In his first 90 days on the job, Paul Ash says he wants to get a good understanding of all TCRSB schools.
He has been visiting the board’s schools and talking with staff, parents and members of the community to, he says, “get a sense of where we’re at right now and what ideas people have on how we, as a central office, can support our schools and ultimately our kids.”
“Every school is unique so it’s very difficult in some ways to think you can tweak the system in one place and fix everything for everyone,” Ash says. “It has to be very specific to the needs of the school and, in some cases, right down to the needs of the classroom and the individual student.”
Still, there are common themes coming from his visits.
“One of the things I’ve been hearing quite frequently from all staff is that they’re interested in just being listened to – us getting out and having more discussions with them and working collaboratively with them,” says Ash. “That’s not to say that school boards haven’t done that in the past, but we’re in a very unique situation coming out of work to rule and as a result of some of the things that have been happening over the past year or so. The communication hasn’t been as strong as it could have been.”
Ash started his position as superintendent on March 31. Before this he was director of the Department of Education’s African Canadian services division. He replaces Lisa Doucet at the TCRSB. She had served as superintendent for five years and is now superintendent at APSEA (Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority).
In his family Ash’s grandmother Hattie Ash was the principal of the last segregated school for black students in Canada – the Mary E. Cornish Memorial School in Lincolnville, N.S. that closed its doors in 1983. Ash is making history himself as the province’s first African Nova Scotian superintendent, but he’s of the philosophy that while it’s significant to be the first of something, it’s also significant to not be the last.
“At one time there was a first female superintendent of schools, at some time there was probably a first superintendent of schools with a disability, so from a professional perspective it’s exciting to have this opportunity,” Ash says, believing these types of achievements speak to the potential that exists within all Nova Scotians. “To become a superintendent of schools is a privilege. It’s something that you work very hard towards…it is quite an exciting opportunity to have individuals trust me with this level of responsibility in terms of supporting our schools. To be the first African Nova Scotia superintendent of schools is an added bonus.”
Ash says school boards are tasked with a difficult job, made all the more challenging with declining enrolment and funding that doesn’t cover all of the needs that exist. School closures are an example of decisions that are difficult and emotional.
“I can tell you in my short time here in terms of meeting with individual board members, none of those board members have taken any of those decisions lightly,” says Ash.
Asked why he wanted this job, Ash, who describes himself as a teacher first and foremost, feels he can make a contribution to make a difference for kids in the classrooms.
Coming from Guysborough, where he says there are similarities to the Tri-County region, he loves that his new job has brought him close to the sea.
Living with his brother in Meteghan for the time being – and he says he has to give a shout-out to his niece Alexis Ash too – he says southwestern Nova Scotia a beautiful part of the province.
“It’s funny, you can live in Halifax and think you’re on the water, but you’re really not on the water until you get out here.”
