Education Minister Liz Sandals has announced that the province has lifted its supervision of the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, “effective immediately.”
In a statement issued today the minister credited current provincial appointee Janine Griffore and former supervisor Norbert Hartmann for restoring the board’s financial sustainability. The province imposed mandatory supervision of the board in August 2012, following the tabling of an auditor’s report to the Ministry of Education, which recommended the takeover of the system to put its financial house in order.
“Now that the board has passed audited financial statements, has fully addressed its operating deficit and has a plan in place to address its capital deficit, I’m confident it is in a position to make responsible decisions on behalf of its students,” said Sandals. “Therefore, the ministry has lifted its supervision of the board.”
She added that the ministry’s top priority has always been to restore public confidence in the board and put it on sound financial footing.
“We remain committed to ensuring sound financial governance at all school board and providing Ontario’s students with the best possible education.”
Griffore took on the role from Norbert in July, when the board transitioned to a co-management model, granting more authority to local Board officials.
Barbara Holland, who chairs the board, said trustees had expected the announcement, based on that fact it submitted audited financial statements reporting the elimination of its $2.3 million operating deficit and achieved an accumulated surplus of $5.4 million, through cost-cutting measures implemented during the supervisory period.
“We’re quite pleased,” said Holland, in an interview. “We did all that was expected of us and we’re very glad to take back ownership of the board. We’ve had some outstanding achievements over the year, not just with finances but with student achievement.”
Holland added that the board will hold an organizational meeting Dec. 2, to elect a chair and vice chair.
Asked how difficult it had been to see virtually of its authority stripped, with trustees and staff reduced to advisory roles, Holland said the local officials worked closely with the supervisors “in a collaborative effort” over the past several months. She called it “very good process” and addded it was an “outstanding experience” working with Hartmann.
“We worked hand-in-hand to get to where we are today,” she said.
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