The two new trustees on the Red Deer Public School District have a big assignment ahead of them as they join an experienced board.
Laurette Woodward (4,137 votes) and Nicole Buchanan (4,596 votes) will join with five incumbents, Bev Manning (5,609), Bill Stuebing (5,008 votes), Dianne Macaulay (4,724), Bill Christie (4,435 votes) and Cathy Peacocke (4,124 votes), to comprise the new Red Deer Public School District board.
The results of Monday’s municipal election are unofficial.
The five returning incumbents have a collective 74 years of experience on the Red Deer public board.
Buchanan ran because she thought the board lacked a voice from a parent with children currently in the school system.
“I think they need that, having the balance of someone who has a student in the school district is important,” said Buchanan.
The daughter of Red Deer Coun. Buck Buchanan, she is also a police officer with the Calgary Police Service and commutes from Red Deer.
Woodward campaigned on strengthening the relationship between school and home.
“I’ve thought a lot about the teachers who made a difference in my life growing up and the teachers who make a difference in my my kids lives and the powerful that has on a young persons life,” said Woodward. “I’m so excited to be a part of that equation.”
Peacocke held on to her board position by 47 votes, finishing with 4,124 ahead of incumbent Jim Watters, who missed the mark with 4,077 votes in eight position. Watters served for 16 years.
“I’ve worked very hard for kids,” said Watters. “I wanted them to be successful and I wanted them to have the opportunities that I never had.”
Another incumbent Dick Lemke, who served for 10 years finished in 10th place with 3,608 votes.
Manning was first elected in 1995 and has served on the board for 22 years. She was the board chair for the last four years.
“I see this as a fabulous opportunity to regroup, have some time to adjust to the new board and I think we’re going to have some interesting topics to discuss,” said Manning.
Those topics include funding, classroom complexities, equity agenda and student mental health, she said.
The other incumbent trustee Stuebing, who has also served since 1995, said Buchanan and Woodward will make a good addition to the board. He said his role making equity part of the board’s education plan.
“Equity is absolutely key to what we’re doing,” he said. “It says we deal with students as individuals with individual needs, rather than trying to develop a program or curriculum that can be given to everyone.”
mcrawford@reddeeradvocate.com
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