I am a teacher of 13 years in the Creston Valley and parent of two young adults. Both of my children received their education in the Creston Valley and graduated from our local high school, now known as Kootenay River Secondary School. My grandmothers were teachers in this valley, and my daughter is currently in the U-Vic program set to graduate as a new teacher in 2024.
I am passionate about education. My first love is to be in the classroom with students, yet the design of our school system plays such a critical role in how effective an individual teacher can be in supporting the learning journey of a child. I’ve worked to support students from the Bountiful Community as they’ve transitioned into the school district and college. I’ve advocated to the trustees of School District 8 for the unique needs and challenges of many youth in this valley. I’ve been frustrated to see that often programs designed for youth have not tried to address the distinct barriers our rural populations face: distance, relocating, cost of travel, and unsafe highways. During the sale of the Home Links building, I was particularly infuriated as I saw the school board giving no consideration to protecting a vital resource that is a hub and unique service supporting a vulnerable population in our community. I’ve witnessed the continued erosion of educational assets and resources in the Creston Valley and often hear the frustration many community members feel about this.
My keen interest in community development is influenced by my training with Tamarack Institute. A school as the heartbeat of a community is a philosophy I follow. Healthy communities start with healthy schools. I’ve worked as a vice principal of Mormon Hills Schools. I am familiar with the Ministry of Education accreditation process and school funding models. I’ve worked in the non-profit sector as president of Trails for Creston Valley Society, with the philosophy of providing opportunities for people to fall in love with nature so they will work to protect it. I completed my university studies in Utah and have studied many different educational models. I sat on a consultation committee for developing BC’s new curriculum. I feel inspired by the direction the new curriculum is headed and the Ministry of Education’s work to apply Indigenous ways of knowing into our everyday classrooms.
If elected, I promise to spend the next four years working towards building community through a culture of respect and support, listening and taking action for what families need, placing value on re-skilling our youth with practical life skills, creating a culture of reciprocity with the natural world to combat helplessness in our current climate crisis, serving an active and responsible role in truth and reconciliation, being an advocate and stronger voice for securing educational resources for youth, lobby provincial government to return Creston Valley to its own school district.
I believe my experience and character make me a good fit for this position. I will use my communication and project leadership experience to build a culture of transparency and confidence through tried and true methods of engagement and collaborative strategies. I will work diligently to secure the maximum educational resources and opportunities available for Creston Valley youth.