Turco announces retirement as ADSB Director of Education

Effective July 21, Mario Turco will no longer be director of education with the Algoma District School Board.

With some family in attendance, Turco announced his retirement from the board at Tuesday night’s monthly board meeting.

“(Retiring) is always emotional,” Turco told the board. “It’s like leaving you’re leaving a family and setting out in a new direction. I’m leaving this family, after 42 years, and I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with students, peers, trustees, colleagues, parents and community partners. As a result, I leave with wonderful and permanent memories that I will cherish.”

Many trustees expressed their thanks for the work Turco has put in during his 42 years with the ADSB.

“I feel that it has been a real privelage to work with (Turco),” Trustee Graham Lidstone said during the meeting. “I wrote down a few words that characterize you and they were honesty, openness, dedication and respectful. As a trustee, you were all those things with me and all of those with other people as well.”

In a statement, ADSB Chair Jennifer Sarlo said: “Mario’s impact as a leader and Director of the Algoma District School Board will be felt long after he retires. His desire to improve student learning and raise the bar for every child was the focus of every matter brought to the Board. His personal experience as a young immigrant boy educated in Sault Ste. Marie fostered his conviction that a strong, educational system is the key to a successful future for all students. We believe Mario’s vision, relational style, and strong advocacy for students led to the construction of three new schools within our board over the last few years. We will miss his untiring work ethic and sense of humour. We know his infectious passion for our board and its students will endure after his retirement, as it has become our very culture. It has been my pleasure to work with him over the last five years.”

Turco has served 13 years as a Superintendent and has also held numerous other positions within the board, including as a principal and vice-principal at the secondary school level.

Turco has also been a department head and was a mathematics teacher at the secondary level.

“I appreciate the opportunities that this board has given me. It has taken a young, Italian boy who couldn’t speak English, educated him to the best of their abilities and gave him every opportunity possible,” Turco added. “Who would have thought that could happen?”

The search for a new director is expected to begin sometime in the next two weeks. The board will hire a recruitment firm to help with the search which is expected to be province-wide. The board expects to name a replacement for Turco in mid-June.

The full text of a release on this issue from the board follows.

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Algoma District School Board Director of Education announces retirement after 42nd year of service

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - Mario Turco, Director of Education for the Algoma District School Board, tonight announced his retirement from the Board effective the end of July, 2012.

Turco leaves his current position of Director after 9 years. Prior to this, Director Turco served 13 years as a Superintendent and also held positions as a Secondary Principal and Vice Principal, Department Head, and Secondary Mathematics teacher.

This year he completes his 42nd year in education with the Algoma District School Board and the former Sault Ste. Marie Board of Education.

During his time as Director of Education the Board has planned, developed, and implemented:

A multi-year Strategic Plan with an Annual Board Improvement Plan
A focus on improving student learning resulting in 16% improvement, on average, in literacy and numeracy as well as an increase of 14%, on average, in academic achievement for students accessing special education programs
Full Day Junior and Senior Kindergarten in all schools and the introduction of Parenting and Family Literacy Centres at four sites in Sault Ste. Marie
Enhanced Learning Programs such as the International Baccalaureate Program, Advanced Placement Program, Arts and Culture Program and Specialist High Skills Major Programs
A Board-wide focus on safe and caring schools through the implementation of Character Education, Equity/Diversity/Inclusivity, a review of Board and School Codes of Conduct as per the Safe Schools Policy and the introduction of Project ABCD (Action for Building a Community that is Drug-Free) which utilizes a community-based and youth engagement approach
A Mental Health strategy implemented as one of fifteen Boards selected by the Ministry of Education to improve supports for students
Co-ordinated Community Partnerships including the Algoma Model to support community services for students, and the CEO Planning Table of Community Agencies and Organizations working with children and youth in Algoma
A voluntary Aboriginal Self-Identification Program that has led to the introduction of and enhancement of Aboriginal Programs, cultural rooms throughout the Board, and an Urban Aboriginal High School developed in partnership with the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre
Alternative Programs to meet the various needs of students which include the COOP School, the Late School, Field Schools, High School/College Dual Credits, Outdoor Education Programs, School/College/Work Initiative, E-Learning, Distance Learning and Credit Recovery Programs
A strategic technology plan allowing for a favourable computer-student ratio and the provision of laptops and projectors in classrooms as well as other technologies, including assistive technology, that will support teaching and learning in the future
A Leadership Succession and Mentoring Program
Professional Learning Communities for staff
Continued involvement of School Councils, Board-Level Parent Involvement Committee, and Student Senate resulting in an 87.2% satisfaction rate from students, and 89.3% satisfaction rate from parents with ADSB schools
A Capital Plan that has led to the closure, consolidation, demolition and renovation of existing facilities culminating with, for the first time in forty years, the construction of 3 new, state-of-the-art and environmentally-friendly schools, including geothermal energy/technology at the new Hornepayne school, for our communities
Various school organizations ranging from the traditional JK-8 and 9-12 schools to JK-3, JK-6, Grades 4-6, JK-3/7-8, 7-12 and JK -12 models
A fiscally responsible organization and budget to ensure that the priorities of the Board are met and that the needs of all students are met.

These are but a few of the initiatives, programs and supports that reflect the Board’s commitment to student achievement and success for all and have sparked both local and international interest.

Director Turco and ADSB staff have welcomed and hosted educational delegates from England on four occasions, as well as hosted numerous Ministry of Education officials, including 4 different Ministers of Education in the past 9 years.

The Board has also been the recipient of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce Environment Award (2003) and a 5-star Energy Award (2010). In 2008, ADSB celebrated the 10 year anniversary of amalgamation, and celebrated the history and importance of education throughout the District in a yearbook edition of the Director’s Report.

“Our school system is focused on improving student learning. Our staff, students, parents, and education partners share a strong spirit of optimism, pride and teamwork. We are all committed to continuing to develop a common understanding of the importance of education for our students and in fact, for our society as a whole. Working together we continue to raise the bar, close the gap, and increase confidence in Public Education. It is has been truly an honour and privilege for me to have played a small part in this noble cause,” said Mario Turco.

Jennifer Sarlo, Chair of the Board added “Mario’s impact as a leader and Director of the Algoma District School Board will be felt long after he retires. His desire to improve student learning and raise the bar for every child was the focus of every matter brought to the Board. His personal experience as a young immigrant boy educated in Sault Ste. Marie fostered his conviction that a strong, educational system is the key to a successful future for all students. We believe Mario’s vision, relational style, and strong advocacy for students led to the construction of three new schools within our Board over the last few years. We will miss his untiring work ethic and his sense of humour. We know his infectious passion for our Board and its students will endure after his retirement, as it has become our very culture. It has been my pleasure to work with Mario over the past 5 years. On behalf of all the trustees, we want to sincerely thank Mario for his dedication to student success over the last 42 years in the Sault and Algoma district. We wish him a long and happy retirement and sincerely hope he is able to find a hobby!”

The Board of Trustees will undertake a provincial search to find the next Director of Education for the Algoma District School Board, with the assistance of a recruitment firm. It is expected that the process will begin immediately and that a new Director will be announced by the middle of June.

The Algoma District School Board operates 49 schools and 9 Alternative programs serving over 10,000 students covering a geographic area of 70,534 square kilometres which surrounds the majestic Great Lakes.

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Earlier SooToday.com coverage of this story

Will ADSB need to start search for new director soon?