We asked the candidates: A. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? B. What prompted you to run for school board? C. What do you feel are some of the challenges/concerns facing School District 27? D. How do you plan to address those challenges? E. What are a few fun facts about yourself?
A. I was raised in Williams Lake and attended Nesika and Columneetza. I have a bachelor of education and masters of education in counselling and have worked as a teacher and school counsellor in SD27 for the past 10 years. I currently work for Interior Health on the youth mental health and substance use team.
B. I am passionate about public education and I seek to be part of a board that provides good governance to improve staff and student achievement and well-being in our district. I look forward to listening to the voices of my community and helping to shape the schools to best meet the needs and aspirations of our students and staff, offering the best education we can.
C. In recent years it appears that several key roles, like teachers and support staff, become routinely vacant and sometimes not adequately filled. I believe healthy, happy and qualified staff are key components in a healthy school district and ultimately student success. Staff recruitment and retention is important to me and I believe I can provide critical insight and suggestions, having been both a counsellor and teacher in this district, including out west.
D. Collaboration, honest communication, and reflection are key: are we offering desirable employment and experiences for present and future staff? Do we have ways to gauge those indicators? Reflecting informs practice, a process critical for improvement.
E. Fresh flowers boost my mood and you’ll often find a bouquet on my desk. I enjoy spending my free time with my nieces and nephews and they encourage me to embrace life and myself more simply. I love baking and ran my own business for awhile. One of my favourite sights after being away is driving into town, just as you round the corner near Sugar Cane, and catching that first glimpse of Williams Lake.
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