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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Yellowknife Catholic school board election is just over a month away but it's unclear whether its embattled chair will seek another term.

When contacted by Yellowknifer Friday, chair Mary Vane declined to say what her decision is regarding her candidacy and then hung up.

The names of candidates have yet to be released and won't be until Sept. 17 when nominations close, said Cathy Zenko, executive assistant for Yellowknife Catholic Schools.

Returning officer Bill Gilday said Vane submitted a nomination for another candidate but he could not reveal that person's name for privacy reasons, he said.

In January, Yellowknifer reported on the crisis that erupted in the community after the board, under Vane's leadership, decided to dismiss Johnnie Bowden, the school district's assistant superintendent of learning, and to not renew superintendent Claudia Parker's contract.

Public backlash during a school board meeting in January saved Parker and Bowden's jobs.

In March, trustee Rose-Marie Jackson announced she was resigning due to a lack of confidence in Vane's ability to lead the board.

Vane, who became chair through acclamation in 2007, was among the first to help organize a parent advisory committee, which meets regularly to schedule information meetings for parents, organize special programming and family activities in schools and assist with fundraising and special projects.

The seven-member board has not been without its fair share of other controversies in the past few years.

In 2006, the board tried to deny non-Catholics a place on the board even though 40 per cent of their student body is not Catholic.

In 2009, the board decided not to allow vaccinations for the human papilloma virus - a sexually transmitted disease - in its schools.

Trustees Jennifer Debogorski and Francis Chang resigned in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Debogorski said she needed to devote more time to her three children while Chang said his work schedule needed to be his priority.

Board elections will take place Friday, Oct. 15.

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