Donna Allen (Incumbent)
Donna was elected to the
Nanaimo/Ladysmith Board of Education in 2006. Her working
career in education spanned Kindergarten to Grade 12. Donna
retired in 2004 as a high school teacher and counsellor.
“Setting students up for success” has always been key in her
professional life, and Donna views the position of a Trustee
as the opportunity to continue with that work.
Donna serves the Board as Education Chair and Chairperson of
the Multicultural and Race Relations Committee. She is also
a member of the Teacher/Trustee Liaison Committee, the Ad
Hoc Committee on Vandalism, chaired the Ad Hoc Committee on
Class Size and Composition and represents the Board at the
Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce. Donna and her husband Nelson’s blended family includes 5
children and 9 grandchildren
Contact Donna Allen:
Email:
Donna_Allen@telus.net
Web:
http://www.electionsnanaimo.ca
SD68:
School District 68 website Bio
Nelson Allen (Incumbent)
Nelson is an experienced trustee
first elected in 1993 and has served as Board
Chairperson and has chaired the major standing
committees of the Board and currently chairs the
Facilities Planning Committee, the Policy Committee, the
Audit Committee and is Board Vice Chair. He is a strong
proponent of community involvement and has been working
to secure a Joint Use Agreement with the City of Nanaimo
that would see our citizens have wider access to sports
and service facilities. A former educator and
businessman Nelson brings a wealth of experience to the
Board of Trustees.
Contact Nelson Allen
Email:
nallen39@telus.net
Web:
http://www.nanaimoelections.ca
SD68:
School District 68 website Bio
Andrea Bonkowski (Incumbent)
Andrea was elected to Nanaimo-Ladysmith
Board of Education in 2005. For the past three years, I have
been the BCSTA Provincial Representative for the board. I
have been part of the Policy, Audit, Business and Human
resources committees and currently the board representative
for Social Planning Advisory Committee for City of Nanaimo.
I bring a wide range of experience to the table from my
life, work, education and family. Standing up for Public
Education makes me proud and energized. Knowing that I can
make a difference is something I build on and strive to do.
I will continue to be committed, be true to myself and stay
within the boundaries of my values as I keep focusing on
every child to have the best public education possible.
Please come out on November 15th and support Bonkowski,
Andrea for the second time!
Contact Andrea Bonkowski
Email:
abonkowski@sd68.bc.ca
Web:
http://www.bonkowski.ca
Virginia Lofeudo
“I
am fed up with people making decisions on my behalf that
do not reflect my point of view.”
Virginia Lofeudo is first and foremost a parent. Both of
her children are in primary school and she finds herself
continually surrounded by their ever present needs, and
the ongoing challenges that accompany single parenthood.
“I have met with people in my peer group, Parents like
myself. We do not feel that our concerns are being
addressed. I aim to be a conduit for every Parent out
there to ensure that our concerns are heard from this
day forward.”
Virginia is a native to Vancouver Island and has lived
in Nanaimo for several years. She possesses the
commitment, honesty and a sense of accountability that
comes from being raised in a small community. Virginia
has worked in the health care field for a number of
years. She has worked as a Nurse and is currently
employed in the Laboratory at Nanaimo Regional General
Hospital. Virginia has consistently been an active
participant in her children’s school; through this
experience she has gained the knowledge and insight to
become an active participant in the future of Nanaimo’s
schools. Virginia is ready to invest her time, passion
and energy towards the improvement of our education
system on behalf of the Nanaimo and District community.
“We only have one chance to provide the absolute best
educational opportunities for our children and I am
committed to making our collective voices heard. I
absolutely cannot wait to jump into this role as School
Trustee and begin my new task. The future is bright!”
Contact Virginia Lofeudo
Phone: 250-619-9845
Email:
virginiafortrustee@shaw.ca
Web:
www.virginiafortrustee.blogspot.com
Sharon Rose Welch
Sharon
Welch holds a Business Management diploma and a Master
of Arts in Leadership. She has 26 years’ experience as a
teacher of average, gifted, and special needs students
in a private music academy. As the Education Director,
she managed 20 teachers and 800 students. Currently, she
is the Community Service Coordinator at the downtown
Community Policing and Services Office. Sharon serves on
the Citizens Advocacy and the Arts Council boards. In
addition, she is a club President and VP Education in
Toastmasters. She is the Vice Chair of the Nanaimo
Working Group on Homelessness, and she recently
coordinated the 2008 Homeless Census and Thanksgiving
dinners. Community involvement is an important part of
Sharon’s life.
Sharon believes that the Provincial government must be
held responsible and accountable for the availability
and quality of public education. As a school trustee,
Sharon will be a strong voice for the rights of students
in Nanaimo-Ladysmith. Sharon believes in collaboration,
open debate, and creative leadership. Parents and school
communities need to be directly involved in the
decisions that affect them. Students’ best interests
must be the top priority. Sharon believes that we need
to make every student count…
Contact Sharon Rose Welch
Phone: 250-755-9313
E-mail:
swelch4trustee@telus.net
Website:
www.swelch4trustee.weebly.com
Dot Neary
“As
the parent of two young men heading out into a
fast-paced, ever-changing world, I believe the value of
a quality education cannot be overstated.”
Dot Neary has been actively involved in the district 16
years, advocating for students and parents at school,
district and Ministry level. As a member of several
district committees she has gained great insight into
the role of governance, how the district operates, the
vast range of needs across our district, and the
challenges to meeting those needs.
Dot sees adequate, stable funding and stakeholder
confidence in the system as key issues in SD68 – public
education is struggling under the combined effects of
enrolment decline, government regulatory policies,
ever-increasing demands and steadily rising costs.
“The Board of Education, while representing the
diversity of the communities it serves, must be united
in its commitment to protecting public education,
ensuring equal access and opportunity, and building
healthy partnerships through respect, cooperation and
hard work. We need to build on our strengths while we
work at overcoming the barriers to success.”
Dot inspires confidence and respect with her frank,
non-confrontational style of leadership. A down to
earth, independent, critical thinker with a strong work
ethic, Dot will bring balance, new energy and a strong
sense of purpose to the Board of Education.
Contact Dot Neary
Phone:
250-756-2138
Email:
dotmail@shaw.ca
Web:
www.members.shaw.ca/dotmail
Bruce Avis
I
am 69 years of age, married 43 years, with two children
and seven grandchildren.
I am presently the owner of a small business in Nanaimo.
My educational experience has been as a teacher
(elementary to university), School Administrator, and
Superintendent of Schools.
I am also a Human Resources Consultant, trained in
Mediation and Negotiation.
I am seeking election because I strongly believe in the
Public Education system and wish to work as a team
player to make School District #68 the best School
District in British Columbia.
The challenge facing all successfully elected school
trustees will be to provide a co-operative environment
for the development of an excellent School District
within the budget allocated.
Contact Bruce Avis
Phone:
250-751-3706
Email:
bruceavis@shaw.ca
Web:
Carol McNamee
Carol
McNamee has spent her entire career involved in
promoting and protecting public education, first as a
secondary teacher and then as the president of the
Nanaimo District Teachers’ Association. She is known as
a very vocal critic of the erosion of services and
opportunities for the students of School District 68 and
has vast experience in lobbying the School Board on
everything from class size and composition issues,
student safety issues, support for special needs
children, the negative impact of Bill 33, and much much
more. McNamee has a passion for the importance of public
education and has taken her concerns to MLAs and
provincial organizations. She is an experienced
negotiator and mediator and has worked successfully with
parents, teachers, CUPE 606, senior management, the
community, and trustees to bring improvements to our
District’s educational environment.
McNamee does not support the closing of schools as the
answer to the funding shortfall in the district and
understands the importance of schools as the center of
many communities. She strongly believes it is the
obligation of the provincial government to fully fund
the public education system. “I believe that the
education of our children is the most important issue
and responsibility we have and I am willing to fight for
their rights to an education that meets the needs of all
learners.”
Carol was born and raised in Nanaimo. She has taught at
NDSS and Woodlands Secondary Schools. She is married to
Denis, also a retired teacher and has three
stepchildren. Carol retired in June 2007.
Contact Carol McNamee
Phone: 250 751 1568
Email:
cmcnamee@shaw.ca
Web:
http://www.carolmcnamee.blogspot.com/
Mark Robinson
Nanaimo
and District Sales Manager for Atlas Vending
Part-time telephone operator
Also works part-time security industry
-Proud parent of an elementary student in School
District 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith)
-Former ESL teacher
-Former vice-chair, Race Relations Committee School
District 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith)
-Past 2nd vice-president, Volunteer Nanaimo (Nanaimo
Volunteer and Information Society)
-Appointed to the City of Nanaimo's Family Court
Committee
-Past member of the Canada Day Committee for the City of
Nanaimo
-Volunteered for numerous non-profit organizations
including:
-Nanaimo District Museum, Nanaimo Festival of Trees,
Nanaimo Multicultural Society, Malaspina
University-College Foundation, Nanaimo & District
Hospital Foundation
As a candidate, this is what I stand for:
Recognizing that consensus building and common sense are
valuable tools within any group;
Remain pro-active and always have an ear for parents'
and teachers' input;
Recognizing that student achievement is not only
measured with exams, but by improvement over the whole
of a term;
Student achievement can only improve when funding exists
for the programs needed to support teachers in the
classroom;
Capital projects that keep in mind the safety and health
of our children, without closing a single school;
Not ever turning our backs on schools in outlying areas;
Recognizing the cultural diversity of our students and
recognizing that each student is unique has unique needs
in and outside of the classroom;
Quarrelling and bickering is non-productive and I plan
to listen to all at the table and be thoughtful and
mindful of others' opinions;
Ensure class sizes are manageable. As a former ESL
teacher and as a parent I know firsthand from experience
that the smaller the class sizes, the more time
instructional staff have to meet individual needs;
I will use the most updated facts and figures when
presented with them;
Listen carefully the advise of support staff including
BCTF, PAC's, Admins, and CUPE reps to ensure all the
information is available to all trustees.;
Find real solutions to increasing funding for vital
arts, music, sports, and special needs programs;
Never vote on major issues without stakeholders having
their input and voices heard and
never rubber-stamping anything without careful thought
and deliberation;
And finally, setting a game plan before the Nov. 15th
election for all to see and scrutinize.
As a former ESL teacher, as a long-time community
volunteer, as a Nanaimo-born and raised member of our
community, but most importantly as a parent, these are
my commitments to you and your families. If you share
these values, I ask for your vote on November 15th.
Contact Mark Robinson
Phone:
250-729-0190
Email:
electmarkrobinson@canada.com
Carol Baird-Krul
1440 Harrison Way
Gabriola Is., BC V0R 1X2
250-247-0077
Jamie Brennan
2825 Haliday Crescent
Nanaimo, BC V9S 3N1
250-758-3676
jamiebrennan@shaw.ca
Ron Dale
13595 Doole Road
Ladysmith, BC V9G 1G6
250-245-8810
rcdale@shaw.ca
Nina Gribble
Contact Nina Gribble
Phone: 250-245-8448
Email:
ninagribble@shaw.ca
Tony Hennig
13411 Doole Road
Ladysmith, BC V9G 1G4
phone/fax 250-245-2786
David Murchie
2700 102nd Street
Nanaimo, BC V9T 5A9
250-758-1230
david@murchie.ca
Julie Wakefield
2280 Ashlee Road
Nanaimo, BC V9R 6T4
wakefields101@shaw.ca
