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Trustee candidates tackle questions of integrity

Okotoks trustee candidates were questioned about maintaining their own and their fellow board members integrity if elected to one of two seats to represent the community on the Foothills School Board.
Corrine Babb, an Okotoks trustee candidate for the Foothills School Division addresses approximately 45 people at a candidates forum at Westmount School on Oct. 12.
Corrine Babb, an Okotoks trustee candidate for the Foothills School Division addresses approximately 45 people at a candidates forum at Westmount School on Oct. 12.

Okotoks trustee candidates were questioned about maintaining their own and their fellow board members integrity if elected to one of two seats to represent the community on the Foothills School Board.

“You need to prove who the person is that you are. I believe that it’s how you carry yourself as a person,” said incumbent trustee Laurie Copland.

“My integrity is very important to me… I have learned in the last year it is very important that you need to be a strong person.”

Copland, the Okotoks (Ward 4) trustee since 2004, has been on personal leave since mid October 2016 as she faced legal issues, which were not related to her duties as a trustee.

All of her charges were stayed.

She was responding to a question from one of the 45 people in attendance at the forum on Oct. 12 at Westmount School, who asked trustees to give a recent event in which their integrity, transparency and honesty were tested and what they learned from the experience and how it could help him or her as a trustee.

There are nine candidates running for the two seats. They are Larry Albrecht, Corrine Babb, Jerry Clark, Claire Comtois, Copland, Mary Daunt, Cindy Krebs, Wayne Meikle and Sharon Nichols.

Daunt, a former teacher in the division, said she grew up “a preacher’s kid… so when someone questions my integrity or honesty it cuts me to the core… I have always tried to be transparent… that is how I try to run my life.”

Cindy Krebs, the Foothills Composite High School learning commons facilitator who stepped down to run for trustee, said she always tells her children those core values are “red flags.”

With a daughter trying to make a career in Nashville and two sons in the Western Hockey League, she stresses to her children those values are more important as they (the children) are somewhat in the public spotlight in this social media world.

“More and more, (it is) important to stay true to yourself and be honest and be sure you can live with yourself,” Krebs said.

Meikle joked that during his career on Okotoks town council there were some who felt he might have been too honest and transparent. He said while working with Alberta government, “I always tried to be transparent as possible and give out as much information as possible... People who work with me are aware of my core values.”

Nichols said as a former teacher, parent and administrator she has always been in a position of trust.

“That means being, very, very straightforward and being honest — it means doing what you say you will do with best knowledge and intent,” Nichols said. “Are there mistakes that are made with that? Yes, but that is part of integrity is saying let me regroup.”

Babb, who has worked on school councils and federal elections, said integrity has always been a part of her life.

“As you get to know me you will find I am very authentic,” Babb said.

She said as a volunteer, such as her school council work, she was always given the opportunity to do more.

Babb previously was the chairwoman of Okotoks Junior High and Foothills Comp school councils, and is now Chairwoman of the Council of School Councils (COSC) for the Foothills School Division. She recently met with representatives from Alberta Education to discuss the future of education in the province.

“You are put in a position of trust for these things and to be asked back again and be given the opportunity to do more that is vouching for your commitment.”

Comtois said voters can look at candidates’ experience in regards to integrity. She is a former nurse.

She said although it was a tough area to work in, it was one she loved.

“The team was the best you could find, you were able to rely on one another,” she said.

She said her work as a volunteer and later as a bus driver in the Foothills area is a measure of her integrity.

The candidates opened the forum with telling what is their major concern about education and how to solve them.

Albrecht, a former principal at Highwood High School in High River, was unable to attend the forum.

He submitted his response.

“We need to continue to plan to educate the growing number of students who reside in Okotoks now and in the future,” he wrote. “This includes insuring we have facilities, resources and staff to build a broad range of quality educational programs to educate and prepare students, this is done with the understanding that we have to work within the fiscal realities of funding modules directed by Alberta Education.”

Boards need to be proactive in planning and involve all stakeholders both in Okotoks and the surrounding area, he added.

Babb said there are many issues that are inter-related.

“My focus on the whole campaign is every issue is resolved through communication and engagement — partnering to have a better understanding,” said Babb who has attended several of the public school division meetings in the past year. “If you are disconnected from the impact of those issues, it is really going to be a disservice.”

She said through communication, the board can work on issues such as class-size, literacy supports, student-teacher ratios and other issues.

Clark has three concerns in his platform, starting with diversity and inclusion.

“I believe there has to be a healthy balance of supporting various students’ needs and supporting teachers in the classroom,” he said. “Kids should be welcomed despite their gender identity, disability or cultural background.”

He also stressed safety for students and making sure there is an appropriate plan for growth in Okotoks — maintaining manageable classroom sizes.

Comtois said after talking to parents the economy is a concern.

She would like all parents to have access to early childhood education.

Copland stated there were several concerns.

“If they are important to the kids, it’s important to me,” Copland said. “I believe that our kids are the most important people out there.”

Krebs said being a parent of children who have gone and are going through the Foothills system, she knows what the students are going through.

Her work in the commons room has helped her connect with the school system.

“This knowledge and perspective will help me connect our needs of our kids and our community, to better deliver the job of the trustee role,” she said.

Krebs feels the biggest change needed is how the division works together in the community.

“I see so much monetary waste because of our inability to work cohesively together,” she said.

She said in regards to capital costs, there are schools in the province, which have partnered with other stakeholders to meet the community’s needs.

“When stakeholders get together with common goals and the intent to work together those projects yield innovative results that can save taxpayers so much money now and in the future.”

Bishop O’Byrne High School in Calgary, which has a library, YMCA, pool and several gyms in the same area is an example, she said during an interview.

Daunt calls herself a lifelong learner, and served on the University of Lethbridge senate for six years.

“I believe the biggest issue is rapid growth in the community — Okotoks has exploded the last few years,” Daunt said. “Also there is rapid change of Alberta learning and we are trying to keep up with it.”

She also supports diversity, adding all students need to feel safe at school.

Daunt was a member of the website teachingsexualhealth.ca

“I was the only teacher on that website,” Daunt said. “Right now with the issues that are out there I think it is really critical to have someone who can navigate that.”

She said other concerns include curriculum, school fees and others.

“I believe it takes a community to educate a student,” Daunt said.

Meikle said he would like to create a transportation plan for the students — one that would promote safe walking and biking routes to school.

He would also like to have students become active with nature — possibly working with community gardens.

Nichols said when talking to residents a common question was ‘How do I know my kids are getting a really good education – how can I be sure they are safe?’

“What I can do as your school trustee is to really hear the needs and make sure they are known,” Nichols said. “I can use that information to help make thoughtful budgeting decisions that will support our students in the schools.

“Supporting all those teachers, support staff and parents who continue to surround our kids.”

She said she will advocate at the provincial level to ensure those views are being heard.

The 2017-2021 term is the first time in the Foothills School Division’s history the Okotoks Ward 4 will be represented by two trustees. The change was made due to Okotoks having more than 40 per cent of the total population among the five wards.

For a bio of the candidates as well as any of their website information go to www.fsd38.ab.ca/Elections.php

Further responses are also available at www.foothillsata.com

The questions being answered deal with LGBTQ and GSAs; dealing with the division’s surplus of $11.9-million; class sizes and support for teachers in the classroom.

The election is Monday.

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