News Release Archive
EDUCATION/CULTURE--SUPERINTENDENT NAMED ----------------------------------------------------------------- George Unsworth, amalgamation coordinator for the Chignecto Central Regional School Board, today announced the appointment of Elmer MacDonald as the board's first superintendent of schools. Chignecto Central is the final board to appoint a superintendent following the amalgamation of the province's 22 school boards into six regional boards and one provincewide board for Acadian and Francophone schools. Mr. Unsworth, who announced the appointment on behalf of the local amalgamation committee, said Mr. MacDonald combines the experience and leadership skills needed to bring together the Pictou, Colchester-East Hants and Cumberland district school boards. Currently the chief executive officer of the Pictou District School Board, Mr. MacDonald has 26 years experience as a teacher and administrator. He held positions of assistant superintendent of programs and superintendent of operations for the Pictou board. Mr. MacDonald also held several positions with the Department of National Defence, including director of education for the department's schools in Europe. Educated at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Mr. MacDonald received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and history in 1969 and a Bachelor of Education in secondary education the following year. In addition to numerous career development seminars, Mr. MacDonald also took an extension course in zero-based planning and budgeting from the American Management Assocation Extension Institute in Boston. In 1983, Mr. MacDonald returned to St. F.X. and received a Masters of Education in Administration and Curriculum. Mr. Unsworth said Mr. MacDonald's experience in strategic planning and community involvement in schools will serve him well in his new position. "Education is changing and Mr. MacDonald has initiated innovative programs such as community involvement committees, which reflect those changes." Mr. MacDonald is a member of several national and international professional associations, including the Canadian Education Association, the Canadian Association of School Administrators, the International Reading Association and the Association of School Business Officials of the United States and Canada. Mr. MacDonald was selected following the same rigorous screeing process used to hire all superintendents. -30- Contact: George Unsworth 902-893-5890 or 902-564-4517 jlw May 28, 1996 4:30 p.m.