New school board candidates in Bedford/Sackville ready to work together

Nearly two years after Education Minister Karen Casey disbanded an unruly Halifax Regional School Board, 37 candidates have their work cut out for them in preparing for the Oct. 18 election.

Former civil servant Howard Windsor was appointed by Education Minister Karen Casey in December 2006 to take over the 13-person board, which was disbanded when it couldn't work together. Since then, the school board has reduced its number of electoral districts from 12 to eight, plus its African-Nova Scotian member.

Windsor will remain in his position until early November when the new board is expected to be sworn in.

Legislative changes to increase the effectiveness of elected school boards have received general public support.

DISTRICT 7 (Bedford, Hammonds Plains-St. Margarets, Rockingham-Wentworth)

ROB CLARK

AGE: 43

FAMILY: Yes, three kids in public school in District 7

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE, IF ELECTED TO THE HALIFAX REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD? Rebuilding school board, while advocating District 7 concerns, such as bussing, overcrowding, and education quality.

DAVID FINLAYSON

AGE: 33

FAMILY: Jennifer Finlayson (married one year), cats Norman and Chloe, plus my brother, sister, nephew and parents live in town

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE, IF ELECTED TO THE HALIFAX REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD? The biggest challenge will be creating an accountable board that will work together to create a respectful, vibrant, forward thinking and diverse HRSB. It is important that all members come to the table with an open mind and a willingness to collaborate for the good of the whole community. In turn, this will lead to better education in their district. The accountability that will be created, will allow the board to work with all three levels of government to develop a stronger system to support our students and teachers.

SILVANA GERMANA

AGE: 40

FAMILY: Married, and we have one child

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE, IF ELECTED TO THE HALIFAX REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD? With 137 schools and 52,000 students served by the HRSB, ensuring that each child within the system receives equitable funding for their education will be the largest challenge. It will involve securing sufficient funding, followed by effective management of those funds. I look forward to the opportunity to work with other members of council toward this goal.

MARK WARD

AGE: 50

FAMILY: Married with three children

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE, IF ELECTED TO THE HALIFAX REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD? To listen to the people's concerns and to relay these concerns to the proper body, and return with a response either a positive or negative answer to complete the loop.

DISTRICT 8 (Waverley, Fall River, Beaver Bank, Sackville and Lucasville) DONNA HUBBARD

AGE: N/A

FAMILY:Husband, Ken, three daughters, their husbands and grandchildren, who will all attend HRM schools.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE, IF ELECTED TO THE HALIFAX REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD? Representing the concerns of my district, which is large and diverse, and having it as a priority, while focusing on educational matters of the entire HRM, will be my challenge. If elected, I will work cooperatively with all members of the board.

PAUL RUSSELL

AGE: 44

FAMILY: That shall remain private.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE, IF ELECTED TO THE HALIFAX REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD? This board faces many challenges and priorities that have to be considered together. It is impossible to select a single challenge or priority that supersedes the rest without getting as general as to say: our children.

One of the biggest and most unique challenges that this newly resurrected board will face is re-establishing credibility in the eyes of the people, the school system, and the provincial government. We have the opportunity to re-shape the elected board from the ground up.

There are a lot of issues that this board will have to address, from dealing with a school bus company that's no longer owned by Canadians, to ensuring that we can work with each other and also work with all of the parents and the children, board staff, city council, the Department of Education, and the rest of the provincial government.