Advisor to review North Okanagan-Shuswap School Board activities

Apr 20, 2016 | 2:43 PM

VERNON, B.C. — BC’s Education Minister has appointed a special advisor to review the North Okanagan-Shuswap School Board.

Three of the nine trustees on the board tendered their resignations last week, over differences with the board’s direction and fellow trustees.

Education Minister Mike Bernier has appointed Liz Watson to review board activities and make recommendations in a report due by May 20th for moving forward.

Watson is president and CEO of Watson Inc. of Vancouver with more than 30 years experience as a lawyer and more than a decade as a leading advisor to boards, committees and CEOs.

The board will be required to provide an action plan in response to the report.

“We’ve heard from the board and from parents in the community that the public has to have confidence in the board and its work,” says Bernier. “The appointment of Liz Watson to look at everything the board is doing will help set the North-Okanagan Shuswap district on a path that rebuilds confidence.”

The special advisor will develop a report with both findings and recommendations for School District No. 83 that will look at a number of issues, including:

  • governance practices – including capacity, structure, and culture
  • board relationships with district management and with external stakeholders
  • board accountability and evaluation mechanisms
  • budgeting processes
  • capital planning