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Pembina Hills superintendent 'surprised ' investigation

Pembina Hills Public Schools (PHPS) Supt. Colleen Symyrozum-Watt says she was taken completely by surprise by an apparent investigation into a personnel issue relating to herself, the focus of which remains a complete mystery.

Pembina Hills Public Schools (PHPS) Supt. Colleen Symyrozum-Watt says she was taken completely by surprise by an apparent investigation into a personnel issue relating to herself, the focus of which remains a complete mystery.

“I was not given any specific information about the details of this review,” said Symyrozum-Watt, who has not been at work since she was handed a letter informing her of the board’s decision on Feb. 2.

“I had no knowledge or forewarning of any personnel or performance issues in my role as superintendent. I’m personally shaken by these events.”

On Feb. 1, trustees hosted a special meeting at the Edmonton offices of the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA). According to minutes posted on the Pembina Hills website, the meeting was started at 9:31 a.m. and was attended by legal counsel. It was reconvened as a regular meeting over nine hours later at 6:45 p.m.

At that time, the trustees passed a motion to form an ad-hoc sub-committee consisting of trustees Jennifer Tuininga and Annette Bokenfohr. Tuininga is serving as the sub-committee chair.

The committee was formed “in response to matter 2017-001,” though what the matter actually concerns is never specified.

However, the ad hoc sub-committee is authorized to seek information and assistance from regional office administration, retain and instruct legal counsel and consultants as deemed appropriate, file one or more complaints with any authority, including the Commissioner appointed under the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act; and issue a notice of suspension to Symyrozum-Watt.

The ad hoc committee must also report back to the board respecting any action undertaken.

Tuininga said on Friday that these are only steps that the sub-committee may take as part of its review, but “not necessarily” steps they must take.

However, she said she will not speak to any specific actions taken or not taken with respect to the review.

“Because this is a personnel matter, we have to treat this with the utmost discretion,” she said.

In the interim, assistant Supt. of employee services and facilities and transportation David Garbutt is looking after the day-to-day correspondence and operations normally overseen by Symyrozum-Watt.

Though Garbutt will handle any matters normally dealt with by Symyrozum-Watt, he said he still retains his title.

Garbutt said he hadn’t been given any indication how long Symyrozum-Watt would be away from work.

In an interview on Saturday, Symyrozum-Watt said she will co-operate with the review, but she will also take any necessary steps “legal or otherwise” to ensure her reputation as an educator and an administrator is intact.

“I have no choice but to consider legal and other actions in order to protect a professional reputation that I’ve worked so hard over the years to build,” she said.

Symyrozum-Watt said the situation has been extremely difficult, not just for herself personally but also her family, friends and colleagues.

She said she was grateful to receive an outpouring of support from colleagues and friends from around the province, adding, “I feel so fortunate to be supported by so many.”

Symyrozum-Watt said she believes that the board, herself and everyone else that makes up Pembina Hills have built “a really strong school system together” over the past five years.

“We have tackled a number of substantive issues in our system with professionalism … and care for students and teachers and the overall best interests of improving education in the region.”

Symyrozum-Watt has a long history as an educator in the area, having worked for the Westlock School Division prior to its amalgamation in 1995, which produced the Pembina Hills school division.

She worked in several administrative roles prior to becoming superintendent in 2012. Symyrozum-Watt had already been serving as acting Supt. following the departure of Egbert Stang several months earlier.

Stang had been terminated without cause on Dec. 5, 2011, which netted him a $119,250 severance payment.

The reasons for why he was terminated have never been released.

Stang had been with Pembina Hills for just under a year, having taken over from Richard Harvey on Jan. 1, 2011.

Harvey had left at the end of 2010 after working for the division for four years.

The circumstances of Harvey’s departure from the division are now clear, as he pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000 at a Newfoundland courtroom on Jan. 22, 2015.

Harvey had claimed more than $29,000 in fraudulent expenses, which were noticed by a division employee and were the subject of an internal audit and subsequent RCMP investigation.

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