SUMMERSIDE — The English Language School Board of Prince Edward Island has a new superintendent-in-waiting.
Cynthia Fleet starts her new job March 4.
Fleet is an educator and administrator with more than 30 years of experience — including helming newly amalgamated school boards.
Fleet comes to P.E.I. from the Nova-Central School District in Newfoundland and Labrador.
She is a person with a wealth of relevant experience in all areas of education and management so she was an excellent choice for the job, said Fred Osborne, chairman of the board of trustees.
“She’s very capable and qualified to do this, and we were just so pleased to be able to offer her this position and that she’s accepted,” said Osborne.
Once she begins her new job, Fleet will inherit a school board that is less than three months old and is made up of the former Western School Board and the Eastern School District.
Leading a new, provincial school board is sure to have its challenges, said Osborne, but Fleet was hired specifically because of her varied skill set, and he does not expect any problems in the transition.
“With the background that she has — I think it will be another day at the office,” said Osborne.
“I do think it will be a very fast-paced, hit the ground running scenario that she’ll be facing, because we’re trying to … bring boards together,” he added.
“But she has been responsible in the past with bringing four boards together, so this situation is only two.”
Fleet’s appointment was announced at the regular meeting of the board of trustees in Summerside Tuesday night.
Current superintendent Jane McMillan, who is retiring, took the opportunity to thank the board for its support and wish her successor well.
“I’ve really enjoyed my tenure here as superintendent and I feel that we’ve moved forward in terms of student literacy and student achievement, and I feel the board is going to be set to achieve even greater heights,” said McMillan.
Fleet will be in place for the next school board meeting in Summerside March 12.
