Pembina Hills Public Schools is now looking for a new superintendent and will not renew Colleen Symyrozum-Watt’s five-year contract when it expires on July 31, 2017.
In a release issued last week, board chair Jennifer Tuininga said a number of serious allegations of bullying and harassment of staff involving the superintendent were brought to her attention on Jan. 27.
That prompted a special in-camera meeting on Feb. 1 at the offices of the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) in Edmonton. Trustees then passed a motion to form an ad-hoc sub-committee consisting of Tuininga and Annette Bokenfohr.
The ad-hoc sub-committee was authorized to take a number of actions, such as issuing a notice of suspension to Symyrozum-Watt, retaining legal counsel and making complaints to authorities like the Registrar under the Alberta School Act.
Tuininga said the board would have had to bring forward a motion at the Feb. 8 meeting in order to renew Symyrozum-Watt’s contract.
“The board chose not to do so, which effectively was a decision to not renew (the contract),” she said.
Tuininga could not speak about the substance of the allegations, noting that because this is a personnel matter, they have to treat it with the utmost discretion.
“We need to proceed cautiously and professionally in order to ensure Pembina Hills isn’t placed under undue risk,” she said.
“We’ve been working very closely with legal counsel, and so we have to make sure that this process is fair and thorough.”
In an e-mail, Symyrozum-Watt said the Pembina Hills board had not communicated with her about her contract other than a motion made during the Jan. 27 meeting where they planned to extend her contract.
“My primary reaction to this announcement is deep disappointment in its investigation process given what’s at stake for the school division and for my career,” Symyrozum-Watt said.
She added that neither the board or the sub-committee had spoken to her further since Feb. 2, when she was given notice that she was on suspension. They did not specify as to who had made the allegations against her or what they were.
“This information was withheld unduly long,” she said, adding that the board had decided to recruit a new superintendent before she had a chance to fully and fairly respond.
Symyrozum-Watt said she would continue to co-operate with the investigation.
“I am proud that together with many outstanding division staff, we have built a resilient Pembina Hills school system across our communities,” she said.
“In the course of this challenging work, some staff will likely have disagreed with certain decisions I have made, or with how I have reacted in any given situation. In fact, that is probable given the complexity of a superintendent’s role.
“But that is why the board’s investigation should have been balanced and thorough, hearing all sides fairly. I don’t believe it has been.”
Under these circumstances, Symyrozum-Watt said she would not comment further about the investigation, the allegations or the outcome. “The board is in control and appears to have acted prematurely and punitively,” she said.
She added the situation could have been handled differently and more fairly, limiting the significant financial costs to the division and herself.
Following an in-camera discussion at the April 12 board meeting in Barrhead, trustees passed a motion to issue a request for proposals from recruitment firms to search for a new superintendent.
The hope is to have a new superintendent in place by this spring, Tuininga indicated.
“The board is committed to ensuring that everyone in the division has the support and leadership they need. Having a superintendent in place this August before the beginning of the new school year is in the best interests of our communities, students and staff,” she said.
It is not clear if Symyrozum-Watt is due some kind of severance payment or will simply be paid up to the end of her contract. When asked about it, Tuininga said the investigation is ongoing and she couldn’t speculate further.
When asked if Symyrozum-Watt was entitled to some form payment if she wasn’t under investigation, Tuininga said she couldn’t speak about anything in a personnel contract.
According to Pembina Hills’ audited financial statements for 2015-2016, Symyrozum-Watt was paid $206,988 that year and received $36,522 in benefits.
Until a new superintendent is recruited, Assistant Supt. of Employee Services and Facilities &Transportation David Garbutt will continued to serve as acting superintendent of the division.
