‘Dysfunctional’ northern Ont. school board vows to implement changes

A scathing ministry report blasts the Near North District School Board for its handling of a new high school. The 33-page report lists 17 recommendations.

After a scathing review of its operations was released last week, officials with the Near North District School Board say it will implement all recommendations included in the report.

The board came under fire last summer when it emerged that a long-planned JK-Grade 12 school in Parry Sound would not be ready in time when classes resumed in September.

High school students were forced into online learning for the first part of the year, before being allowed into a former high school.

The Ministry of Education appointed Rachel Osborne to investigate what happened – why the school wasn’t ready, why no contingency plan was in place and why there was a lack of communication.

While Osborne concluded that construction delays were the reason why the school wasn’t ready to open, her investigation revealed there was a serious lack of leadership from the director of education, Craig Myles, who operated out of a former school instead of the board offices.

Myles also participated in his own performance reviews that saw his salary increase from $171,000 to more than $300,000 in just a few years, allowed family members to use the corporate credit card and made several questionable hiring decisions.

In addition, several trustees came under fire for either purposely misleading the community or not knowing what their roles were.

The dysfunction meant that regular visits to the construction site were not conducted. As a result, no one was aware of the delay until July, and it wasn’t communicated to parents and students until August.

In response to a request for comment from CTV News, the board said it “acknowledges” it has received the report.

“The board acknowledges receipt of the ministry’s report and affirms its commitment to promptly address all identified items,” said a statement from board chair Ashley St. Pierre.

“Actions in alignment with the minister’s direction have already commenced.”

Amy Black, a spokesperson with Parents of Parry Sound, said the board failed to communicate with the committee or respond to questions.

“Students are the most important part of this and right now, they are getting a subpar education and they deserve better,” Black said.

She is calling on Myles to resign, saying public trust in the board has completely eroded.

“I believe in three strikes and you’re out and I think this is four, or five or six,” Black said.

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli said he was surprised by what he read in Osborne’s report.

“I quite frankly was absolutely shocked,” Fedeli said.

“How could this have gone on so long?”

He said the province has given the board marching orders to reform itself.

“The minister has ended up saying meet these targets or there’s consequences,” Fedeli said.