HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-09-04, Page 17A unique window was providedinto the world of school leadershipdecision-making, when the parentcouncil chair from Sacred Heart
elementary school in Wingham
appeared before the Huron-Perth
Catholic District School Board on
Monday, Aug. 25.
Amy Cronin’s emotionally-
charged presentation challenged the
board’s decision – announced last
June – to move principal Jackie
Simpson to St. Marys elementary
school in Goderich and replace her
with newly-hired principal Greg
McLean.
“Our community is lacking in
many areas, and the revolving door
of principals is hindering our
advancement,” Cronin said.
She described the school
community’s attempts to remain
supportive and positive through
previous principal changes,
including a year in which the school
shared a leader with the now-closed
St. Joseph’s school in Kingsbridge.
But the switch to McLean – after
just a year with Simpson at the helm
– represented the fourth Sacred
Heart principal in just seven
years.
“(Simpson) put her heart and her
soul into it . . . She had big ideas for
Sacred Heart,” Cronin said, noting
that the school has been identified
for lower-than-average achievement
in provincially-standardized testing.
She believed Simpson had set a path
towards reversing that trend, and
support was building among families
to help achieve that goal.
“And when she left, the wholeschool cried,” Cronin explained. “Itwas like we were losing a leader andwe were losing hope.”Goderich/Northwest Hurontrustee Jim McDade was moved torespond, however, by Cronin’s
misgivings about the leadership
abilities of the incoming principal.
Specifically, he took issue with her
suggestions that “we’re tired of
having the principals that don’t
make the cut for other schools,” and
that “none of (the support being
provided to the school and its new
principal by the board) is of any
value if you don’t have a . . . strong
leader.”
“Everything you said resonates
with me except the part about
(McLean) not being a leader,”
McDade responded. “I don’t think
that was fair. He hasn’t even started
his job.”
“(Trustees) believe he has theskills. We believe he has theleadership. He needs somethingfrom you,” McDade continued,asking Cronin for support in thetransition.In defending the new principal –
who had a teaching career in the
Grey-Bruce Catholic board before
working for one year as a vice-
principal in the Avon Maitland
District School Board – McDade
also shone a light on what are
usually closed-door discussions
about hiring and relocating
principals and vice-principals.
He said the change came about as
the result of the principal of St.
Anne’s Catholic Secondary School
in Clinton accepting a
superintendent job outside the board.
Senior staff and trustees decided to
fill that void with a person who had
served previously as St. Anne’s vice-
principal, instead of lookingelsewhere for candidates over thesummer “and run the risk of havingno one in place for the beginning ofschool.”That led to a vacancy at St. Marysin Goderich. McLean had been
interviewed for the board’s potential
principal list, and McDade said his
attributes included “experience as a
vice-principal, outstanding pastoral
reference,” and involvement in the
community. The location of
McLean’s and Simpson’s residences
added another factor. McDade
described it as “the geography of
where he lived and the geography ofwhere Jackie lived.”Following the meeting,superintendent Martha Dutrizacagreed to meet with Cronin about thecommunity’s concern about thechange. But there was no indication
from the board that it would revisit
the decision.
“There are some tremendously
talented people in this office who
work for every school in the board,”
said chair Bernard Murray. “I have
faith in these people and I would ask
that you have faith that they will do
what’s best.”
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2008. PAGE 17. Parent challenges Catholic board’s decision
Although Huron OPP officers
were kept busy responding to over
200 calls for service during the long
weekend, they were happy to report
no fatalities or serious injuries
occurred.
In between calls for service,
officers set up over 30 RIDE
checkpoints in various parts of the
county stopping hundreds of
motorists.
The RIDE checks also occurred
on the water and one vessel
passenger was charged with
consuming liquor in other than a
licenced premise and another was
charged with having open liquor.
“We are generally pleased with
the results of the weekend and hope
that the trend continues throughout
the return to school,” said Const.
Joanna Van Mierlo.
Motorists are reminded to watch
for the kids and the busses now.
No fatalities in Huron
over holiday weekend
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