-by April MacDonald
Once a year, Superintendent of Schools for the Strait Region, Ford Rice, gets to sit in the “big chair.”
During the annual election at the organizational meeting for the Strait Board Superintendent Rice is the presiding officer, at least until the Chair has been elected.
Three scrutineers were also appointed for the voting process: they were Regional Education Officer John Astephan, Director of Finance William Cormier and Janice Campbell, Coordinator of Continuous School Improvement and Special Projects.
The SRSB held their annual organizational meeting and there were some changes to the hierarchy.
The election was held directly before their regular monthly meeting of November 4th.
Board members acclaimed Francine Boudreau as Chair for the Strait Regional School Board. The run for Chair
was unchallenged.
There were two nominations for the position of Vice-Chair. One nomination was for Jamie Samson, member for District 8, East Antigonish and the other was for Mary Jess MacDonald, member for District 3, South Inverness, who held the position of Vice-Chair.
The Scrutineers counted the votes for Vice-Chair.
The SRSB voted and elected Jamie Samson as Vice-Chair.
For the first time in a long time, Mary Jess MacDonald will not sit as the Chair or Vice-Chair of the Strait Board.
Both positions are for a one-year term and take effect immediately.
After the Vice-Chair was nominated newly re-elected Chair, Francine Boudreau stated, “that is the make-up for the make-up for the 2015-2016 year.”
Francine Boudreau has been a member of the Strait Regional School Board since 2007 and this is her second term as Chair. During her time with the SRSB, she has served on various committees including Policy, Hiring, Transportation and Resolutions.
After being formally re-elected by her peers to the position of Chair, Ms. Boudreau thanked her colleagues for their support. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with all Board members and senior staff in continuing the important business of the School Board,” said Boudreau.
Mr. Samson was elected to the Strait Regional School Board in October 2012 and this will be Mr. Samson’s first term as Vice-Chair. Mr. Samson has served on several committees including Audit, Policy and Attendance.
Upon his election, Mr. Samson thanked the Board for the opportunity to serve in the capacity of Vice-Chair. “I look forward to facilitating discussions that support student success,” said Mr. Samson.
Superintendent Rice took the time to formally congratulate Boudreau and Samson and to thank Mary Jess MacDonald for her long years of service as Chair, Vice-Chair and member of the SRSB.
“It was an honour and I’ll do whatever I can to continue on with this valuable work for the most valuable resource we have,” said Mary Jess MacDonald.
MacDonald added that she really enjoys and appreciates working with the Strait Regional School Board.
“I’m looking forward to working with the team again this year,” said MacDonald.
MacDonald brings more than 20 years of experience to the position of school board member, and served as chair and vice-chair during this time.
She is past president and honorary member of the Nova Scotia School Boards Association (NSSBA) and is a member of a number of school board, provincial and community committees.
She received several awards in recognition of her dedication to public school education and lifelong learning including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013), the Education Week Partner Award in Science (2004), the School Board Member of the Year Award (2001), and certification for all five modules of the Board Member Governance Development Program(2006).
In addition to a Masters of Education Degree in Curriculum and Administration, Mary Jess holds numerous certificates related to education and has completed post graduate studies in the education of children and youth.
Prior to her election to the Strait Regional School Board, MacDonald served as vice-chair with the former Inverness District School Board and spent 36 years in the educational system as teacher, principal, curriculum supervisor, assistant superintendent, and university professor.
In an interview after the regular monthly meeting of November 4th, MacDonald took the time to comment on the election.
“Although I am no longer Vice-Chair I am still concerned about ensuring the students get the best education, and now I will have more time to focus on any concerns that I have,” said Mary Jess MacDonald.
She added that one of the duties of being Chair of a School Board is ensuring that all board members have a say, she said now she has more leeway to address her own questions.
“My whole thing is about having a good board that works for the success of the students,” added MacDonald.
When asked if it would be a big change for her she stated that she has seen plenty of change since she has been involved with the school system.
“I’ve never been afraid of change,” said MacDonald.
She said she will continue to work hard for district 3 and all of the students in the SRSB.
“I’m fine as long as the board is working, otherwise I’ll get on my hind legs,” laughed Mary Jess.
She added that it is also very important for the community to voice any concerns that they have to the board members who represent them.
“If you don’t contact your member, how will they know?” asked MacDonald.
Concluding she said, on a more serious note, that “being a board member is about serving, it’s not about me.”
The members of the Strait Regional School Board are: Jim Austin, Central Inverness; Mallori Nickerson, West Guysborough; Francine Boudreau, East Richmond; Rosalee Parker, East Guysborough; Basil Johnson, Mi’kmaq Representative; Lian Parsons, West Richmond; Mary Jess MacDonald, South Inverness; Anne Peters, North Inverness; Richelle MacLaughlin, West Antigonish; Joanne Reddick, African Nova Scotia Representative; Brian Murray, Town of Antigonish; Jamie Samson, East Antigonish.
