Cape Breton-Victoria board reflects on ‘difficult year’
Outgoing members Barb Mercer, Kevin Ruelland thanked for their efforts
With school board elections less than a month away, the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board reflected on one its “most difficult years” when they met for one of the last times, Monday.
“This year was a difficult year that saw lots of changes,” said board chair Lorne Green, in addressing the board. “We made decisions that were not always seen in the best interests of our students but I can assure you that the decisions that we made, our mission was to serve the best interests of our students.”
Green was referencing the board’s decision in April to close 17 schools over the next five years, following an eightmonth-long school review process in five families of schools within the board. Ten schools have already closed and the rest will follow over the next four years.
“Now that we’ve gone through one of the most difficult years for this school board in its history, we have much work to do for our students in preparing them for the future,” he said.
Green, who has been acclaimed as the African Nova Scotia representative on the board, congratulated Fred Tilley, Jack Toomey, Stephen Parsons, Joyce Lind, Gary Fraser and John Berk on being acclaimed, and wished Jackie Organ, Stewart Matheson, Joan Currie, Yvonne Kennedy, Charlotte Shaw and Sandra Margettie well in their bids for re-election on Oct. 15.
Monday’s meeting at Florence Elementary School was the final monthly meeting for board members Barb Mercer and Kevin Ruelland, who have not reoffered for another term.
Green said Ruelland, who was first elected in 2000, was never afraid to voice his concerns and stand up for his community; while Mercer, a former principal who was first elected in 2008, was particularly passionate about reading and school libraries.
“We as a board would like to say to both of you thank you for your commitment to students and staff, to the public education system and to this board. You will be missed but not forgotten,” he said.