Yellowknife Catholic Schools’ board chair resigns

The chair of Yellowknife’s Catholic school board, Miles Welsh, is resigning after seven years as a trustee, citing a busy work schedule.

Welsh announced his resignation on Thursday. The board voted to install vice-chair Erin Currie in his place until November. Expressions of interest will be sought to fill the vacancy created, the board decided.

“It’s more of a personal thing. I wasn’t going to be able to commit the time I felt was necessary,” said Welsh of his decision. He is also a manager of diamond secondary industry development with the NWT government.

“My new schedule is so busy with travelling and stuff. I just thought I couldn’t give what I thought I needed to give,” he said.

“We’ve dealt with a lot of challenges, but we think we’ve been successful with them,” said Welsh of his seven years on the board. Those challenges included the implementation of Junior Kindergarten, he said, and getting the territorial government to agree to fund the majority of that program’s costs. This was a case where Welsh said parents and the board “made themselves heard.”

However, hurdles relating to the funding of inclusive schooling remain, Welsh added.

Welsh said his favourite memories include attending school events and seeing students walk across the stage at grad. “It’s always awesome to go to grad,” he said, “seeing some kids you’ve known since kindergarten coming through it and graduating out.”

Welsh’s announcement comes following the school board’s transition to a new superintendent. Simone Gessler, a 20-year veteran of the school board, replaced Claudia Parker last month.