Town of Parry Sound council is requesting additional intervention from the Minister of Education, after they say the Near North District School Board failed to follow through on several directives laid out by the Ministry following a review of Board leadership last month.
According to the report, the Board was to submit a community engagement plan to the Ministry within 15 days of receiving direction. That plan was to include in-person engagement sessions with the Parry Sound community, with the first session taking place within 10 days of receiving the directions.
The report, containing 15 directives, was released on Oct. 30. Community engagement sessions have yet to occur.
At the request of Coun. Paul Borneman, council has agreed to send a letter to the Minister calling for the re-instatement of the West Parry Sound District School Board, or that area schools be placed under the direction of a different board.
“Whether is is Simcoe or Muskoka…we need to be extricated from the Near North District School Board. The relationship with the community is fractured and restoring that, is I think, beyond hope at this point,” said Borneman.
Near North School Board officials were slated to attend the Nov. 19 Parry Sound Council meeting before reneging due to a conflicting schedule. The NNDSB ended up having a special meeting that same night.
Council has extended an open invitation to Board officials to attend a future meeting, with councillors saying they are willing to schedule a special meeting in order to make it happen.
