After 35 years of working in public education, Wendy Hyer, the superintendent for the Okanagan Skaha school district, has decided to call it quits.
At the school board’s November meeting, Hyer announced her retirement, effective July 31, 2020.
Hyer has guided the school district since 2009, including through some trying times when the closure of four schools had to be considered. Three of the rural elementary schools were able to remain open, while McNicoll Park Middle School was closed. École Entre Lacs, Penticton’s French immersion school, was able to expand into that building.
“Hyer was instrumental in securing funding to ensure rural schools in the district remained open,” said the school board in a press release thanking Hyer for her ten years of service.
Hyer replaced the former superintendent, Gary Doi, in 2009 after spending five years as assistant superintendent for the Nicola-Similkameen school district.
In addition to her duties as the school superintendent, Hyer served as a director of the Thompson Okanagan branch of the British Columbia School Superintendents’ Association and represented the branch on the executive. She was also a director on the board of B.C. School Sports for five years and has officiated high school basketball in the region since joining the district.
James Palanio, the school board chair, said the trustees will meet on Dec. 3 to establish the hiring process and start the search for a replacement.
READ MORE: Okanagan school districts reach agreement with CUPE Local 523
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