Gillian Burnett has been involved in School District 57 as a parent advocate for more than 12 years on the Nukko Lake and Shas Ti Kelly Road School Parent Advisory Councils,
“It’s a natural next step for me, I’ve championed such causes as bus safety, parent voice, and more recently appeals,” she said.
“I’ve successfully advocated for an annual review of capacity and enrollment, so there is time to actually consider the challenges and options available to the district, and also hear from the stakeholders, rights holders and community members.”
Burnett said she feels she still has more to offer, and hopes she gets the chance to make a lasting contribution to public education in Prince George.
She added the biggest issue within School District 57 is re-establishing trust within the community.
“I can remember attending provincial meetings where the collaboration enjoyed by the stakeholders here in SD 57 was envied by the rest of the province,” she said.
“I’d like to see us return to a place of pride, but it’s a hard road back. We have staff shortages across the board that mean many employees are going home feeling like they can’t do enough. We have students that don’t feel safe or a sense of belonging in their schools, and we have district assessment data showing that vulnerable students are not reaching education achievement benchmarks in multiple areas.”
Burnett said the best way forward is to work together to build a workplace where employees feel safe, supported and appreciated, and where students look forward to coming to school.
The School District Elections, along with the Municipal Election, will take place on Saturday, October 15th.