Transition Committee Members Are Elected Trustees: Minister

The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education, today clarified for the public that members of the transition committee overseeing the consolidation of the province’s four English-language school boards are, in fact, elected trustees. They were elected to the current schools boards they serve – school boards which will continue to operate until August 31, 2013.

“The transition committee is composed of the four existing school board chairs, and one other elected trustee from each of the boards – Labrador, Western, Nova Central and Eastern,” Minister Jackman said. “The trustees were selected with a view to ensuring there is balanced regional representation and that there are women included on the committee. I am very concerned by the way these volunteer, elected trustees have been characterized by the Liberal Opposition Critic in recent days. They are dedicated individuals who have agreed to take on a challenging assignment over the summer months to ensure the delivery of educational programs and services to students, teachers and staff will flow smoothly in September. They most certainly should not be maligned for their efforts in this regard.”

Lorne Wheeler, a former educator, school administrator, and a previous Deputy Minister of Education, is the independent chair of the committee.

Minister Jackman also stressed that the consolidation process being followed is virtually the same as that which occurred in 2004, when 10 English-language boards were consolidated into four. Meanwhile, the transition committee has met, and their work has begun.

“As I have indicated on several occasions, this will be a provincial English-language school board, with corporate and financial services headquartered in St. John’s,” said Minister Jackman. “Current school board offices in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Corner Brook and Gander will, however, remain open. These regional offices will be staffed with executive, management and staff who will be the day-to-day decision-makers on issues specifically related to educational programming and related services to students and teachers. Education-related services provided to staff, students and their families will continue to be offered in the regional areas, as they have been in the past.”

The initial announcement of the establishment of the transition committee can be viewed at: www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2013/edu/0424n07.htm.

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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca 

2013 05 16                                       3:55 p.m.