Tuesday November 26, 2024 | LANGFORD, BC [9:45 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends | Also see: SOOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT SD62
At tonight’s Sooke School District 62 board meeting, SD62 Superintendent Paul Block reminded the board and public audience that Secretary-Treasurer Harold Cull will be retiring by year-end 2024.
“Harold Cull’s retirement is just a month away,” said Block in his written report. In his verbal report, Block said it will be difficult to “watch Harold walk away”.
“Day to day will be different without Harold,” said Block about the secretary-treasurer he’s served alongside with for over a decade.
Cull has held the top financial job with SD62 since August 2012. He is a Charted Professional Accountant.
New schools, bus transportation and more:
The Secretary-Treasurer is the Chief Financial Officer and a key member of the district’s Executive Team. The Secretary-Treasurer is responsible for the capital planning, strategic governance, finance and payroll, legal, facilities, transportation and business operations for the Sooke School District.
Cull has overseen the capital budget for the development of numerous new schools, notably launching two new high schools (Belmont Secondary School and Royal Bay Secondary School) in September 2015 and the new paired elementary and middle schools in Westhills (PEXSISEN Elementary and Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School) in September 2022.
He was a key player in seeing that SD62 acquired land for schools including the upcoming South Langford elementary school near the Colwood boundary and a new combo of middle and high school in the McCallum Road area of Langford.
Cull was keen to bring in new electric school buses to SD62 as part of his continual leadership in guiding the school bus transportation service over the years.
Every year he would skillfully guide the board trustees through the challenges of completing a balanced operating budget including items like teacher salaries, classroom operations, IT expansion, and staff expansion to handle facilities development and management.
Cull was a significant support for the Resources Committee where financial considerations were first launched before being considered by the board. Even tonight the evidence of his long-term strategic approach was evident in a board motion to approve a ‘sustainable rental strategy’ which helps ensure that SD62 gains revenue from users of school district facilities like classrooms, gyms, and sport fields.
During Cull’s time with SD62 the student population has increased by 50 percent, that being on average approximately 400 new students per year.
Political edge:
Cull was a key supporter of SD62 Board Chair Ravi Parmar through to helping Parmar become elected in the 2023 MLA by-election in Langford-Juan de Fuca.
As of November 18, 2024 Ravi Parmar is now a cabinet minister in the David Eby BC NDP government.
Future options:
Cull has said it’s an opportunity to “take on some new challenges and look at some different options.”
At age 54 and with 33 years experience in public sector experience, Cull may yet emerge in a future government role. He has already been serving as a board member for Island Health since March 2024 (current term expiring March 31, 2025).
According to Island Health, Cull recently completed his first year on the Board for the YMCA/YWCA of Vancouver Island and is “looking to increase his participation on similar public sector boards in the local community”.
Celebration in May 2025:
Harold Cull’s career with SD62 will be officially celebrated in May 2025, as announced this evening.
Next Secretary-Treasurer:
Brian Jonker has been hired as the new Secretary-Treasurer for the Sooke School District effective January 13, 2025.
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NEWS SECTIONS: EDUCATION | SOOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT SD62 | K-12 EDUCATION | POLITICS