Director of Education announces retirement

Director of Education, Mark Benesh, recently announced that he will be retiring at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Dedicating over 35 years as an educator, he has spent more than 30 of those years serving the students and staff in Chinook.

Mark Benesh

Mark’s journey with Chinook has been extensive; serving as a teacher, principal, Hutterian coordinator, superintendent, and finally as Director of Education. Throughout his time as Director, he worked diligently to fulfill the Board’s mandate to cultivate a positive culture across the organization.

“Mark’s focus on resiliency and dedication ensured our division stayed true to our student-centered values and remained effective in supporting our school communities, while helping us balance division supports with fiscal realities. We particularly appreciate Mark’s current focus on the division’s priority of mental health and well-being, ensuring that both students and staff have the supports they need to thrive,” said Dianne Hahn, Board Chair. “We want to thank Mark for his exceptional work, his kindness, and his unwavering commitment to our kids and our schools. He has truly made Chinook ‘a great place to go to school and go to work’. We wish Mark and his family nothing but the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

His tenure as Director included leading the school division through a number of challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing educational funding shortfalls, and the implementation of numerous provincial initiatives.

“When I think back to when I was a student, I remember the people who made a huge difference in my life. They are the reason I am where I am today. Now, when I visit a school or a classroom, my heart warms as I see the difference our staff are making,” stated Benesh, “As Director, it has been both an honour and a privilege to work with and lead such a caring, dedicated, and exceptional group of people. I would like to thank all of our staff for being such positive, caring, amazing people and kind human beings who make a tremendous difference in our kids' lives.”

Due to the retirement of Mark Benesh at the end of the 2025-26 school year, the Chinook Board of Education will be undertaking the recruitment process for a new Director of Education. The Board has retained the services of Randy Fox as a consultant to work with the Board on the executive search and hiring process, which includes identifying a candidate profile, as well as the recruitment and hiring of a successful candidate.