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Board associate director going to education ministry The Canadian Champion, Tuosday, August 1, 2006 - A3 By Tim Whitnell SPECIAL TO THE CHAMPION Tbe Halton District School Board bas lost its second-in- command. Tbe board bas approved tbe secondment of Associate Director Barry Finlay to the Ontario Mimistry of Education for a two-year period starting September 1. The board said Finlay was approached recently by ministry officiais to gauge bis interest in joining them. He will assume the position of director of strategic policy and planning for special educa- tion. "We recognize this is an excellent opportunity for Barry, and wbile tbis tempor-ary loss of bis experience, wealh of knowl- edge. leadersbip and integrity will be feit system-wide, we know this wilI, in tbe long mun, provîde tremendous benefits to our system upon bis return.- said Finlays boss at tbe Halton board, Education Director Way ne Joudrie. joudrie was non-committal wben asked if the associate director's vacancy left by Finlays departure would be filled for eitber or botb of tbe two vears tsarry [-nlay the latter will be gone. 'Witb tbis recent announce- ment 1 baven't bad an opportu- nity to confer witb tbe board on our options. l'mn not prepared to make additional comment until I've been able to talk to tbe board (of trustees)," bie said. Tbe next scbeduled board meeting is not until late August, bie noted. Joudrie did say tbat Finlay's salary and benefits bad been fac- tored into tbe just passed 2006- 07 operating budget. Tbe Provinces salary disclo- sure Web site for public employ- ces lists Finlay as earning $159,632.57 in salary and $4,455. il in taxable benefits for tbe 2005 calendar year. Finlay couldn't be reacbed for comment. He assumed tbe role of asso- ciate director for tbe 2003-04 scbool year. Tbe 55-year-old bas been an educator for 31 years and a Halton public board employee since 1979. He worked bis way tbrougb six sebools in tbis region. He was a teacber at Lester B. Pearson Higb Sebool, later a department bead and tben a vice-principal at M.M. Robinson and later Lord Elgin bigb sebools. He was tben elevated to principal at General Wolfe Higb Scbool in Oakville. He became an assistant superintendent and tben a superintendent in Marcb 2001. Canadian football entbusi- asts over tbe age of 410 probably know Finlay better as a starting defensive back in tbe Canadian Football League - witb tbe Toronto Argonauts from 1973- 76 and tbe Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1977. Finlay graduated from McMaster University in 1973, wbere bie was tbe quarterback of tbe Marauders' varsity team.