At the November 25th Regular Board Meeting, Algoma District School Board bid farewell to four longstanding trustees: Wanda McQueen (Ward 6), Larry Pallot (Prince and Unorganized Townships), Joel Robert (Central Algoma) and Harry Jones (Native Representative).
At the December 2nd Inaugural Meeting, new trustees were introduced and welcomed to the Algoma District School Board for the December 1, 2014 to November 30, 2018 term.
Trustee Sandra Edwards (Ward 6)
Sandra Edwards grew up in Sault Ste Marie and has been married for 32 years.
She and her husband have raised two sons who are now grown with families of their own. Sandra has two grand children aged 6 and 2 with another on the way. Sandra’s sons attended Algoma District School Board schools and her grandchildren are doing the same.
Sandra works at the Great Northern Retirement Home and it was her work here that inspired her to run for school board trustee. Over the last 15 years Sandra has worked closely with students from White Pines and the former Alexander Henry High School. These students were part of the Davey Home Field School. Sandra watched proudly as these special students worked hard on site at the Davey Home. Many have gone on to get jobs in restaurants and other facets of the food industry. More than once parents have come up to Sandra to tell her what a difference the Field School made for their child’s confidence and ability. Sandra has always found working with these students very fulfilling and she felt inspired and certain that she could make a difference for even more students if she ran for school board trustee. In the past, Sandra has sat on the Health and Safety Committee at the Great Northern Retirement Home.
Trustee Sheryl Evans-Price (Prince & Unorganized Townships)
Sheryl Evans-Price has been elected to represent Prince Township and Sault North Unorganized Townships. Sheryl has been an active volunteer within the school communities in which she resides. She has sat on School Councils for a number of years and was the Chair of the Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) for Aweres Public School. Sheryl shared her thoughts on what motivated her to run for ADSB Trustee. “(I ran for Trustee) so I can make an impactful and relevant difference in public education for my children and all young people in ADSB.
I grew up in the Kawarthas in Southern Ontario. I have lived in Northern Ontario for seven years. I have worked in healthcare for 13 years and am particularly passionate about Palliative and End of Life Care. I am currently leading and implementing Palliative Care initiatives and a volunteer committee at Extendicare VanDaele. I have been an active volunteer within my neighbourhood, my local school communities, and my work environment.
I am always striving to better myself, my family, and my community. I strive to be an active listener and intentional speaker. I look forward to my years of service ahead.”
Brent Rankin (Central Algoma)
Brent has been elected to serve as the Central Algoma Trustee. Brent has previously been elected to serve two other terms with ADSB: 2003 to 2006, and 2006 to 2010. He has been motivated by the desire to try and make a difference in the education of all Algoma District students and to bring the unique perspectives and issues from Central Algoma to the Board table. Previously Brent was appointed to the Communications Committee with ADSB.
Brent noted the following about himself: “I was born and raised in Thessalon and continue to live there, returning here after attending university in Kingston. I work in a small family business, including being editor of a community newspaper and co-manage an auto parts store. I am married to Nancy, who operated her own pharmacy in Thessalon, before retiring to be a full-time at-home mom to our two children, Daniel and Rosemary, now both in university.
I have been involved in municipal politics since 1981, having been deputy-mayor for one term, and mayor for a total of five terms, just retiring from my most recent term as mayor. I have also been on a number of other boards and committees over the years, including, the Algoma District Homes for the Aged Board, the Algoma Manor Development Committee working to negotiate the original deal to build a new $15 million nursing home, the East Algoma Community Development Corporation, the Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association, the Thessalon Library Board, a variety of local and regional boards and committees, and was recently appointed to a newly-formed Sault Area Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council. I have worked with a number of local volunteer organizations, including being a founding member of the Thessalon chapter of the Ontario Heart and Stroke Foundation, St. Ambrose Parish, a volunteer for the Thessalon Lions Club, and am responsible for the heritage memorabilia collection for the Thessalon Upper Deck Sports Museum.”
Elaine Johnston (Native Trustee, Serpent River First Nation)
Elaine Johnston is the ADSB Native Trustee from Serpent River First Nation. She attended post-secondary education at Cambrian College and Sudbury Laurentian University and received training as an Ambulance & Emergency Care Attendant, Paramedic along with her diploma and degree in nursing. Her career in health has given her opportunities to work in the hospital, ambulance, air ambulance, community, the Canadian Coast Guard, government and First Nation organizations. She worked at the Assembly of First Nations, the Anishinabek Nation and locally at the North Shore Tribal Council. Elaine has served on numerous Boards and committees at the local, regional and national level. She presented to the United Nations, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and to numerous standing committees, to name just a few. Elaine is a proud Anishnawbe woman and she is the eldest of 11 women with 39 nieces and nephews. She is a passionate advocate for the needs of the First Nations and Aboriginal people and is committed to ensuring that Aboriginal youth realize their full potential and that they receive the best education possible.
In 2006, Elaine received a nomination from Cambrian College for the Premier’s award in health sciences. She has been a guest lecturer on health issues at Laurentian University, Queen’s University, University of Ottawa, and University of Toronto. She was part of the health delegation that travelled to Beijing China and Ulan Batar Mongolia.
Elaine was selected one of the Top 10 to launch the first Ontario Air Ambulance service which later became Orange and was the first woman and the first Aboriginal person hired.
