Three community members are vying for two seats that represent Ward 2 on the Aspen View Public Schools Division board.
Former education assistant Monique Fehr, current trustee Anne Karczmarczyk and board chair Dennis MacNeil have thrown their hats into the ring.
Monique Fehr said her experience and insight makes her a good choice for trustee.
“I wanted to run because I worked at LTIS for 14 years as an education assistant,” she said. “I feel that I would have a big input for our children and our teachers and the public in general.”
Fehr said as a trustee she would re-evaluate “how programs are ran, which ones are good, which ones should we focus even more on, which ones we should improve on.”
“Sometimes there’s some that are not useful,” she said. “So sometimes, maybe get rid of that and bring in something that’s more useful for the students.”
As an example, she said activities like incorporating skipping rope while learning mathematics is a successful way to get children interested in the subject.
Fehr said she would speak up for children in school board meetings.
“I think I would be good, because I know a little bit how the school is ran and, in particular, little parts of it where we need to focus a little bit more as a school board,” she said. “Like if the public has a problem, to be out there and ask them what’s the problem. Try. Not that we can solve anything but at least show our students we are there for them.”
Anne Karczmarczyk was elected to the board of trustees in last term’s by-election, which she said gave her the opportunity to prove herself.
“I believe my work is not done,” she said. “I look forward to continued learning, because one never stops learning, but with my passion for my community and my dedication at the role of trustee I just hope to be able to continue the work.”
She said she hopes to continue advocating for a change in the per-student funding model, for mental health support for students and school staff, and for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students and curriculum.
Karczmarczyk moved to the area in 2004 and has two daughters in the school system. Before moving to Athabasca, she worked in marketing, customer service and administration for Shell Canada and for credit unions.
“I believe, especially with my two daughters being in schools here, it has not only given me a vested interest in our schools but has now given me the insight on how administration and teachers and staff work so hard to get our kids safely to and from school, but at the same time ensuring that they have a positive educational experience,” she said.
Dennis MacNeil has spent 22 years in Aspen View schools, as a principal, administrator and a trustee.
“There’s still a lot of things left to do, and I just feel that I have the time to do it and I want to continue working on it,” he said.
MacNeil said his top priorities are advocating for change in Alberta’s per-pupil funding model, transportation rules that do not fund busses to pick up children who live within 2.4 kilometres of a school, fee structure and credit-based funding in high schools.
“I feel that the fight is not over,” he said. “I feel that we need to have a strong voice to say we believe in rural Alberta and we’re not going to rest until we get some fairness.”
MacNeil began his teaching career in Edmonton and later moved to Colinton, where he raised four children and many foster children.
He served as Rochester School principal from 2001-2008 and has been a trustee for the past seven years.
He said he is proud of the work he did to reduce the number of trustees from nine to seven.
“I see that my role as a trustee is to do what’s in the best interest of all kids,” he said.
