Anglophone West superintendent back from 2 years on front lines

David McTimoney is returning to the role of superintendent of the Anglophone West School District after a two-year leave to work as an elementary school principal at Summerhill Street Elementary School in Oromocto.

After holding the position for seven years, McTimoney took a leave of absence from his superintendent's job in Anglophone West, which is made up of theFredericton, Oromocto, Woodstock and Edmundston regions.

In a public letter released by the district at the time, McTimoney said he hoped the new job would give him a different perspective.

"I made the decision to take leave and really get back to contributing to student learning right on the forefront, working with teachers, working with students and parents and the community," McTimoney toldInformation Morning Fredericton on Tuesday, the first day of the school year for most students.

Fresh perspective

McTimoney has worked in the education system for 25 years. Before becoming superintendent in 2010, he was a high school teacher, vice-principal, principal and subject co-ordinator.He was the first superintendent of Anglophone West, which was created in 2012 as part of a greater amalgamation of three districts.

He said being Summerhill's principal was a meaningful experience for him, as it was the elementary school he attended nearly 40 years ago. It showed him how policies made at the district level affect teachers and students in the classroom.

"I recognize from the years 2010 to 2017, a lot of decisions had been made at the school district level and it was important for me to see the impact of those decisions at the school level."

McTimoney said there was one day when enrolment numbers at the school dipped low enough that a director sat down with him and told him they'd have to reassign one of his teachers to a different school.

"It's very disappointing, of course, to see a teacher leave our school and go to another school, but I understood that's the way it works with enrolment numbers, with a teacher's collective agreement."

The experience made him realize what it was like to be told such information.

"The day may come where I have to go sit down with a principal and talk about the fact that due to enrolment and greater needs at this school, we'll have to move a teacher along."

McTimoney has several goals for the school year, but his main priority is reconnecting with the District Education Council, which hires the superintendent and has revised its policies since he started his leave.