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Near North school board should be 'effective, transparent and accountable,' says gov't report

'The key issues are symptomatic of the lack of effective leadership'
2019 0623 near north district school board logo on wall 1 turl
Near North District School Board logo.

NORTH BAY — A report on the Near North District School Board released this week by the province reiterates the importance of efficacy, transparency, and accountability.

The report was released by Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education.

Read the complete report here.

Last year, the board reached out to the Ministry of Education for support regarding the challenges it faces with respect to governance, human resources practices and financial accountability.

The government responded by appointing Wayne Joudrie and Wally Easton to conduct a review.

The report states, "The key issues are symptomatic of the lack of effective leadership. This leadership deficit manifests itself through lack of clarity, lack of consistency and a resulting lack of public (and staff) confidence. We also observed significant shortcomings in the areas of communications, governance and human resources practices.

"Leadership, or more precisely a deficit in leadership, accounts for most of the challenges within the NNDSB. It would be our observation that the issues related to Governance, Human Resources, Financial Accountability, and Public Confidence are symptoms, with leadership deficit being the underlying cause."

A staff survey indicates that only 16 per cent of staff agree that the NNDSB acts in an open, transparent and accountable manner.

As far as finances go, the report states, "The Ministry considers the NNDSB to be a 'low risk' board financially. The board has a balanced budget and maintains a reasonable surplus. In comparing the board’s expenditures to other boards of similar size, there were no significant anomalies observed. However, the board has made financial decisions which are questionable and have led to lack of public confidence and staff morale issues."

The report also addresses the lack of public confidence in the Board.

"There appears to be a lack of staff/community confidence in board decision-making related to the public good. The local media provides consistent, critical commentary based upon community relations and procedural mis-steps.

The advisors say the Director’s Office has been chronically understaffed and, as a result, proactive communications and community engagement strategies have been placed on the backburner.

"We surveyed all staff, parents, and community. Over 2000 individuals responded. The lowest rated area for both surveys was 'Board Transparency.' Parent and Community Survey ratings indicate that less than 40 per cent of respondents gave a positive rating. The Staff Survey showed an even more concerning result, with less than 20 per cent of respondents providing a positive rating.

"At public meetings, we heard significant concerns related to the board’s decision-making process with respect to accommodation reviews. The public asked for more transparency. They want to understand why the Board is opting for one solution over others. Without this transparency, conspiracy theories and lack of trust flourish."

It concludes, "Despite the issues related to leadership, governance and other areas of central administration, it is encouraging to know that school leaders and staff are providing a solid learning environment that is focused on student achievement and well-being. However, based on provincial tests, we believe the board can improve its student achievement scores and graduation rates."

"Our board is turning the corner towards the restoration of public confidence in our system," said Chair of the NNDSB, Jay Aspin. "We engaged the Ministry and are grateful for its valuable assistance with this report. With continued support and strong leadership from our recently appointed Director, we are confident that we are firmly on route to providing the best educational opportunities for the students of our Near North District School Board."

The Minister of Education has requested that the Board provide written reports in May, September, and December of this year, detailing its progress in implementing the Special Advisors’ recommendations.


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Jeff Turl

About the Author: Jeff Turl

Jeff is a veteran of the news biz. He's spent a lengthy career in TV, radio, print and online, covering both news and sports. He enjoys free time riding motorcycles and spoiling grandchildren.
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