Brooks Secondary School physical education teacher Ken Holley will be taking the helm of the local teachers’ union this summer.
Powell River and District Teachers’ Association holds its annual general meeting each May to elect the organization’s positions.
Holley, who has served as vice-president for the last three years, let his name stand for president during the AGM and won the position. Holley has been a teacher for 28 years.
Holley told the Peak leading the union is a job that he has been thinking about doing for a number of years. He said that he hopes to “be able to do the position justice,” and keep the lines of communication open with the Powell River Board of Education and stand for teachers against government cutbacks.
Holley will be trading his classroom at Brooks for the union office on Marine Avenue for the course of his term. He said outgoing president Cathy Fisher will serve as a member at large and act as a guide.
Other positions filled at the AGM include: Roseanne Dupuis, vice-president; Mike Sanford, local representative to BC Teachers’ Federation; Gerry Anderson, secretary; Tania Hobson, treasurer; Izi Loveluck and Jill Southall, members at large; Leanne Gahan, Jennifer Kennedy, Caroline Hoekstra and Monty Tyrwhitt-Drake, joint management committee; Richard Olfert and Gerald Mendoza, district health and safety committee; Lisa Gunn, Jerry Reghelin, Amber Evans and Leslie McGowan, tenure transfer.
Holley said a few positions have yet to be filled including bargaining chair, which he vacated, but the union is not worried about filling it as this year is not a bargaining year.
