Superintendent of Vancouver schools announces resignation

The Vancouver School Board will soon be looking for a new superintendent.

The VSB announced Monday that Superintendent Scott Robinson will be stepping down on June 9.

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"My passion as an educator has always been to collaborate with and empower my colleagues, staff and parents to work together to do what is right for our students," Robinson is quoted as having said in a release.

"Increasingly over the past year, it became more challenging to retain focus on this.

"I leave the VSB with the opportunity to recruit a new superintendent and have a fresh start in rebuilding relationships and leading Vancouver into the future."

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Robinson was one of six senior VSB managers who went on sick leave in Sept. 2016. The board's elected trustees were then accused of bullying and creating a toxic work environment for staff.

Then-education minister Mike Bernier fired the trustees in October and appointed Dianne Turner, former superintendent of Delta School District, to take over.

The trusteeshad clashed with the province for months over their refusal to adopt a balanced budget.

A subsequent WorkSafeBCinvestigation found the behaviour of individual board members and the conduct of the board as a whole contributed to the stress felt by VSB staff.

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"Such conduct not only affected the ability of the board to function but also affected individuals, who, although not directly the target of the conduct, experienced the stress of a work environment marked by ambient bullying," the report said.