first appointments

I'd like to share my committee and school liaison appointments, and highlight some of the issues that are coming up for school trustees and the district.  Please note that the appointments are not yet official until they are announced at the Jan 24th, 2012 meeting.  I'm still trying to sort out the difference between "timed announcements" and material that should truly be confidential or "in-camera."  If it were up to me, almost all of our trustee business, with the exception of personnel issues and such, would be public and published in advanced.  In addition to the appointments, I think we should also be notifying the public that we have completed criminal record checks. Trustee candidate Shawn Peters was right in his campaign to encourage the board to pursue this.  Every other volunteer organization requires a criminal record check to be around children.  Perhaps this is something the Policy and Governance Committee will be able to rectify.

I am very happy with my appointments. I have a great mix of schools and am looking forward to learning from some strong teachers and administrators that I have great respect for.  I look forward to the committees I will be on.  There are some big issues & opportunities coming up and I hope I do them justice by asking the right questions.  Saying that, I do hope that those who voted me in, and those who will work with me during my appointments, will help me learn all I need to know to ask the right questions; I do not want to do this alone without the public's help.  Sadly I feel the timelines for some up-and-coming issues are pressing and Educations Services and Policy and Governance committee meetings have been cancelled for the month of January.  Some of my issues are plans for bussing, the discussion around reopening of MAC1 in Mackenzie, concerns with the Northern Learning Centre, and Public access and input at meetings.  Some of these will come up at the Trustee/Sr. Administration meeting on Jan 10th, 2012, although I'm not sure if these are on the agenda for our information or if we have some room to discuss and raise issues.  Feel free to email me or leave comments with your suggestions and feedback.

My appointments are as follows:

Committees

1.  Education Programs and Planning Committee

2.  Education Services Committee

3.  Environmental Sustainability Committee

Liaison

1.  District Parent Advisory Council

Schools

1.  Duchess Park

2.  Edgewood

3.  Harwin

4.  Spruceland

5.  Lac Des Bois