School District 5 (SD5) Board of Education is pleased to announce the hiring of Silke Yardley as the new Superintendent, following the retirement of Superintendent, Lynn Hauptman, which was announced last month.
The position will be effective as of August 14, 2019.
According to Board Chair, Frank Lento, the Superintendent reports directly to the Board of Education and is responsible to ensure that the quality of programs, support services, education and research meet the standards established by the Board and the Ministry of Education, and that the District operates in compliance with the regulations of the School Act.
Given the magnitude of the position, the Board once again retained the services of Dr. Leroy Sloan, PhD, president of Sloan Consultants, who assisted them earlier this year with the hire of secretary-‐treasurer, Alan Rice.
Sloan is a former educator, BC school superintendent and Alberta Deputy Minister and Senior Education Advisor to the Alberta School Boards’ Association.
According to Lento, Yardley comes highly qualified, with a Masters of Arts in Teaching, 18 years’ experience in K – 12 education, and an impressive track record of leadership that has resulted in the improvement of student learning, success and engagement in School District 22 (SD22), Vernon, where she currently holds the position of Director of Instruction for Student Learning.
“Silke’s unique leadership and strategic planning skills and her extensive knowledge of educational best practices make her an ideal candidate for the position of superintendent,” Lento said. “Her passion for the revised curriculum, with its inquiry-based teaching and learning focus and the integration of Aboriginal perspectives, make her the ideal candidate for SD5.”
Yardley was born in Bochum, West Germany. Her family immigrated to Chicago when she was six, and moved to B.C. when Yardley was nine. She attributes her passion for education to her son’s kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Hudson.
“I loved her passion, caring, and the world she created for my son and the rest of her students. I knew then that I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to be a Mrs. Hudson!”
Yardley says she was attracted to working in SD5 because of the varied learning opportunities available to students, the passion with which the District has embraced personalized, student-led learning, and the continued advocacy for public education undertaken by the Board.
The District’s move to a dual authority system, in which there is a division of authority between the superintendent, who is responsible for all things associated with student learning, and the secretary-treasurer, who is responsible for facilities, transportation, payroll and other accounting duties, was another motivator.
“Working as part of a team is very important to me,” Yardley said, “and I look forward to working closely with the Secretary-Treasurer, Alan Rice under the direction of the Board.
“I’m also very excited to be working with such a strong and dedicated group of educators and support staff in the service of students, parents, and the communities of SD5.”
In addition to her passion for public education, Yardley is a proud mother to two grown sons; Travis, who is an electrician and heavy-duty mechanic running his own company in High Prairie, Alberta and Nicolas, an electrician in Vernon. She is an avid outdoorsperson who loves hiking, biking, kayaking, and exploring with her husband, Dennis, and two dogs.
“My husband and I are very excited to become a part of the SD5 community; to explore the many lakes, hiking and bike trails in each of the communities, and to get to know the residents of the East Kootenay.”