Lack of consultation with school councils on the decision damaging trust
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following letter is an open letter to the Rainbow District School Board. It has been reprinted here at the author’s request.
To whom it may concern:
I write this letter to show my concerns as a parent and as the School Council Chair at the Central Manitoulin Public School.
Last year, we lost our Principal Tracey Chapman due to changes in the Rainbow District School Board. In exchange, we received an equally talented and loved Principal Christy Case.
The parents and students have built a strong relationship and bond with Mrs. Case and are very saddened to see her being transferred after only one year, which is a shock to say the least.
Mrs. Case has embraced the philosophy and direction that the parents have laid out. In one year, she has made a number of changes and supported the students, the teachers and the parents in our goals for a more technologically advanced school. I believe her heart, mind and actions align with those at the Central Manitoulin Public School.
I think we can all agree that mental health of our students should be top priority in the school system. Along with that are stability, support and safety. I think the students suffered a great loss when Mrs. Chapman was transferred as she had been there a number of years, somewhere around the 12-year mark, and had developed a deep relationship with the students. When Ms. Chapman was transferred there was an uncertain feeling amongst all the students, parents and teachers.
We were very blessed to received Mrs. Case and developed another surprising deep and loving relationship with Mrs. Case. I think it will be detrimental to students’ mental health to have another principal ripped away from them and another deep relationship cut. This was a sudden, unexpected decision that was made without the input of students, parents or the School Council.
I can tell you that every year, parents combine their hopes and desires and fill out the Principal Profile to express to the Rainbow District School Board what our direction is as a school and what we require from our principal. I can tell you in short that Mrs. Case fills all the requirements.
I can understand that another school requires a principal, and I have no doubt that Mrs. Case would do a fabulous job. However, can that position not be posted at that school? I am sure that there are a number of eligible people to fill that position and who would love to make a new start.
I must insist that Mrs. Case remain at the Central Manitoulin Public School and that the new position is posted at the other school. I don’t believe that any would suffer from keeping Mrs. Case at her current assignment with the Central Manitoulin Public School.
If this move continues to happen, I can tell you that there are many parents and students who will be upset with the change and will find it difficult to trust the Rainbow District School Board in the future.
I have contacted our Trustee, Larry Killens, and it is on his recommendation we write you. He shared that he was completely unaware of any changes, planned, decided or otherwise. We find it strange as our representative he did not know and we will approach him ourselves on that front.
Respectfully,
Carrie Spry
School Council Chair
on behalf of CMPS concerned parents
