Ford Rice, Superintendent of Schools, SRSB; Jamie Samson, Chair, SRSB; and Richelle MacLaughlin, Vice Chair, SRSB.
-by April MacDonald
Last Wednesday evening, the Strait Regional School Board elected two new people for the position of chair and vice chair.
On the ballot for chair of the SRSB was Francine Boudreau, who has held the position for the past three years, Jamie Samson and Mary Jess MacDonald (member for District 3 South Inverness).
On the ballot for vice-chair were Richelle MacLaughlin and Francine Boudreau.
When all the votes were counted, Jamie Samson was elected as chair and Richelle MacLaughlin was elected as vice chair of the Strait Regional School Board.
The meeting and vote was held in Port Hawkesbury in their newly opened board office during the Annual Organizational Meeting of the Board on November 1st.
Both positions are for a one-year term and took effect immediately.
Samson was elected to the Strait Regional School Board in October 2012. He has served two terms as vice chair; this will be Mr. Samson’s first term as chair.
Samson has served on several committees including audit, policy, bylaws and attendance.
Upon his election, Samson thanked the board for the opportunity to serve in the capacity of chair.
“I look forward to working with my board member colleagues and staff to support student achievement and success,” said Samson.
Richelle MacLaughlin has been a member of the Strait Regional School Board since 2008 and has served one term as vice chair from 2012-2013.
She has served on various committees including policy, bylaws, audit, attendance, superintendent’s hiring and resolutions, and serves as a director of the Nova Scotia School Boards Association.
Upon her election as vice chair, MacLaughlin thanked her colleagues for their support.
“Thank you, this comes as a little bit of a surprise but I thank you for your vote of confidence,” said MacLaughlin.
Both MacLaughlin and Samson said their number one priority is student achievement and student success.
The only board member who did not vote was George Kehoe, he did not attend the meeting and sent his regrets. Rosalee Parker appeared via teleconference.
“Congratulations from me and all of the senior staff on the positions of chair and vice chair,” said Superintendant Ford Rice to Samson and MacLaughlin.
Rice also thanked Francine Boudreau for her three-year service.
Jamie Samson added that he learned a lot from Boudreau in those years.
“A big thank you to her for the work she has done,” he added.
New Regional Education Officer, Sherman England, said that on behalf of Zach Churchill, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, “thank you to Francine Boudreau, we appreciate the effort and hard work.”
He added that they look forward to working with both Samson and MacLaughlin.
“It takes a lot of leadership and strong governance to effectively run a school board.”
“Richelle is a rule stickler,” he added.
The members of the Strait Regional School Board are: Jim Austin, Central Inverness; Rosalee Parker, East Guys borough; Francine Boudreau, East Richmond; Paula Paul, Milkman Representative; Chelsea Burke, West Guysborough; Anne Peters, North Inverness; George Kehoe, West Richmond; Barbara Quirk, Town of Antigonish; Mary Jess MacDonald, South Inverness; Joanne Reddick, African Nova Scotia Representative; Richelle MacLaughlin, West Antigonish; and Jamie Samson, East Antigonish.
