The School District #27 (SD27) Zone 2 and Zone 3 trustees say they will run again in the Nov. 15 local government elections.
SD27 Zone 2 Trustee Tanya Guenther is completing her first three-year term as trustee, which saw her also serve the past year as school board chair.
“During this term, I have had the opportunity to learn a great deal about our education system, and also become an effective member of the board,” she says.
Guenther adds she still has more to contribute as a trustee on the board.
“One of the main issues is to ensure students throughout our district are provided with the best educational opportunities to enable them to be successful.
“The other work I feel will be very important in the coming weeks, months and beyond will be working on strengthening and re-building relationships with staff, parents, students and community members.”
The change to a four-year term is an opportunity for the board to have an additional year to plan and complete projects, Guenther explains.
SD27 Zone 3 Trustee Chris Pettman has served two years of the term, as he was acclaimed in the 2012 byelection.
“I’m just gaining some momentum with the school district … to get a good grasp on how it works and how we can make things better – not only for [SD27], but for the kids of the South Cariboo,” says Pettman.
He adds the recent change to a four-year term is a detriment that requires a “very serious commitment” to the trustees’ already heavy workload and schedule.
“It definitely gave me more pause to think before I re-entered the race.”
Pettman explains he definitely wants to bring more of the issues for students to the board table, particularly for at-risk students because he finds a lot of times their voice don’t get heard.
“I’d like to bring those issues to the forefront.”
The trustee for SD27 Zone 1, Will Van Osch, is retiring and stepped down as board chair in July 2013 to allow another trustee to gain experience at the helm.
So far, no candidates have publicly released a declaration to pursue the position of Zone 1 trustee.
Some information on running in a local government election is online at www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/2014elections/index.htm, and the SD27 website at www.sd27.bc.ca.
