Education director of embattled northern Ont. school board has retired

Craig Myles, the education director for the Near North District School Board, has retired after coming under severe criticism in a provincial review.

Craig Myles, the director of education at the Near North District School Board, has retired, according to a leaked memo.

The news comes following months of controversy surrounding a governance review that led to a provincial takeover of the school board.

The memo shared with CTV News said Myles, who was harshly criticized in a provincial review of board operations, has retired.

The board came under fire when a long-planned JK-12 school failed to open in September in Parry Sound. Parents only learned of the delay in August, and some students had to start the year via online learning.

That prompted the Ministry of Education to investigate what happened, and the resulting report found there was a serious lack of leadership from Myles. It emerged he worked out of a former school instead of the board office.

The report found he also participated in his own job performance reviews that saw him receive a massive salary increase, and he allowed a family member to use his corporate credit card on at least two occasions for personal use.

Education Minister Paul Calandra said previously that he intended to replace Myles with a new interim director of education.

A provincial supervisor will be appointed in the new year.

The memo announcing his retirement said that Myles started with the school board in 2014 as superintendent of student success and was appointed director of education in January 2020.