The SCSBA Board of Directors honoured two trustees from Holy Family at the joint convention of the Catholic Health Association of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Catholic School Board Association held in Regina Oct. 20-22. Kate MacLean was recognized for her nine years of serving as a Catholic School board trustee.
Bruno Tuchscherer was honoured with the Appreciation Award, which is awarded to an individual in appreciation of commitment and contribution to Catholic Education in the province of Saskatchewan.
Bruno Tuchscherer has been deeply committed to Catholic education in Saskatchewan, particularly in the southeast area of province, serving an area of 6,104 square kilometres. He became a Catholic trustee in 1988 and has served 29 years to date. He has served as board chair for Holy Family consecutively since 2004. His calm, committed Catholic leadership was described as “a substantial gift to us all.”
Bruno has spent many long hours creating the foundation of Holy Family by supporting complex activities such as school division amalgamations, first in 2004 with the amalgamation of Weyburn Catholic, Estevan Catholic and St. Olivier in Radville to become Holy Family RCSSD #140. In 2009 St. Augustine in Wilcox was amalgamated into Holy Family. In 2006 the school division extended its rural boundaries to include Queen Elizabeth RCSSD #218 and Spruce Ridge RCSSD #219. These provincial processes required sensitive, strategic leadership at local and provincial levels.
Bruno has been involved in the creation of strategic partnerships with South East Cornerstone Public School Division. The partnership agreement for the operation of the Estevan, Weyburn and Radville high schools includes religion classes to the Grade 9 in Estevan and Christian Ethics to Grade 10, 11 and 12 in all three communities.
Another partnership is the delivery of education in Radville where St. Olivier is the only Kindergarten to Grade 6 school option for all residents and Radville Regional High School is the only Grade 7-12 option. The boards, under the leadership of their chairperson, regularly revisit the service agreement which facilitates the partnership to ensure that the best practices and procedures for educating all students continue to evolve and improve. These types of arrangements require a clear understanding of Catholic distinctiveness during very complex times.
Under Bruno’s leadership, Holy Family has hosted SCSBA Conferences and successfully supported the initiatives of the SCSBA, such as sexual diversity, new curriculum and new religion programming.
Bruno recognizes the significance of contributing to his community and church. Bruno is a member of the 4th degree Knights of Columbus, as well as the Weyburn Council #1731 for which he has served as Grand Knight. He also served on the organizational committee for the Knights of Columbus bingo. Bruno serves St. Vincent de Paul as parish council chairman, chairman of McKenna Auditorium and manager of the fair booth. Bruno has held the position of Weyburn Antique Car Club president and coached girls minor ball.
Bruno is a retired heavy duty diesel mechanic and farmer. Bruno and his wife Margaret celebrated 46 years of marriage this year. They have three grown children and two grandchildren. His calm, solid, no-nonsense Catholic leadership is reflected in his home, community involvement and his service to Holy Family at both the local and provincial level.
