October 18, 2004 is Election Day in Red Deer.  Return to Election Forum - Candidates for Public School Board

Candidate for Public School Trustee

Gail Holland

I'm finishing my first term on the Red Deer Public School Board.

I have served, and am serving, on most Board Committees and am our Board's designate to the Public School Board's Association. I also represent the Alberta School Board's Association on the Premier's Advisory Council on Special Education. There has been a lot to learn and do, and I've enjoyed every bit of it. The city-wide School Council meetings are particularly interesting and informative.

Over the past 35 years in Red Deer, I've lived, worked and raised three sons: Jon, Jay and Jeremy. The boys were all Red Deer Public School students. I've served on Red Deer city boards, including two terms on the Library Board. I worked for six years to help found the Children's Services Centre in Red Deer. In 1999 I won the Red Deer Public School District "Friend of Education" Award for my years of advocacy for the education of children with special needs.

There are exciting challenges ahead in education. Red Deer Public's shared vision of providing affordable, high quality education for every child is jeopardized by ongoing funding shortfalls. To advance along our vision path will require careful listening to the community, innovative and creative thinking and clever advocacy. This is a challenge I'm eager to accept.

Learning difficulties such as speech and language development are best dealt with in a child's early years before the resulting educational deficiencies and emotional and social problems become entrenched. Red Deer Public's ongoing and new initiatives to deal, early, with these problems are exciting and make so much sense. It's better for the child and much cheaper for taxpayers.

Of paramount importance is maintaining and enhancing the positive relationships among those involved with the children's education: the community, the children, the parents, all the varied staff and the Board of Trustees. The children's learning environment benefits most vitally from these respectful partnerships. From such an environment, safe and caring schools can evolve.

My first term as a Trustee has been eventful, exciting, scary at times and filled with opportunities to learn and to contribute. I thank you for it. I am asking for your vote in this election because there is so much more to do and I want to help it be done. Thank you.

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