Three new public school and two Catholic school candidates have thrown their hats in the ring.
In the election for the Red Deer Regional Catholic School board, Monique LaGrange and incumbent school board chairman Kim Pasula — have officially entered the race. They join Sharla Heistad (incumbent), Murray Hollman (incumbent), Cynthia Leyson (incumbent), Fred Simoni and Anne Marie Watson (incumbent).
LaGrange says she is a “community ambassador who understands the needs and centrality of our students.” She has taught locally and internationally for 10 years and her “passion is advocating for students and teachers and creating loving communities.”
She believes in ensuring schools have the tools to create safe and healthy environments and the importance of supporting Christ-centred education when addressing important educational issues. She also wants to ensure the voices of parents, teachers and students are heard and valued.
Kim Pasula was the most recent chair of the school board and has been a businessman and college instructor.
Pasula says he “strives to ensure that teachers and schools can deliver the highest standard of education and that all budget decisions are made in the best interests of children.”
He will work to create a system where all the best our schools have to offer is accessible to all, at no cost to children and their families.
Three new Red Deer Public School trustee candidates have entered the race Bev Manning (incumbent), Cathy Peacocke (incumbent) and Mark Swarek. They join Matt Chapin, Matt Gould, Terri Grills, Dianne Macaulay (incumbent), Meagan Parisian, and Jaelene Tweedle.
Manning, a trustee for 26 years says “our community has said very clearly that they want their children to be well-rounded citizens who are responsible, respectful and resilient. I wish to continue to represent parents and our community in these values for learning and life.”
Manning says student achievement and learning must be at the heart of what the school division does and “we need to continually find new ways to support students and their families in the learning process.”
Following the pandemic, it will take a focused effort on recovery and resilience to help students. “Our minds need to be open to all possibilities and we need to actively talk to students and families to find out what’s needed,” she says, adding schools must continue to seek new ways of making education accessible to all.
Peacocke believes that students should be at the centre of all decisions and that it is “crucial to focus on students’ mental, emotional and physical health in addition to their learning needs.”
Every district employee plays an integral role in building a positive learning environment and they should feel valued and supported and also that schools provide the resources for all students to reach their potential.
Parents are an essential part of their children’s education and she encourages parents to work as partners with teachers
“Meaningful communication between school and home enhances student learning and opportunities.”