Hello everyone,

A response has been received from the Minister of Education, Everett Hindley, in response to our calls for government intervention. While it is not the outcome we had hoped, it is more along the lines of what was expected. 

The Response. 

The Minister outlines that the government provides the framework and funding for education and all other matters are the local school boards responsibility. Our concerns of parental rights, student safety, and school governance fall under day- to-day matters, policy, safety protocols and student supports, this means the NESD Board of Education. The Minister encourages us to continue working with local trustees since they hold the authority to make the changes we are asking for. The Minister also goes on to say that the SHA communicates immunization dates to the school in advance and to speak with the principal of our child’s school if we wish for more notice. He mentions that the director of education has no authority on deciding how many board members are to represent the subdivisions and that decision must come from the board itself. 

CC'd in the letter is Ryan Pederson (NESD Board of Education Chair) and Stacy Lair (Director of Education). 

Here is the letter.

What's next?

A By-Election has been called for December 2025 as the Nipawin Trustee has resigned and a new trustee needs to be elected. If we can gather enough support for more equitable representation for Subdivision 4 (Melfort) there may be time to add a by-election in Melfort for another Trustee position in Decemeber 2025. 

I have reached out to Ryan Pederson and Tim Hoenmans to schedule a meeting to further discuss these concerns.

More can be done. 

If you would like to see change and have our concerns addressed in the NESD, please consider sending a letter of your own outlining your concerns and experiences to Pederson.Ryan@nesd.ca (NESD Chair) and Hoenmans.Tim@nesd.ca (SubDivision 4 Trustee). 

If you would like this to be the end to your part of the fight, thank you.

Thank you for your signature, your conversations this past summer and for seeing what needs to change to give our children the best education possible in our community. 

Thank you, 

Jenni Weisberg