Latest news with #BarrieSketchley
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘He's been here for 33 years': Hundreds of students protest TDSB decision to transfer beloved principal
Hundreds of Rosedale Heights School of the Arts protest the transfer of their beloved principal. Hundreds of students walked out of Rosedale Heights School of the Arts this morning, protesting the Toronto District School Board (TDSB)'s decision to transfer their beloved principal, Barrie Sketchley. 'I thought it was kind of disgusting considering he's been here for 33 years,' said student Georgia Gonzalez. Sketchley, who is in his 80s, plans to work just one more year before retiring. He transformed what was a vocational school where students learned trades into one for the arts, and has remained as the school's principal for more than 30 years. Some students shared with CTV News what they loved about Sketchley. They said he greets them when they arrive to school for the day, attends every school concert and even knows everyone by name. One student shared how they have been able to experiment with their art thanks to the safe environment Sketchley created. Another pointed to how the principal fought to keep the same amount of funding for their arts programs, while other schools cut their costs. The superintendent made the announcement on Monday in a letter saying, in part, 'Mr. Sketchley will always be a part of the RHSA community, and I sincerely thank him for his outstanding service to students. Please join me in wishing him well at his new school.' The letter announced he would be transferred to Harbord Collegiate and a new principal, Mr. Joseph Ghassibe, would take his place. Katrina Matheson, who is on the school council, says they have been in touch with the TDSB with open lines of communication trying to reverse its decision. 'I don't know if the door is open for changes, but it's our hope,' she said. Richard Rose has two daughters who have gone to this school. 'He founded the school and he's in great shape,' said Rose. 'He does what he needs to do and the kids love him and he can do his job. Why go about this? It seems kind of odd or mean spirited.' CTV News spoke briefly with Sketchley but he declined an interview, only expressing his love for his students. In May 2023, CTV News profiled Sketchley and spoke of having never wanted to do anything else except be an educator. He's the longest serving principal in the province and the Toronto School Administrators Association held a gala to celebrate him. Within days of finding out about Sketchley's transfer, students mobilized plans for the walk out including creating a social media presence. Teacher Maryanne Marsh has worked alongside Sketchley for 30 years. 'He's created a culture of kindness and that is very unique,' she said. She is retiring at the end of this year herself and says this is a terrible way for his celebrated career to end. 'They should allow this man some dignity and grace and to exit his legacy and his career in a way that celebrates him,' said Marsh. The TDSB says Principal and Vice Principal placements and transfers are an operation decision by staff. The transfer is scheduled to take effect July 1.
Global News
2 days ago
- General
- Global News
Hundreds of Toronto students walk out of class after beloved principal shuffled by board
Hundreds of students at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts have walked out of class in support of their beloved principal, who is being transferred to another school. On Thursday., June, 12 students at the high school located at 711 Bloor St. E. walked out of class to protest the transfer of the school's long-serving principal, Barrie Sketchley. On Monday, the Toronto District School Board sent a letter home to students that, along with a series of principal and vice-principal promotions and transfers, Sketchley would not be moving schools for the following school year. 'Principal Barrie Sketchley will transfer to Principal at Harbor C.I., where he will be an outstanding addition to the school following the departure of their Principal,' the letter reads. Sketchley founded the Rosedale school 33 years ago. A letter from parents opposing the move said he built the school into one of Toronto's most inclusive and creative high schools. Story continues below advertisement Sketchley, 82, is one of the longest-serving principals at the school board, the letter says. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'After so many years at RHSA, Barrie Sketchley should be able to retire from Rosedale, not some other school that he might lead for just a year or two,' said Katrina Matheson, chair of the school's advisory council. The parents claim a policy which allows parents to participate in the decision of principal transfers was not followed. Matheson said that the students are devastated by the news, adding it will also impact the students at the school he is being transferred to when Sketchley retires two years after the move. The devastation was made clear on Thursday when the students spoke out against the move during the demonstration, with one describing Sketchley as a fierce supporter of the arts who always shows up for the students. 'Removing him now just before retirement is not only unfair, it's unjust,' the student said as a crowd of hundreds chanted Sketchley's name. The letter sent from the school board also praised Sketchley for his years of service, saying he is a 'caring, dedicated and exceptional leader who has touched the lives of thousands of students and families over his decades-long principalship at Rosedale Heights.' The school's advisory council is encouraging parents who are concerned about the transfer to reach out to the Minister of Education Paul Calandra. Story continues below advertisement 'The ill-timed transfer of Barrie Sketchley against the wishes of parents and students speaks to the existence of larger governance failures within the TDSB. We are counting on Minister Calandra to ensure that educators, parents and students are treated with dignity by the school board,' Matheson said.
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Star
The transfer of TDSB's longest serving principal sparked protests + Ontario line is costing Metrolinx a pretty penny
Good morning. This is the Thursday, June 12 edition of First Up, the Star's daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox. Here's the latest on the TDSB transferring its longest-serving principal, Metrolinx's massive land payou t and growing surgery wait times. Also, we're following developments on an Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport this morning with 242 people on board. Here's what we know. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW DON'T MISS The TDSB's decision to transfer its longest serving principal is sparking protests Here's what the rumour mill is saying about Barrie Sketchley's departure from Rosedale Heights. TDSB seeks public feedback as it reviews controversial policy on specialized program admissions This Ontario Line property is going to cost Metrolinx big money A tribunal ruling sided with the land owners' appraisal. Here's how much Metrolinx has to pay. Metrolinx forced him out of his $1,400-a-month home to make way for a new Ontario Line station. Now his rent has almost doubled — and he won't be the only one, the city warns Canadians are facing growing wait times for 'priority' surgeries Despite clearing the COVID backlog, wait times have spiked. Take a look at the data. I paid $1,500 for an MRI and got an appointment in days. But such scans aren't always good for patients — or our health care system WHAT ELSE On Tuesday, federal industry minister Melanie Joly pointed to the domestic auto industry as a potential key part of Ottawa's commitment to reach its exanded defence spending goals. Spencer Colby/ The Canadian Press file photo Could Mark Carney's military plans save Canada's auto industry? Here's what you need to know. Here's how Carney hopes to smooth over his differences with Trump at the G7 summit. Canada set a record for the number of refugee claims received last year. This is what the UN report said. Don't believe players' cooked-up story, the Crown said in their closing arguments at the Hockey Canada trial. Vaughan stopped photo radar after a deluge of speeding tickets. These are the next steps. Over 80 per cent of Toronto-area condos are now selling for under asking. Here's why. Edward Keenan: Are police officers in our schools part of the solution? Here's how they could be. A proposed class action alleges Uber eats customers faced hidden service fees. Here's more. Kendrick Lamar is performing in Toronto for the first time since his feud with Drake ignited. Here's everything you need to know. Canadian authors and fans say these 18 summer reads should top your TBR pile. Check out the list here. POV As climate induced hell-fires rage across the country, Canada looks to build pipelines. CLOSE UP Workers have put a protective coating on the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald along with a plaque acknowledging his controversial role in creating residential schools. Richard Lautens/ Toronto Star QUEEN'S PARK: Sir John A. Macdonald is out in public once again. The likeness of Canada's first prime minister, which gazes south down University Avenue, was boarded up five years ago following repeated acts of vandalism over his role in creating residential schools. Take a closer look at the controversy around the statue. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@ I will see you back here tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
National Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
Toronto parents rally to save job of long-serving principal at arts high school
For more than three decades, Barrie Sketchley has led Rosedale Heights, an art-focused high school near Toronto's tony Rosedale-Moore Park neighbourhood. Article content Now more than 80 years old, Sketchley's fate will be decided on Monday when the board of trustees votes to approve — or reject — suggestions on principal assignments made by Toronto District School Board (TDSB) staff. Sketchley is expected to be forced to leave the school he helped build into something students and parents say is pretty special. And they are outraged and upset, racing against the clock to save his job. This is all happening against a backdrop of a number of controversies involving Canada's largest school district. Article content Article content Just last week, Ontario's Progressive Conservative government introduced legislation to give the province more oversight over local school boards. Article content Article content It was two weeks ago that parents and students first heard that Sketchley was expected to leave. The TDSB has a policy on transferring principals between schools; while this is meant to ensure that good principals are being moved around, parents haven't always been happy with the decisions. Article content When Zara Kheiriddin, a 15-year-old Grade 10 student at the school, first found out that Sketchley was going to be moved, she acted quickly: with a friend, she organized a petition to keep him — and secured nearly 300 signatures from fellow students and teachers before Sketchley himself shut it down. Article content 'It's like, resounding, that most of students and parents and the staff, too, want him to stay,' said Zara. 'It's the school where I've felt the safest personally from, like, bullying and typical other — the kind of stuff you get in other schools.' Article content Article content Zara is the daughter of National Post columnist Tasha Kheiriddin, who, in turn, wrote to Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra expressing concern over Sketchley's transfer. Article content Article content 'The community is asking for fairness, respect for a principal who has given everything to public education, and the right to maintain leadership that reflects the school's unique mission and values,' Kheiriddin wrote. 'I urge you to look into this matter immediately.' Article content 'It just shows that not only do they disrespect parents, they're disrespecting a valued educator who's given so much to the community. That they would force him out in this way is appalling,' said Kheiriddin in an interview.
