A4 YELLOWKNIFER, Wednesday, October 14, 2015
elections 2015
Yk1 trustee candidates state cases
by Simon Whitehouse
Northern News Services
Name: John Stephenson
Age: 62
Marital status: Separated
Time in Yellowknife: 41 years
Number of children in which school(s): Four
children. Two are graduates of Yk1 and two
are current high school students at Sir John
Franklin.
Occupation: Expediter and special projects coordinator for Blachford Lake Lodge.
Experience relevant to
the job: I'm an incumbent,
including board chair for two
years, and always active in
childrens' schools through
such bodies as the parent
advisory committees and
John
Canadian Parents for French.
Stephenson
I am a ski and speedskating
coach and I have worked in
government.
Why should you be elected: My priorities
are to continue to work on strategic priorities
for Yk1 including for special needs students,
aboriginal education, academic achievement
and continue to build on the positive rapport
with NWT chairs of education councils. As
chair I have been a member of the NWT chair
group, so I have been working on building
positive relationships with other chairs. My
personal big priorities are improving healthy
lifestyles and student leadership.
Name: Rajiv Rawat
Age: 41
Marital status: Married
Time in Yellowknife: Since 2008.
Number of children in which school(s): I have
two kids who are five and three. My oldest is at
J.H. Sissons in kindergarten.
Occupation: Web and media technology specialist at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage
Centre.
Experience relevant to the job: Before I came
to Yellowknife I was doing
my PhD and I was a teaching assistant there and was
involved in our teaching assistant's union. Since coming here
I was in Alternatives North for
a couple of years and after that
Rajiv
I had kids and took a backseat
Rawat
to everything. I have worked
with the Institute for Circumpolar Health Research and done international
research work on community health.
Why should you be elected: I have fair number of ideas. I have set up a website and listed
and sketched out some ideas. I am not running
with a big beef about anything and I am not
coming from a place of complaint. Given my
experience I can contribute something positive
to the school board and bring different perspectives of where education policy can go. I would
like to see how we can expand arts, science and
land-based learning, expand community partnerships and address achievement gaps.
Name: Tina Drew
Age: 50
Marital status: Married
Time in Yellowknife: 15 years
Number of children in which school(s): Two
kids at Sir John Franklin
Occupation: Registered nurse
Experience relevant to the job: on parental
advisory committees at N.J. MacPherson,
Range Lake, William McDonald and Sir John.
During my time on the different PACs successfully campaigned for a fine arts program at
N.J., wheelchair accessible playground equipment, playground
equipment at multiple schools
and a full time music teacher at
Range Lake, plus more. Created
partnerships with organizations
including the City of YellowTina
knife, local businesses, YellowDrew
knife Community Foundation,
NWT Soccer Association, Let
Them Be Kids, NWT Literacy Council and
Canadian Parents for French which has resulted
in providing equipment, extra curricular activities or programming for the schools. I have
been a member of the NWT Montessori Board,
NWT Soccer Association board, Somba'Ke
Paddling Club, Canadian Parents for French,
Yellowknife Playgroup Board.
Why should you be elected: I love education
and feel it is the greatest gift a parent can give
their child and society. The world is getting
smaller and I want to ensure that the children
of Yellowknife have a world-class education. I
was born in Ireland and so far worked in nine
different countries before settling in this beautiful territory. I want to know that any child leaving high school at Sir John will be prepared so
that they can feel comfortable no matter where
in the world they end up. Education is changing
constantly and I want to ensure that Yk1 keeps
up to date with what our kids need most to succeed. I believe it is only through a partnership
with parents teachers and the children that we
can deliver this.
Name: Terry Brookes
Age: 61
Marital status: Married
Time in Yellowknife: 26 years
Number of children in which school(s): None.
Four children who have passed through.
Occupation: Professional engineer and work
for Department of Transportation, assistant director of all facilities for NWT airports.
Experience relevant to the job: I have more
experience than the other trustees put together.
I was on the community education council in Cambridge Bay.
Finishing 21 years as trustee –
going for eighth term.
Why should you be elected:
I am always concerned about
accountability and bringing
Terry
trust to the position of trustee
Brookes
and being accountable to our
public parents. I think we have
to do a better job there. As an engineer a with a
strong educational background, I am a lifelong
learner and I promote academics and having a
healthy lifestyle. I want to make sure parents
are getting that out of the education system.
Name: Jay Butler
Age: 51
Marital status: Divorced
Time in Yellowknife: 23 years
Number of children in which school(s):
Two children in Sir John, through the French
Immersion program.
Occupation: GNWT business systems analyst
Experience relevant to the job: I have served
two terms on the Yk1 board to date, actively
involved in various community organizations
and have had two children actively involved in
community activities.
Why should you be elected: I want to be reelected to the Yk1 board to continue the good
work we have been doing so far and I am well
aware that there is much more to do. I always
have the best interests of students in mind, including the
vulnerable. School should be a
safe and welcoming environment for all students to have
their schooling needs met. I
see the big picture in educaJay
tion and I can see the way to
Butler
get there. Yk1 should deliver a
21st century education for all its
stakeholders.
Name: Allan Shortt
Age: Not relevant
Marital status: Single
Time in Yellowknife: 37 years
Number of children in which school(s): Two
daughters. One is 21 and one is 23. They went
to J.H. Sisson, William McDonald and Sir John
Franklin.
Occupation: Senior site superintendent with
Clark Builders.
Experience relevant to the job: This is my
third term as trustee, I was chair for three years
and vice-chair for three years.
Why should you be elected:
We will have at least three new
positions on the board because
there are three trustees who
aren't running. I hope we have
some experienced trustees to go
along with the new ones so that
Allan
we can keep doing the good
Shortt
things we do. We have been
working on new initiatives like
a facilities plan and a lot is still not complete. I
hope to be around to complete that in this term.
Name: Zhong Liu
Age: 47
Marital status: Married
Time in Yellowknife: 2007. Eight years.
Number of children in which school (s): My son
is in J.H. Sissons School
Occupation: Environmental analyst
Experience relevant to the job: I am not
familiar with the school board but I have been
working with other kinds of boards like Snap
Lake Mine Environmental Monitoring Agency
board.
Why should you be elected:
I want to be involved in community development and the
school system. I just basically
want to do something for the
community, especially for kids'
Zhong
education. I am still looking
Liu
for information about the board
and I am studying the policy,
strategy, plans and other documents from the
school board.
Name: Satish Garikaparthi
Age: 35
Marital status: Married
Time in Yellowknife: Six years
Number of children in which school(s): My
one daughter is in Grade 4 at N.J. McPherson.
Occupation: Security
supervisor with the legislative assembly and prior
to that with the municipal
enforcement division with
the City of Yellowknife.
Experience relevant to
Satish
the job: I come with a
Garikaparthi
background of masters of
business administration and
masters in project management, with a security
and law enforcement background.
Why should you be elected: I am a person
from a different culture and different nationality and different ethnic background and we
also see in Yellowknife people of various backgrounds putting their kids in the school system.
They are looking for a change and upgrades.
With people coming from down south and different parts of the world, everybody wants to
have a voice. I think I could add to that.
Name: Duff Spence
Age: 50
Marital Status: Married
Time in Yellowknife: 50 years
Number of children in which school(s): I have
two that have graduated from Sir John – all 12
years through Yk1. One at son
William McDonald School and
one at daughter J.H. Sissons.
Occupation: GNWT public
works and services.
Experience relevant to job: I
was trustee for nine years and
Duff
chair for three and half of those Spence
years – 2008 to 2011. Trustee
from 2003 to 2012.
Why should you be elected: I have the drive
to improve the system and increase engagement
of parents. I want to make a difference in the
childrens' lives. I went to school and went back
and got masters in business administration in
May 2015. So I have the experience and education to really be a benefit to the district.
Name: John Simpson
Age: 62
Marital status: Married
Time in Yellowknife: 35 years
Number of children in which school(s): Four
children. All are finished school. Both systems.
Occupation: Adult educator
Experience relevant to the
job: I was on the board before
Yk1 and I have been an educator for 40 years. I have been
a manager for 25 years in the
education field.
Why should you be elected: I
John
think because I understand the
Simpson
rule of boards and difference
of boards and administration.
I believe the board's role is to set policy and
set strategic plans in place for operations of
district. I then see our role as ensuring that
administration carries out effectively to make a
difference in school. I also see the need for the
maintenance of standards for academics.
The Oct. 19 election will see 7 positions filled.