Cody Beebe, incumbent Rebecca Huscroft, Verna Mayers-McKenzie and Ken Vaughn-Evans are South Rural candidates for School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) in the Nov. 15 municipal election.
What experiences make you a good candidate for the school board?
The role of trustee is to hold the education of all students in trust; your role as taxpayer is to elect trustees that will guide the work of the district, set plans, policies and an annual budget. While doing this, the trustee must meet the needs of all students and understand the diverse needs of each community they represent. Having sat on the board of education for the past three years, I believe I have a good understanding of how to fulfill this role. I am a compassionate individual with a strong, clear voice. I will always meet every challenge head on, listen open-mindedly and base my decisions on what best meets all students’ needs and is accountable to all taxpayers.
What would be your top priority as a trustee?
My top priority is to ensure that the most dollars possible meet the needs of each student in the classroom. It is my job as trustee to advocate on behalf of the students’ needs on a local and provincial level.
Does School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) serve the best interests of Creston Valley residents?
I strongly believe SD8 serves the interests of all Creston Valley residents. The role of SD8 is to provide quality education that best meets the needs of all students. By focusing on academic success, creativity and imagination, resiliency and citizenship we can feel confident that we are setting all students up to be successful. These children are the future of our community and we owe it to ourselves to ensure we are doing everything possible to make them a success.
How many school board meetings/functions have you attended in 2014?
In 2014, as chair of the board, I have attended more board meetings/functions than I can count. As the mother of two very active teenagers, as well as the co-owner/operator of a garlic and market garden farm with my husband, Cory, it has been a balancing act but I have truly enjoyed my time spent as a trustee and look forward to an opportunity to do it again.