Popular principal will stay at Toronto arts school after students, parents push back against transfer
Barrie Sketchley will now stay on as principal of the school where he spent over 30 years of his career until his retirement next June, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) said Tuesday.
The TDSB — which was recently taken over by a provincially-appointed supervisor due to government concerns of financial mismanagement — announced in June that Sketchley would be moved to Harbord Collegiate Institute for the upcoming school year. That led to pushback from parents and students, who said Sketchley was an integral part of the school community.
In a letter to parents, guardians and students Tuesday, the board said its province-appointed supervisor had reversed the decision to transfer Sketchley.
"Principal Sketchley's deep connection to students, families, and staff has shaped the identity of the school and we look forward to a wonderful school year ahead under Principal Sketchley's continued leadership," said the letter, signed by superintendent of education Jennifer Chan.
A new principal will join Sketchley to work with administration for the school year, the letter said. The new administrator will work as the school's "Centrally Assigned Principal — Transitions," to support students and staff and "select system initiatives related to transitions," Chan wrote.
The province and board have not commented on why Sketchley was originally set to be transferred.
A spokesperson for TDSB said any further comment on the decision would have to come from the Ministry of Education. CBC Toronto reached out to the ministry Tuesday evening, but did not immediately hear back.
The province's decision in June to take over four school boards, including the TDSB, prompted concerns from parents and students worried that their voices would not be heard in board decisions if their elected officials were no longer in charge.
Reversal comes after student, parent backlash
The original decision to move Sketchley led students at Rosedale Heights to walk out of class in protest this past spring. Many told CBC News at the time that Sketchley, who is in his 80s, had helped build Rosedale Heights into a leading arts school where students were given the best opportunities, and he could not be replaced.
An online petition to reinstate Sketchley at Rosedale Heights, which garnered roughly 2,900 signatures, said the principal's "dedication to the arts and his unwavering support for his students have left an indelible mark on our community."
"His absence would leave a void that no other can fill, and the community is deeply concerned about the future of our beloved school without his guidance," it read.
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