A long-serving member of Powell River Board of Education has stepped aside as chair, nominating a former vice-chair for the position.
Four-year board chair and six-term board member Jeanette Scott said she is happy to pass her position to Doug Skinner, who was acclaimed as chair at the education board’s recent December 15 meeting.
“I orchestrated it, so I feel pretty good,” said Scott, who was elected to the board after a 35-year career as a teacher. “I have a lot of other things on my plate and trying to juggle everything was not healthy.”
Now in his third term, newly elected chair Skinner said it’s a privilege to serve in the position.
“It will be big shoes to follow Jeanette and Pauline Galinski,” said Skinner. Prior to Scott and Debbie Lewis, Galinski served as board chair for 15 years before retiring in 2008.
“I have great respect for all the people who work in this district,” he said.
In terms of his vision for the school district, Skinner said in addition to supporting continuing teaching innovation at Brooks he would like to see each of the district’s elementary schools develop in its own unique way.
“I would like to see each elementary school have something that they specialize in,” he said, “like what’s happening at James Thomson Elementary with French immersion, and Kelly Creek Community School with their outdoor programming.”
Skinner will also be maintaining his position as BC Public School Employers’ Association representative.
Board trustee Aaron Reid was acclaimed to fill Skinner’s position as vice-chair, and will also maintain her previous position as provincial councillor. Reid is in her third term as board trustee.
“Jeanette has done such a wonderful job as chair,” said Reid. “I have been so very lucky since being elected to work with trustees who are collaborative and always looking through the lens of what’s best for the district.”
Scott said she does not plan to stand as trustee again in the next election, but will concentrate her energies on helping district elementary schools with the script she has written based on Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation elder Elsie Paul’s book, Written as I Remember It.
