School District 27 (SD27) elections are slated for Nov. 19 and the three incumbent south end trustees are revealing their plans.
Trustee Will Van Osch has announced he will run again to represent Bridge Lake, Forest Grove, Buffalo Creek and Horse Lake for the upcoming three-year term.
Van Osch says he wants to continue with some initiatives he has been working on for the past six years.
One of his key objectives is continuing to support small schools, as well as working to get some funding reinstated for community schools, he explains.
“I would also really like to continue to work with the Environmental Stewardship Committee to further reduce our carbon emissions and make the district as green as we can be.”
Trustee Pattie Baker says she will run again to represent the District of 100 Mile House.
“I believe that a good education is essential for the success of our children and that the only way we can provide quality education is to be involved.
“The more the students, the parents and the community are involved, the better we meet the needs of each and every child.”
Baker is the principal at the Cariboo Christian School in 100 Mile, an independent school with an education ministry accredited academic program.
Trustee Pete Penner has indicated he will not run in this election to represent 108 Mile Ranch and Lac la Hache.
“It is a hard decision, because I enjoyed the contact with educators and children.”
Penner says he enjoyed the times of building new schools and adding teachers. He adds the more challenging aspects of the job were dealing with declining enrolment and funding reductions.
“Service takes energy, and as I approach the ‘golden years,’ that seems to diminish. I feel that if I can’t do an adequate job, I should let someone else do it.”
Keeping in touch with schools and work places as a trustee takes a lot of time, Penner explains, and he also travels with his volunteer work.
With a daughter now residing in Ottawa, and four of his siblings living with Huntington’s disease, Penner adds he needs to free himself up for visiting family.
