After seven years of guiding Prairie South School Division (PSSD), director of education Tony Baldwin has submitted his resignation notice to the board of education.
Board trustees accepted Baldwin’s letter during their December board. Baldwin’s contract specified that he had to give eight months’ notice if he planned to resign.
Baldwin’s last day is July 31, 2021.
“I thought it was time for me and a good time for the organization, with a new board and COVID behind us hopefully next fall, I just thought it was probably the right time,” Baldwin told the Moose Jaw Express.
Being a director of education is similar to other jobs, where you increase in effectiveness and then plateau, he continued. That is why he wanted to move on, so that the school division could hire someone else to take the next steps forward.
Baldwin began working as the director of education with PSSD on Aug. 1, 2014. This was his first job as the CEO of a school division; he had been a superintendent with Sun West School Division near Davidson for six years prior and a rural high school principal 11 years before that.
“It’s been amazing (to work as an education director). I’ve worked with the best group of administrators … our team here (on) our administrative council is for sure the best in Saskatchewan and I think one of the best in Western Canada,” he said, adding he has also worked with a first-rate group of principals and teachers.
The entirety of Baldwin’s career was spent working in rural education, so it was fun to learn more about Moose Jaw, he added. His last experience in urban education was when he was in Grade 12 in Regina.
“One of the things about the schools in Prairie South is the incredible level of diversity,” he continued. For example, École Palliser Heights School has 650 students from pre-kindergarten to Grade 8 in a dual track environment, while Vanguard Colony School has three students and one teacher. Each school has its strengths and can do things the other can’t.
Baldwin is thrilled that he helped advocate for a new school in Moose Jaw, he said. He thought it was a great achievement for students and the community to have the newest school in the province.
The education director was also pleased with his work on gay-straight alliances and working with Moose Jaw Pride.
There have been challenges too, including the pandemic and facing provincially-imposed fiscal restraints, Baldwin said. He thought PSSD had fared well through the difficult times, which is evident when he talks staff who are excited to work for the division.
“That’s not because of me, but I’m really proud to have been a part of that environment for staff and kids,” he added.
Board reaction
The board is saddened that Baldwin plans to resign since trustees enjoyed working with him and thought Prairie South had been doing well, said board chair Robert Bachmann. This news wasn’t a complete surprise, though, since Baldwin had discussed this possibility nearly a year ago.
“Tony has been a really good fit for us as a school division,” Bachmann continued.
Baldwin has been a good spokesman the division, was personable, and established relationships inside the organization, the board chair said. He pushed the division to think more innovatively and to better prepare students for the future. He was also a “superb leader” in the face of declining budget revenues, including figuring out how to maintain focus on the classroom.
Trustees started succession planning in the fall by asking a consultant to help them consider what type of person they want to hire next. The board has met several times with the consultant, and under his guidance, plans to finalize the search process by Dec. 15. A position profile is expected to be issued later this month.
The board expects to hire someone by April so that person can start Aug. 1.
