School District 27 will be without three senior staff members by the end of July.
Assistant superintendent Harj Manhas, Director of Instruction (elementary) Jerome Beauchamp, and Director of Instruction (student support services) Silvia Seibert-Dubray will be retiring effective July 31, 2020.
“One we’re going to miss them and of course two we’d be lying if we weren’t a little envious that they’re getting to retire,” Superintendent of Schools, Chris van der Mark said with a laugh, “but I think the other key bit as well as being long, long time employees they’ve been very cognizant. These weren’t unexpected retirements and what they’ve also done is given us a lot of time to make sure that we can plan.”
Manhas, Beauchamp, and Seibert-Dubray all have had lengthy careers within the District.
Both Manhas and Seibert-Dubray were both hired as new teachers in 1988. Beauchamp was hired in 1981 and began his career with a part-time position at Nesika.
Van der Mark says the District will be searching far and wide to fill their positions.
“These are very key positions going forward,” he says. “Organizationally they’re key positions in terms of succession planning and kind of the future orientation of the District, and I think and can hope that we’re going to have good luck in attracting people to a beautiful part of the province.”