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The chair of the London District Catholic college board says he has declined an invite to a convention at a Southwestern Ontario on line casino’s lodge this spring.
Hosted by Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers’ Affiliation, the convention is being held Might 14 to 16 at Caesars Windsor lodge.
“If it’s a trustees’ convention with out skilled improvement, I received’t be attending,” mentioned trustee Gabe Pizzuti, the Catholic college board’s chairperson.
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The affiliation didn’t reply to a request for extra particulars concerning the occasion.
The convention is one among a string of occasions inflicting concern amongst educators within the wake of a $38,000 retreat final 12 months that led to resignation of the Thames Valley District college board’s high official, Mark Fisher. His affiliate director, Linda Nicholls, additionally ended her employment with the board.
In August 2023, Thames Valley executives confronted criticism after 18 senior workers members stayed on the former SkyDome lodge in downtown Toronto amid a $7.6-million funds crunch. Rooms on the lodge – now often known as the Marriott Metropolis Centre Resort, situated contained in the baseball stadium – vary from $374 to $1,199 an evening, based on lodge workers.
Previous to the ballpark retreat, the board took a number of measures, together with eliminating 124 jobs and slashing funding for college journeys and textbooks because it seeks to tame a deficit as soon as projected to be $30 million.
Veteran educator Debbie Kasman, who has labored on the Ministry of Schooling, says that whereas “skilled improvement is critically vital,” travel-oriented occasions are “extraordinarily costly” for boards.
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“It’s a apply taxpayers can now not afford,” she mentioned. “On-site studying and on-line studying are simply as efficient and far more economical.”
Mary Henry is president of CUPE Native 4222, which represents 1,600 board staff. She provided related ideas.
“If all the college boards are in deficits, like we’ve seen within the public information, then I feel all college board trustees and superintendents needs to be significantly contemplating how they’re utilizing their cash that they don’t appear to have,” she mentioned.
The London-based Catholic board received’t say if any of its workers shall be attending a three-day Ontario Catholic Supervisory convention on the White Oaks Convention Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake from April 24 to 26.
“Resulting from privateness and safety considerations, we don’t publicly launch the schedule or whereabouts of the director of training, different senior workers or members of the board of trustees,” mentioned the board’s spokesperson, Mark Adkinson.
A 3rd conference, hosted by Ontario Public Faculty Boards’ Affiliation, is also being held in Niagara-on-the Lake, says spokesperson T.J. Goertz.
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“Along with the enterprise assembly, the occasion additionally provides a complete skilled improvement program for trustees, with a powerful governance focus this 12 months,’ he mentioned.
Matters have included synthetic intelligence, Indigenous training, creativity and cybersecurity, Goertz mentioned.
Previously, the opening-night cocktail receptions have been sponsored by legislation agency Hicks Morley, based on a put up on its web site in 2023, which was later taken down.
“We’re proud to help OPSBA and sit up for embracing the long run collectively,” the 2023 invitation learn.
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