Jim Gunn was appointed by Education Minister Karen Casey following a provincial auditor general’s report that gave the board a failing grade on several fronts.
“Mr. Gunn will submit the report to the Minister later this month. After the report is reviewed they will share it with the board at the public meeting on Oct. 6,” says Michelle Lucas, a spokesperson for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.”
Some of the key findings from an education audit that helped to form the basis of the auditor general’s report – which prompted the appointment of Gunn – included that:
• the board's roles and responsibilities are not clearly defined
• the board is not effectively overseeing educational results
• management does not effectively monitor the school improvement process
• management does not monitor student performance in many subject areas
For six months starting in January of this year, Gunn, among other things, attended board meetings and held professional development sessions with board members and staff.
Gunn is an education consultant who is also a former school board superintendent. Years ago he served as an interim superintendent with the Tri-County board.
The board’s Oct. 6 meeting will be held at the Digby Regional High School starting at 6 p.m. Board chair Donna Tidd said at the board’s September meeting that the education minister will be at the meeting.
School board meetings are normally held in Yarmouth but during the last school year a motion had been approved to hold at least one monthly meeting in Digby County and one in Shelburne County. It had been decided previous to the release date of Gunn’s report that the meeting in Digby would be held in this fall.