By David Reid for School District 51
I believe that normally most people are hesitant about change in their lives. Especially if things, in their opinion, are generally going well. In the case of our school district, we are about to see some significant changes in the near future.
From a leadership perspective, it doesn’t really get much bigger than what we will go through in the next four years in our small district. At the Board of Education trustee level, we have at least three out of seven trustees not running in this next election. This is significant, especially when you consider our district’s longtime board chair, Teresa Rezansoff, along with longtime trustee, Cathy Riddle not seeking re-election.
As for changes at the school board senior staff level, it has been announced that Superintendent Kevin Argue and Secretary-Treasurer, Jeanette Hanlon are both retiring as of July 2018. A major change with two of the highest leadership positions within the district, and many years of local knowledge retiring.
When you add in the recent changes of the implementation of the new curriculum, an influx of new teachers in the education system, the upcoming changes to the funding formula, and then add a bargaining session with the British Columbia Teachers Federation in 2019, that is a lot of change for anyone, including those who aren’t normally hesitant about change.
I hope to see people step up and put their names in as candidates to run in the school district elections later this year, as we need good people for this important role. It has been a very enjoyable and fulfilling experience being a school trustee for the last six and a half years. I would like to personally thank everyone for all the well wishes and support over the years. I will definitely miss the team that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of, but it is time for me to shift my focus to my very understanding family.
Thank you to my supporters and all the best to Kevin and Jeanette; I hope the change treats them well.