Leaving a legacy of faith and care

Sharon Mangroo reflects on her years at CEBM

Sharon Mangroo has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Catholic Education Board of Management (CEBM) since December 1, 2012. Before taking the helm of the Board, she was a member of its Human Resources Subcommittee. Mangroo’s experience in the Ministry of Education as the Chief Education Officer served her well when she became the CEBM’s CEO. As she exits this position, The Catholic News spoke to Mangroo about her tenure.

How did you settle in, moving from your role in the public sector with the State and being on a denominational board? Having served on one side, did you have an insiders’ knowledge to assist the CEBM?

The transition was uneventful. My knowledge of Ministry policies, processes and procedures was useful in having matters addressed. The relationships that I had with the various departments reduced friction and made collaboration the norm. Some of the established policies and practices of the Ministry of Education (MoE) provided useful references for establishing our own at CEBM.

What were the challenges over the years? Those that were overcome and those that persist?

The challenges continue.

Staffing school—The goal of Catholic Education as stated in the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) Bishops’ Pastoral letter on education, is “to lead children and youth to encounter the living Jesus Christ…” Sourcing teachers who are grounded in their faith and who meet the State requirements for teaching is the first hurdle.

Most entry-level applicants are young and accompanying them as they mature in the faith is a challenge with which we still wrestle. The State requirements for primary-level teachers have become more demanding over the years; many young people now opt for degrees that offer greater employment flexibility. And, of course, young men are not very attracted to the teaching profession—especially for the primary level.  There is a shortage of male teachers.

Succession planning—The authority for appointments, promotions and transfers rests with the Teaching Service Commission (TSC). The TSC processes result in delays in filling vacancies. This results in students without classroom teachers and poses challenges for succession planning.

Paucity of resources—The Church allows the MoE to use its properties to fulfil its obligation to provide education. In return, they undertake to meet the expenses involved. However, scarce resources result in only critical repair work on school buildings. The same issue limits the Archdiocese’s conduct of maintenance work.

During your tenure was the integration of migrant students—Venezuelan children—into Catholic schools. This brought to the fore issues such as language barriers, cultural integration, and even public scrutiny. How did this experience test your leadership and personal values, and in upholding the Church’s mission of inclusion and education for all?

Working with a team to influence the amendment of the legislation to allow the Venezuelan migrant children into schools, initially Catholic primary, then all public schools, is one of the highlights of my tenure.

Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon led the effort through an initial agreement in principle with the then Prime Minister and Ministers of Education and National Security.

The follow-up required patient, careful and close collaboration with a range of local and international agencies. This is one area in which my previous training and experience were of immense benefit. There was never any question of our responsibility as a Catholic organisation or mine as a Catholic individual.

What specific initiatives do you consider milestones of your tenure?

Developing institutional policies and systems for the CEBM. The CEBM has evolved from a one-person organisation (in my parents’ day) to the present. With my appointment, the CEBM was restructured into governance and operational arms to meet the legal requirements for a registered company.

In the operational arm, an accountant was employed, the accounts were brought into order, and a sound, sustainable system was put in place. With limited resources, we have:

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Implemented and begun the institutionalisation of a Quality Assurance system for Catholic education
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Established a system of Quality Assurance Managers to support principals and teachers
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Collaborated with other organisations and provided professional development opportunities for teachers in areas such as reading and literacy, Catholic leadership, identifying special learning needs, and teaching students whose first language is not English. This includes local children and non-national children.
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Created a dedicated Human Resources department to manage and support schools’ staffing needs
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Provided leadership to the Association of Denominational Boards of Education (ADBE) to positively influence MoE’s policy and practice regarding denominational schools in particular and all public schools.
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Systematically improved RC primary schools’ performance

Did you find it difficult to balance leadership responsibilities with spiritual discernment? How did prayer or spiritual guidance influence major decisions you made?

One of the joys of working at the CEBM is the open expression of our faith that includes prayer and discernment that underscores all our work. Challenges are discussed openly and faced with prayer.

We meet for noon prayer daily and begin the week with scriptural reflections. We have regular spiritual retreats. The staff has participated in Catholic formation programmes. We have supported each other in prayer through illnesses and challenges, including family illnesses and even the death of two staff members. We celebrate together.

As you prepare to leave this role, what do you feel most proud of?

Two things: that I was able to bring my knowledge and experience in education to bear specifically on Catholic education and to forge connections through the relationships that I enjoyed. This included collaboration with CEBM staff, personnel from other Archdiocese commissions and organisations, our principals and teachers, MoE representatives, members of the Associations of Catholic Principals and Teachers, the AEC subcommittee on Education, the Education Working Group, the ADBE, and even media, reporters who often reach out for information.