Skip to content

School Board needs recognition policy, says trustee

The school board is looking for ideas about how to honour longtime district employees.Masset trustee Sharon Matthews raised the issue at last week's board meeting, held Oct. 28 at Sk'aadgaa Naay elementary in Skidegate. Ms Matthews said she was troubled that the district does not have a policy which would formalize a way for the board to recognize teachers and other staff for milestone years of service.The school board did have an employee recognition policy at one point, but it was dropped in the late 1990s when then-superintendent Linda Rossler overhauled all policies, said executive assistant Shelley Sansome.That policy had the board holding a ceremony every two years and honouring employees with 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years' service. Employees with 10 years' service received a silver pin, and employees with 15 years' service received a gold pin. Employees with 20, 25 and 30 years' service received a gold pin, a personal gift and a letter of recognition from the chair of the board.Ms Matthews said she would like to see a version of this policy brought back."I really feel we as a board need to be paying recognition to staff members," she said. "I feel it's really important."Superintendent Angus Wilson said he will send around copies of the old policy and a draft policy, and check into what other school districts do. Trustees will review the information and then decide what to do next.