Falkland residents will have two choices for school trustee when they head to the polls Nov. 19.
Debbie Evans and Gina Johnny are seeking the Falkland/Deep Creek/Ranchero seat on the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District board.
“We need to do the best we can for our children based on government funding,” said Evans, who has children in grades 9 and 12 and lives in the Grandview Bench area.
A primary concern for Evans is decreasing enrolment and how that could impact communities.
“Ranchero Elementary has 130 students and Falkland and Silver Creek schools have 75 each. I don’t want schools to close,” she said.
Evans also wants the school district to rationalize its financial resources.
“When you see too many buses going past your door and not that many kids on them, I just shake my head because of the cost of fuel to run them,” she said.
Evans grew up in Armstrong and spent 17 years as the 4-H executive director.
Johnny is an Adams Lake Indian Band councillor and education is part of her council portfolio.
“All of my life has been in education and I have taken training as a teacher,” said Johnny who lives in the Pierre’s Point area near Salmon Arm.
“I have had foster children and I have supported them through education and I hope to continue to do that.”
For Johnny, one issue of concern is for the district to meet the diverse needs of all students.
“I’d like to see more equality in education,” she said.
If elected, Johnny admits that tight financial resources will be an ongoing challenge for trustees.
She says the school district must consider ways to continue services in small communities and public input is critical.
“Working with parents and communicating with everyone, we should be able to win,” she said.
