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Former Superintendent of SD #49 dismissed from Arrow Lakes School District

Former Superintendent of SD #49 dismissed from Arrow Lakes School District

Denise Perry has been dismissed as superintendent/secretary-treasurer of School District No. 10 (Arrow Lakes) effective May 22.

Perry was hired last summer to replace Walter Posnikoff, who held the position for many years.

Chair of the Arrow Lakes board of education, Pattie Adam, explained that the board felt Perry was not fitting in well with the district. “It was a very difficult decision we had to make,” she said in a telephone interview. “I think in the long run, we learned a lot about ourselves and how we run.”

The acting superintendent/secretary-treasurer role has been taken on by long-time SD10 employee, Terry Taylor. Adam explained that the Province would help the board find someone to come in and assist Taylor. That person should be in place by the end of the week.

“It is a matter of making it through the school year with the least disruption to students as possible. The students are why we’re doing everything we’re doing,” said Adam. “We will work hard to do our best during this time, and ask everyone to bear with us and help us along.”

Adam said the hiring process that led to Perry’s appointment was “a good and thoughtful process” but, “It’s just one of those things. You can’t always be sure until you try things sometimes.”

She said the board is “much more knowledgeable now” and will be discussing whether combining the superintendent and secretary-treasurer positions is the way they want to continue on or not. She said the Province would help them with this decision, as well.

“Other districts are thinking strictly of educational purposes for the district as the superintendent’s role, whereas the secretary/treasurer looks after the business end of things. The board is learning what a valuable person we had in the former superintendent, who designed and invented the superintendent/secretary-treasurer position,” Adam said.