Incumbent Cathy Peacocke, also known as “Eagle Eye” at Red Deer Public School board meetings thanks to being a stickler for detail, is seeking re-election to the board after serving two terms.
The 55-year-old was first elected in 2007.
“Sitting on the board has been a tremendously rewarding opportunity,” Peacocke said.
“Within a school district, it’s all about people ... and I’ve been active in the community over the years with non-profits and have been able to listen to concerns going on and I bring what I hear back to my work at the board table.”
Peacocke said she’s eager to continue with projects the board has already started.
“There’s lots of changes coming with education ... such as the new Education Act and I’ve been involved in providing input for those regulations,” she said.
“We’ve been making improvements within the district on our high school completion rates but we need to do more in that area. The board knows it’s an area of concern.”
Student health and well-being is also a topic Peacocke wants to tackle.
“We have a good nutrition policy but I think we need to keep building on that and to better support mental health for our students and all of our staff,” she noted.
Peacocke credits her ability to make connections for her success as a trustee.
“Building relationships is the best way to handle situations. If people see you at the board table and meetings in the community and they know that you’re someone they can depend on, someone with integrity, I think that’s really important and I would stay that’s something I bring to the table,” she said.
“I am a lifelong learner and have taken great joy in reading everything I can on board development and education. I also like reviewing and creating policy, which few do so that’s one of my assets as well.”
Peacocke was formerly the program director at the Central Alberta Brain Injury Society and an instructor with the Alberta School Councils’ Association. She left those positions to take care of her son, who passed away last year.
She has a daughter who lives in Red Deer. Today she makes volunteering a priority, including time spent on the board of directors with the Lifelong Learning Council of Red Deer and the United Way of Central Alberta.
Other Red Deer Public School candidates are Raymond Yaworski, Ben Ordman, Kurt Spady, Shari Hanson, Jim Waters, Milt Williams, Bill Stuebing, Lianne Kruger, Bill Christie, Dick Lemke, Bev Manning, Dianne Macaulay and Kerri Kenworthy.
rfrancoeur@www.reddeeradvocate.com