View his full message here.
Governance
The overall governance of the schools lies with the Board of Directors of the Catholic Independent Schools of Nelson Diocese (CISND). The president of the Board of Directors is the Bishop of Nelson. The Vicar of Education and Vicar General of the Diocese are ex-officio members of the Board. In addition to the aforementioned, there is one pastor associated with the schools and six lay members nominated from each community. The Superintendent of Schools and the Financial Director for the diocese are non-voting members of the Board of Directors.
The Board is responsible for the overall philosophy of the schools as well as the development of policies and procedures affecting the schools. The Board requires the assistance of local School Councils to support them in their endeavors. School Councils are responsible to the Board and deal with such areas as: annual school budget, ways and means, buildings and maintenance, local policy, public relations, and marketing and development. Parent Support Groups exist in each school and are there to support the School Council and Principal.
The CISND is a member of the CISCBC, FISABC and CCSTA.
CISCBC
The Catholic Independent School Committee of BC (CISCBC), which includes the superintendents and one rep from each diocese, meets twice yearly to discuss and address issues affecting Catholic schools in the province. This committee meets with the five Bishops each fall. It is from this committee that three reps are chosen to sit on the FISA board and one of the members is chosen to attend the Canadian Catholic School Trustees Association (CCSTA) meetings on the behalf of all Catholic schools in the province.
FISA
The Federation of Independent Schools (FISA) is a non-profit society who is the voice for independent schools in British Columbia. They lobby the government on our behalf by acting as a liaison between the schools and the government, and other educational institutions. The FISA is dedicated to assisting independent schools in maintaining their independence while seeking fair treatment for them in legislative and financial terms. http://www.fisabc.ca
CCSTA
The Canadian Catholic School Trustees Association (CCSTA) is a national organization promoting excellence in Catholic education throughout Canada. The CCSTA works closely with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic organizations and the federal government to enhance and promote Catholic education.
