Former school superintendent charged with fraud related to expense claims
EDMONTON A former Alberta school superintendent has been charged with defrauding more than $18,000 from Pembina Hills Public Schools in Barrhead.
Colleen Symyrozum-Watt, 55, was arrested on June 25 and charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000, two counts of fraud under $5,000 and criminal breach of trust related to a time period when she was employed by the school board, said Barrhead RCMP in a Wednesday news release.
The two charges over $5,000 were for excess vacation days and
expenses claimed on a trip to Arizona, court records show.
Symyrozum-Watt was also charged with fraudulent use of books and a resume writer service under $5,000.
The former superintendent had her contract terminated by the school board on July 31, 2017, following reports of harassment and bullying received by school board chairwoman Jennifer Tuininga in January 2017. An investigation conducted by a subcommittee found Symyrozum-Watt “engaged in harassing behaviours” and breached board policies and procedures related to expenses and vacation days.
RCMP received a complaint against Symyrozum-Watt in September 2017 alleging she submitted fraudulent expense claims to the school board between November 2014 and January 2017.
Following her termination from the school board, SymyrozumWatt joined the College of Alberta School Superintendents in September 2017 as a consultant to lead the implementation of professional practice standards.
Symyrozum-Watt has since taken a leave of absence from her position after the college learned of the charges earlier in the summer, president Kurt Sacher said in a statement Wednesday.
Alberta Education Minister David Eggen said he is “very concerned about the situation” and will be monitoring it closely.
“We hold teachers and administrators to the highest level of service and expectation so anything
like this is certainly quite disturbing,” he said.
Tuininga said trustees made difficult decisions when they were alerted to concerns.
“The board has acted with due diligence and followed process,” she said Wednesday. “As far as the (news) release today, it’s before the courts.”
Symyrozum-Watt is scheduled to appear in provincial court next Tuesday. Barrhead is about 120 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.