When her children enter the Red Deer Catholic Regional School system, Brandie Towers wants their best interests as students to be at the heart of all school board decisions, and she wants a seat on that board to ensure those decisions will be made.
“I want to be able to ensure that our children are being looked after in the best interest of our children and not necessarily what’s going to be best for the school board or the teachers, and I think sometimes the kids are forgotten in the process,” said Towers, 33.
As an example, she said some children are not able to ride the school bus because their parents cannot afford to pay the fee, something she said does not make for an inclusive culture.
Riding the bus is free up to Grade 5 in the division for students who live 1.6 km or further from school; Alberta Education transportation funding provides for all students who reside more than 2.4 km away.
A first-time candidate for the board, Towers said she brings a fresh set of eyes to the campaign.
Towers, who herself went through the Red Deer Catholic system, is married with two pre-school-age children.
She said she is expecting a large learning curve during the campaign, an opportunity to learn she called “wonderful.”
“I’m looking forward to just talking to people and finding out what they are feeling their voices aren’t being heard on,” said Towers.
She added that she hopes her children will be able to enter into a “well-balanced” school system that supports things like the arts and active lifestyles, but also ensures students know there are consequences to their actions.
“If the child learns through arts and creativity, then let’s encourage that. If they learn through hard studies, then let’s encourage that.”
Towers is a stay-at-home mom who runs an online business.
Before having children, she was a health and safety and human resources manager for an oilfield company.
Also running for the Catholic board are David Bouchard, Murray Hollman, Adriana LaGrange, Cory Litzenberger, Guy Pelletier and Anne Marie Watson.
mfish@www.reddeeradvocate.com