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Board grants Bailey five-year extension to lead Clearview

At the board meeting on Thursday, Dec. 20, Clearview School Board trustees voted narrowly in a 4-3 decision to reappoint John Bailey

At the board meeting on Thursday, Dec. 20, Clearview School Board trustees voted narrowly in a 4-3 decision to reappoint John Bailey to the position of superintendent for a five-year extension.

The point of contention in the discussion of the motion was the length of term.

Some trustees expressed concern that five years was too long of a term.

Trustee Peter Simons suggested “a friendly amendment” to the motion for a two-year extension, but that was defeated.

Trustee Karen Holoway said a five-year term shows a good long-term commitment and gives stability to the school division.

The board plans to prepare a new contract with Bailey and send a notice of “intent to re-appoint” to the Minister of Education for approval — as per the requirements of the School Act.

In the future, the Clearview board meetings might be webcast for public viewing.

By a unanimous motion, trustees voted to have administration investigate the feasibility and cost of webcasting the public portion of board meetings, and report back to the board.

The school board considered a number of measures aimed at improving board transparency. It decided to post the remuneration, benefits and expenses of the board trustees, and the expenses of the superintendent and secretary-treasurer on the division website, beginning in February 2013.

The board considered draft policies that would see the board agenda package made available to the public prior to meetings.

The board received a request from an Emmerson Acres resident for busing to be provided.

Bailey said the parent believed it was a Clearview bus in the area, but the bus actually belonged to the East Central Catholic Schools.

Bailey said that because the parent’s letter was addressed to the board, the board chair would send a response, outlining the information regarding the bus and that the earliest the board would even be able to consider busing in that area would be September 2013.