the public understand the academic, social and emotional challenges facing our students.  She, along with her leadership team, worked tirelessly to put in place the resources, support structures and strategies needed to address these challenges and meet the needs of all students in the district. School District 57 has lost a highly competent, committed and valued member of its administrative team.

In order to attract, recruit and retain qualified people to work in School District 57, the board in its leadership and governance role must promote and model a positive, collaborative working and learning environment. Its decisions must not contribute to uncertainty and instability.  The public needs to hold a board accountable for the climate it creates and the decisions it makes.

Sharel Warrington

Prince George