NORTH BAY — A scathing review has revealed widespread dysfunction within the Near North District School Board (NNDSB), citing a breakdown in governance, leadership failures and eroded public trust.
Findings of the review process for the board are detailed in a Ministry of Education report.
Once again, misuse of a corporate credit card has been exposed.
"On at least two occasions, the Director’s corporate card was used by a family member for personal use. It is the Chair’s responsibility to approve the director’s expenses, and the Chair did confirm that when she questioned these expenses, she was assured that the Director intended to reimburse the school board for those purchases."
Corporate cards are intended to be used solely in relation to school board business.
"It is unacceptable that the Director allowed his corporate card to be used for personal purchases, irrespective of his intent to reimburse the school board.
"What is equally, if not more, troubling is that when I asked about what checks and balances are used to ensure compliance with ministry and school board expense guidelines, I was given a vague response about making a determination based on whether the amount seemed 'realistic.' This indicates a lack of understanding of the role and responsibility of the Chair and does not give confidence in the financial oversight of the Director’s expenses."
The news comes on the heels of a suspension of pay penalty for North Bay mayor Peter Chirico for misuse of a City corporate credit card.
See: North Bay Mayor faces 60 day suspension of pay over expense violations
The report details governance dysfunction, saying the Board of Trustees demonstrated a lack of understanding of their roles and responsibilities, with most trustees showing limited knowledge of governance principles despite professional development opportunities. The Board failed to comply with legislative duties, including the Director of Education Performance Appraisal, financial stewardship, conflict of interest declarations, and policy development and maintenance.
"There is a lack of professionalism, collaboration, and respect among trustees, and despite the efforts of some trustees who were in the minority, this Board has not governed itself in a manner that upholds public confidence.
"In the most expedient manner possible, the Board of Trustees shall retain the services of an external expert, subject to Ministry of Education approval, to support the Board in conducting a robust, transparent Director of Education performance appraisal for the 2025-2026 school year," says the report.
Read the full report here.
The Board was characterized by a lack of professionalism, collaboration, and respect among members, with some trustees pursuing personal agendas and obstructing Board business.
There are nine trustees on the Board. One is a First Nations trustee. Seven of the nine trustees were new members elected in the last school board election in October 2022.
"Since the new Board was sworn into office in November 2022, four trustees have resigned; the former Chair resigned in 2024, followed by three more recent resignations – two in June 2025 and one in August 2025," details the report.
It also says the Director of Education, Craig Myles, was found to lack visible and accountable leadership, which contributed to governance dysfunction and eroded public trust. The Director was described as "absent" and "peripheral," with limited engagement with the senior leadership team, staff, and the community. The Director's office was located miles away from the main school board office at the former Widdifield Secondary School, further impacting relationships and leadership visibility.
The relationship between the Board and the Director is deeply fractured, marked by distrust and animosity. Trustees believed the Director withheld information, while the Director and senior staff found trustees' requests excessive and operational in nature. This dysfunction hindered collaboration and effective governance, according to the report.
The review identified questionable human resources practices, including a lack of transparency in recruitment, hiring, and compensation for senior positions. The Director failed to conduct performance appraisals for direct reports and created new senior positions without clear processes or documentation.
The NNDSB faces deep community distrust, particularly in rural areas, due to a perceived lack of transparency, accountability, and responsiveness. Trustees and the Director failed to manage community expectations and address concerns effectively.
The report says, "while the impetus for the expedited review was the mismanagement of the opening of the new JK-12 school in Parry Sound, concerns over leadership and governance dysfunction in the NNDSB have, in fact, been long-standing. Most recently, parents, students, and community members have been vocal in their frustration over the lack of the NNDSB’s transparency and accountability regarding the continuing delays with opening the new JK-12 Parry Sound school. Yet over the last several years, community concerns over a lack of transparency and poor governance led to complaints being filed with the Ombudsman of Ontario; those complaints resulted in three investigations of governance practices in this board in 2019, 2024, and 2025."
The report also addresses the delayed opening of the new JK-12 Parry Sound School, which was attributed to construction delays, issues with building permits, and a limited pool of tradespeople. The Board's governance dysfunction and the Director's lack of visible leadership exacerbated community frustration and eroded trust. The Director failed to communicate effectively with the community, manage expectations, or address misinformation shared by trustees.
The review highlighted significant governance and leadership issues that have undermined public confidence in the NNDSB, with both the Board and the Director of Education bearing responsibility for the dysfunction.
BayToday has requested an interview with the Director of Education, but has not heard back by publication time.