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Questions asked about principal's transfer

Administrator among staff on moose poop trip

By: Jenny Ford

Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012 at 8:18 AM | Comments: 0

Former Walter Whyte principal Bob Kovachik's appointment to East Selkirk Middle School raises "red flags," the school's parent council said Wednesday.

Kovachik left Walter Whyte School in Grand Marais following a school-trip incident in which students were tricked into putting moose droppings in their mouths.

"Of course it raises red flags," said Pam Seekings, chairwoman of the parent advisory council at East Selkirk Middle School. "As a parent, I'm thinking of course there are concerns with what happened at Walter Whyte, and I was surprised he was coming to our school."

The Selkirk School Division board appointed Kovachik to his new role as vice-principal of East Selkirk Middle School at a meeting on July 19. The appointment comes into effect Sept. 4.

Kovachik has been on leave from Walter Whyte School.

Although school board chairman Bob Skogan said Kovachik was on the canoe trip, the division has not confirmed parents' claims Kovachik was among three teachers who were aware an adult volunteer chaperone tricked two Grade 8 students into putting moose droppings in their mouths.

Seekings said she wants to talk with the superintendent of the division, Scott Kwasnitza, about how the appointment was made. However, "I really trust (the school board's) judgment," she added.

Kwasnitza was not available for comment.

Skogan said what happened on the school trip "played a part" in the new appointment.

"He's a seasoned educator and anyone at any time makes bad judgments," Skogan said. "Let's move forward."

Skogan said Kovachik's move to East Selkirk Middle School was not a demotion but a "lateral move."

East Selkirk Middle School covers grades 5 to 9, while Walter Whyte goes from kindergarten to Grade 9. Skogan said East Selkirk is a larger school than Walter Whyte.

Jayson Abraham, former vice-principal of École Selkirk Junior High, is the new principal of Walter Whyte. The former vice-principal of East Selkirk Middle School, Terry Skarban, moves to École Selkirk Junior High as vice-principal.

-- with files from Nick Martin

jennifer.ford@freepress.mb.ca

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