‘We need to rebuild public confidence’: New TVDSB CEO admits he attended infamous Toronto trip in 2024

The incoming TVDSB CEO admitted he attended an infamous 2024 Toronto trip and says work needs to be done to regain public trust. Bryan Bicknell reports.

The newly appointed chief executive officer of the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) was part of a 2024 trip to Toronto that came under fire from the public and shone a spotlight on the board’s unstable financial situation.

“Yes, I was on that trip. It was our expectation for where we were to be for work at that time,” admitted incoming TVDSB CEO Kevin Auckland.

He was one of 18 TVDSB administrators to attend the three-day trip, complete with Blue Jays games, in 2024.

The $40,000 retreat became public as the board faced a multi-million-dollar deficit. It also led, in part, to the resignation of then director of education Mark Fisher.

When it was all said and done, the school board was placed under provincial supervision.

“Well, my leadership style is to lead with integrity and openness, and I will continue to do that,” said Auckland in response to the question of why the public should trust his judgement.

“I know that as a board we need to rebuild public confidence, and I am committed to ensuring that that’s what we do,” he continued.

Auckland was announced last week as the TVDSB’s new CEO. Hired from within, Auckland has worked in education for 27 years as educator, administrator and superintendent - all with the TVDSB.

He takes over for Director of Education Bill Tucker, who came out of retirement to steer the board through financial fallout during a time of public backlash over the Toronto trip.

“That trip was clearly inappropriate and led to a lot of changes. Kevin will have to answer those questions himself about how he rationalizes all of that,” said Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation Dist. 11 Thames Valley President John Bernans.

Bernans says the new CEO has significant challenges ahead.

“Kevin has an excellent reputation as an educator in Thames Valley, was educated within Thames Valley. But he still has to deal with a significant deficit that I don’t believe the supervisor has been able to deal with,” he said.

Education analyst and researcher Debbie Kasman said in a statement to CTV News that Auckland will have to, “Work closely with the supervisor, Paul Boniferro, to steer the board toward strong fiscal management and increased student achievement and well-being, while earning back trust from the community. It will be a challenging task considering the board’s current debt, the PD session at the Blue Jays Hotel in Toronto, most or all of senior admin attended, as well as declining student enrolment.”

The CEO appointment follows the ministry of education’s removal of trustees from the school board.

“They never went to the Rogers Centre, and yet they’ve been swept aside. Now this person who was at the Rogers Centre has been promoted and rewarded for being there. It doesn’t make any sense from a good governance point of view,” said NDP Education Critic Chandra Pasma.

The new CEO position replaces the director of education role. CEOs will be responsible for financial and operational matters, along with budget development. It is one of two new oversight positions created by the provincial government.

The second oversight role of chief education officer focuses on student achievement.

Auckland says he will appoint someone to that position, himself, “… who will be more on the pedagogical side, and looking at curriculum, and moving that aspect forward,” he explained.

Auckland assumes his new position July 1, following Tucker’s retirement at the end of June.