The final board meeting of the school year for the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division was also the final meeting for retiring director of education Robert Bratvold.
Board chair Darlene Rowden said the meeting had a real sense of finality.
“It was kind of a heartfelt feeling and but we are happy for Robert he’s going on to do great things with his life and retirement and more time with his family and all those kind of things,” she said. “We’re happy for him and a little bit sad for us.”
She explained that with Bratvold leaving after 12 years as director the board always felt that they were moving in the same direction.
“Your last board meeting with Robert for sure it’s very impactful,” Rowden said. “This is it, this is the last one with him.”
The division held a retirement celebration for Bratvold last week. Incoming director Neil Finch will begin in Augusta and Rowden said that they are looking forward to working with him.
Finch currently works as a superintendent of schools for the division so the transition will be a little easier.
“He’s been with us for 10 years,” she explained. “He knows our division and our board and the direction we’re going, so it should be pretty, pretty smooth.”
It’s also graduation season in the division with a number of rural schools already completing their graduations and Carlton Comprehensive High School and Prince Albert Collegiate Institute (PACI) holding graduations next week. Rowden wished everyone in the division well for the summer.
“I just wish the all of Sask Rivers a fun but safe grad and we wish them all the best in their productive futures,” she said. “I hope that entire Sask Rivers community have a wonderful summer, good weather and lots of fun.”
