Personal and Confidential 2014 06 19 Hugh MacDonald Principal St. Joseph High School 10830 - 109 Street Edmonton, Alberta TSH 3C1 Dear Mr. MacDonald: On 2014 03 22 we spoke to you expressing our surprise and concern regarding remarks you were reported to have made about both of us on 2013 10 01. You made the remarks, we are told, at a meeting of the principals of the District - a meeting called by the Superintendent. [It is assumed that members of the senior staff were also in attendance. As we shared with you on 2014 03 22 we found your remarks [as these were reported to us by a number who were in attendance at the meeting of 2013 10 01] to be untrue, unfair, and completely inappropriate. Itis our belief that your behaviour could be considered unprofessional and unethical by the Alberta Teachers Association - whether or not this is the case would be for the Association to determine. At the very least, we believe, you behaved in a manner that detracted from the dignity of the teaching profession and from the dignity of a Catholic ‘education leader. This is a view that was shared by some who heard you speak on 2013 10 01. Indeed your remarks apparently were a source of significant discomfort to a number of administrators who were present. This was verified by those who reported to us as well, we understand, by some who reported the incident to the Edmonton Catholic Local of the ATA. [Your behaviour might also be considered illegal - this based on judicial comment that has been made regarding employee - employer relationships.] Further to the above we see your behaviour as being immoral in that it was designed to harm our characters and our reputations, and to bring into question our moral integrity. We assume you were motivated to speak as you did by a desire to discredit us and to damage our reputations and this to influence the outcome of the then upcoming Catholic School Board elections. When we spoke to you on 2014 03 22 you did not deny that what was reported to us as being incorrect. Indeed you noted that you had a right to speak as you did to the administrators present. You in fact committed yourself to providing us with a written copy your comments of 2013 10 01. [Written comments that you implied were prepared in advance of 2013 10 01. Whether or not you were formally scheduled to speak at the meeting we know not] We are disappointed that we did not receive those written comments as promised and thus the felt need for this communication.2 Mr. MacDonald, in our work as duly elected trustees, we have frequent occasion to interact with the principals and with the members of the senior administrative staff. Your inaccurate and malicious portrayal of us makes it significantly more difficult for us to fulfill our role as representatives of the Catholic population of Edmonton - this, it might be assumed, in great part because of the discomfort felt on the part of, your colleagues and senior staff. We deem it to be important therefore that you take action to mitigate the damage done to our reputations, the damage done to the profession, and the damage done to the Catholic ethos of the District. To this end we ask that you issue a retraction of the message you gave to the administrators and that you issue an apology to both of us and that this be done in the presence of the administrative staff of the District. We would expect the retraction and apology to be made prior to the end of the current school year. Ifthere are to be no further meetings before June 30, 2014 that that retraction and apology be emailed to all and that this be followed by a direct retraction and apology at the first gathering of principals in August 2014. Itis assumed that the Superintendent would allow you time on the agenda just as was allowed you on 2013 10 01. ‘We would ask that you provide confirmation to us by 2014 06 25 that you are prepared to issue your retraction and apology. (If you wish to discuss this matter with us prior to issuing your retraction and apology please contact us.] Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Once the retraction and apology has been issued [initially by 2014 06 30] we will consider the matter closed. We will then look forward to an ongoing positive working relationship with you and with the other administrators as we all strive to achieve the mission of the District and of Catholic education. Sincerely: John B Acheson Larry Kowalczyk. Trustee Ward 75, Trustee Ward 72 Copy: J. Carr ‘Superintendent