Retired TVDSB director of education called to work while Mark Fisher on leave

Trustees with the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) have tapped the board's former director of education to take the reins while its current education director takes a leave of absence.

The move will see Bill Tucker return to the position he retired from more than 10 years ago. Tucker was head of London's largest school board from 2008 to 2013.

TVDSB trustees appointed Tucker as interim director of education during a special board meeting on Monday night, hours after the board revealed that Mark Fisher would be taking a leave of absence for an unspecified period of time.

The meeting was spent largely in-camera, with trustees emerging for a brief public session after more than an hour behind closed doors.

Speaking by phone, Tucker told CBC News that his tenure as interim director was effective as of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, adding that it wasn't clear how long the stint would last.

"I think it's just the number of balls in the air right now, I'm just taking it one day at a time," Tucker said. "I'm here as long as the board needs me."

Tucker said he was contacted by Board Chair Beth Mai about the interim role, and said the offer was good timing given his retirement in April as a lecturer at Western University's Althouse College.

CBC News requested an interview with Mai, but did not receive a response by publication. Previous inquiries have also gone unreturned.

In a statement, Mai said Tucker was a "respected, knowledgeable and experienced leader in public education.

"His deep understanding of the TVDSB community will provide stability for the system and ensure that student achievement and well-being continue to be a key focus. We are thankful that he has agreed to lend his support and leadership to the TVDSB."

Tucker said he wasn't familiar with the reasons why Fisher went on leave.

"I just know that the chair and the trustees were wanting some stability in the senior team," he said. "The contract's flexible, depending on what happens with Director Fisher in his leave."

He said his initial plans were to "just be a sponge," and listen to students, staff and parents to learn about key issues.

"At some point in time, I will come back to the trustees with my observations."

Trustees accepted Fisher's request during an emergency board meeting held on Friday night, CBC News has learned. The meeting was not announced to the media and was largely in-camera.

Sources at the meeting said the leave was a result of ongoing fallout to a recent multi-day Toronto retreat involving 18 senior board staff members.

The retreat saw staff housed at the Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel. Located inside Rogers Centre, the hotel has rooms overlooking the stadium's field.

The trip, first reported by the London Free Press, comes as the board faces a $7.6 million deficit.

TVDSB officials have refused to say how much the trip cost, but Fisher has said accommodations were at a "bulk discounted rate," and that the board would stop holding retreats outside the city.

Union hopeful

The president of the union that represents its elementary school teachers said transparency will likely be critical in the coming weeks and months given the public scrutiny and comments from the education minister regarding the fiscal responsibility of the Toronto staff retreat.

"My view on this is a bit of radical transparency and ownership is what they need, as uncomfortable as that is," said Craig Smith, the president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario's Thames Valley Local.

Regardless, Smith said, he's hopeful for now, given Tucker's track record and level of experience.

"It's a safe decision, I think, for the board. [Tucker] is an experienced educator and experienced administrator. I think [the board has] landed on a figure that has respect within the system, and hopefully will be able to guide us through the next period of time," Smith said.

"I think that some creative thinking and some courageous thinking outside of the norm is probably in order," he added.

In recent weeks, the acting CEO of the London Health Sciences Centre, which is facing down a budget deficit of $150-million, recently slashed and re-organized its leadership structure to save money after its CEO departed.

Smith said while he doesn't expect major changes to affect students or teachers, he believes it's possible similar considerations are being taken at the school board.

"There needs to be a change of direction with the way things have been going, but what that change is remains to be seen."