Regina, Friday May 8, 2015 - Saskatchewan's Francophone school board trustees have extended Donald Michaud's mandate for an additional year as head of Conseil des Écoles Fransaskoises (CÉF), Chair André Denis announced today.
The Board had been recruiting for a new Director of Education in recent months, but felt circumstances required that Director of Education Donald Michaud continue his work for an additional year, Board Chair André Denis explained :
"As the recruitment process unfolded, the Board came to the realization that not all winning conditions were yet in place to ensure the success of a smooth transition to a new Director of Education appointee who would have to hit the ground running in the midst of a financial and operational recovery exercice that is not yet completed," Denis said.
Consequently, the Trustees asked Donald Michaud to stay on for education service delivery guidance, to continue his efforts to restore the financial health of the Conseil des écoles fransaskoises, and to support the momentum towards normalizing relations with the provincial government -- where despite challenges, noticeable improvements were made during his tenure over the last year.
For Donald Michaud, helping steer the Conseil des Écoles Fransaskoises has become very much a labour of love:
"Almost a year ago, when I was handed the mandate to stabilize and completely overhaul the operations of Saskatchewan's Francophone school division, I did so reluctantly. The more I got involved, the more I felt myself drawn into this mission. Today I see that there is still much work to be done. I feel I have the confidence of trustees; of staff teams. I continue to work to strengthen the confidence of parents and the Saskatchewan Francophone community towards their school system. I am confident that will happen. "
Donald Michaud has dedicated his professional life to Francophone education. A native of Gravelbourg, he began his teaching and education administration career at what was at the time the only French high school in Saskatchewan : Collège Mathieu. Michaud helped launch Beau Soleil elementary school in Gravelbourg. He headed school boards in Ontario and Alberta, where he is the executive of the Francophone equivalent of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association. One of the architects of Saskatchewan's French first-language education system, he earned the most prestigious national recognition for public service administration in minority Francophone education : the Edgar Gallant Award.
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A first-language school today, a bilingual Francophone for life! - The Conseil des écoles fransaskoises (CÉF) is home to 1,900 preschool to Grade 12 students in 15 elementary and secondary schools across the province. Financed by the Ministry of Education, it is the only French as a first language school board in Saskatchewan.
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