It’s an unfortunate turn of events in the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District.
All of the trustees on the board had got involved with the very best of intentions, and that was to serve their respective communities and students.
However, Education Minister Mike Bernier was left with no choice but to fire the group given controversy that had swirled around the district for months, including diverting $10 million from operating funds to go towards a new administration office.
“Stakeholders have lost trust in the district trustees and superintendent,” wrote Liz Watson, a special advisor to Bernier, in a report that led to the dismissal of the trustees and the appointment of Mike McKay as the one-person board for at least a year.
McKay, a former Surrey school superintendent, has a tough job ahead of him as he must not only establish concrete procedures to avoid future problems, but he must take steps to re-establish trust among parents, residents and district staff.
Also awaiting McKay is the district’s ongoing financial situation, including whether Armstrong Elementary School should be closed.
Hopefully McKay is up to the task of making decisions that used to be in the hands of nine individuals.