Riply sacked as school district head

Superintendent's leadership called into question

- WCR file photo Dale Riply was fired Feb. 28 after more than six years as superintendent of Edmonton Catholic Schools.

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

The Edmonton Catholic School Board has fired superintendent Dale Ripley amidst growing concerns about the leadership Ripley was providing to the school district.

The board voted 6-1 to terminate Ripley's contract at an early morning meeting Feb. 28. But board chair Debbie Cavaliere gave reporters no specific reasons for the dismissal.

"It was done without legal cause," she said following the board meeting. "It means we are not alleging any cause for the termination. The contract provides for us to terminate without cause."

Under questioning from reporters Cavaliere admitted the last few months have been "difficult" for the board, saying trustees have been receiving calls from parents about the deficit and making it known that they are not happy with the way things are going.

"We have had concerns expressed to us about the superintendent's leadership," she said while refusing to elaborate. "We thought about this a lot and we finally decided this was an action we had to take."

Ripley's dismissal comes two months after an independent audit revealed that the district had a surprise $10-million deficit.

But Cavaliere said the dismissal is not directly related to the deficit.

The deficit was discovered late last year during an independent audit of financial statements for the 2004-05 school year.

After news of the deficit came last month, Cavaliere said accounting errors by members of the district's financial services department - over as long as five years - were to blame.

Ripley was informed of his termination through his lawyer. "We told him it is time for a change; that's what we told him," she told reporters. Ripley had been away from his office since Feb. 23.

"I'm not surprised that he would suggest he is going to start legal action." Debbie Cavaliere

Assistant superintendent Joan Carr, a district employee since 1974, will fill in as acting superintendent until a new superintendent is hired.

A severance package of $130,000, equivalent to six months salary and benefits, will be paid out to the former superintendent. Ripley made about $165,000 a year.

He became superintendent in August 1999. His contract had been renewed just a year ago for another three years.

In a March 1 interview, Ripley complained he was given no reason for his termination despite his long service with the district and numerous accomplishments as superintendent.

He told the WCR he might consider legal action against the board because he was terminated while on sick leave.

'Enormous successes'

"I'm surprised and I am very disappointed because I have worked with this board for over 30 years, (including) over six years as superintendent, during which time we had enormous successes," he said.

"Certainly the board indicated to me they were looking for a change in direction and we were talking about that but I've been on a medical leave since last Thursday (Feb. 23) and the board certainly was made aware of that fact last Thursday.

"So I was very surprised and disappointed to find out that when I was away ill they held a meeting and terminated my superintendent contract."

Ripley said he may take legal action against the board for dismissing him while on sick leave. "But first of all I have to get my health back before I make any decisions whatsoever."

Ripley said the board was made aware of his sick leave the afternoon of Feb. 23 both through the district's employee health nurse as well as his lawyer.

"I'm not surprised that he would suggest he is going to start legal action," Cavaliere told the WCR March 1.

However, the board believes firing Ripley was the right thing for the school district, she said.

Cavaliere said the board had been negotiating with Ripley for about two weeks but wasn't notified of Ripley's medical leave until about 4 p.m. Feb. 24. By then a deadline had passed for Ripley to respond to a letter related to the negotiations.

"We didn't hear back from him and when we did hear back we heard that he was on sick leave."

At the news conference, Cavaliere denied Ripley's firing was related to media reports last summer about the former superintendent's personal life.

"That's not the reason for the termination," she said emphatically. "It would have happened last summer if it was directly related to that."

Ripley, who is separated from his wife, has been the subject of widespread rumours that he has had a relationship with another district staff member. About six months ago he sent an email to trustees and principals seeking their help to quash the rumours.

Words of praise

The board chair also had some words of praise for Ripley.

"During the seven years that he was superintendent he did a good job," she said. "Our district did well on PAT (Provincial Achievement Tests) scores, we did have a balanced budget and we were well respected by Alberta Education. He's done good work for the district."

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