December 5, 2011

Inaugural Board Meeting, Elections and Appointments

Board of Education School District 61 (Greater Victoria)

• Chairperson Peg Orcherton, (acclaimed)
• Vice Chairperson Bev Horsman, (acclaimed)
• BC Public School Employers' Association Representative, Diane McNally (acclaimed)
• BC School Trustees Association Provincial Councilor, Bev Horsman (elected)
• Vancouver Island Labour Relations Association Representative, Tom Ferris (elected)
• Chairperson Operations, Policy and Planning Commitee*, Elaine Leonard (elected)

Committe Members Tom Ferris, Deborah Nohr, Diane McNally

• Chairperson Education Policy Development*,Catherine Alpha(elected)

Committe Members Bev Horsman, Michael McEvoy, Edith Loring-Kuhanga

   *Note Pursuant to Bylaw 9130 all Tustees are ex-offico members of each of the standing committees and are encouraged to attend standing committee meetings.

November 20, 2011

Thank you to everyone who took the time to exercise their democratic right to vote in the SD 61 School Board Trustee elections. Public Education is so very important for the futures of our children.

To each of the candidates who put their names and their ideas forward in this election and contributed to the debate on Public Education-- Thank You! I have learned a lot from each of you.

In particular, I thank Dave Pitre, Jim Holland and John Young for their years of service in our school district and their committment to quality public education for the children of our community-- they will be missed at the board table, but their contributions will not be forgotten.

There is much work to be done over the next three years and I look forward to working with newly elected trustees Deborah Nohr, Diane McNally and Edith Loring-Kuhanga who will be joining Tom Ferris, Elaine Leonard, Bev Horsman, Catherine Alpha, Michael McEvoy and myself at the board.

You the electorate have placed a great responsibility in our hands, our childrens education.Our Children's future and their access to opporunity through quality public education isthe boards ongoing collective responsibility.

I believe we are well positioned to make balanced decisions, and rebuild partnerships in eduaction all the while never losing sight of our objective-quality public education for our children.

Peg Orcherton

Peg Orcherton announces run for School Board

Well known Victoria activist and three term School Trustee, Peg Orcherton announced today that she is seeking re-election as Trustee for the Greater Victoria School Board in order to defend and enhance quality public education.

“I am a parent who has a child in the Victoria school system and today’s students and the children who are following them are entitled to the very best of educations” Orcherton said. “I will continue to fight for first class public education– all our children deserve the best - I am running to put the public back in public education and resources and supports back into the classroom”. Peg went on to say, “I believe that our public schools can and should offer access to the educational opportunities that will allow each student to achieve to the best of their ability—I am running to support opportunities for students”.

A graduate of Victoria High, Orcherton has three children who have graduated from Victoria public schools. She and her husband Steve have a child in the Victoria school system, in High School. Orcherton is active in many groups, and has served on the Healthy Schools Committee, the Advisory Social Planning Committee of the City of Victoria and with the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union. Peg works on the School Boards “Needs Budget Committee” advocating for a better funding formula forstudents and Peg is the School Board representative on the Vancouver Island Labour Relations Council. She is a volunteer and supports Child Find BC, through the annual “Michael Dunahee – Tournament of Hope”. Peg has also volunteered with

"Wild ARC"

“We need people on our school board who are not afraid to stand up and speak out on behalf of children, their families and quality public education. We don’t need political rhetoric, we need independent voices advocating for resources for classrooms, and a safe and healthy learning environment at each school. - That is my track record and that is what I will continue to do,” she said. “The people who work daily with our children deserve our respect and support, because they are at the forefront of the struggle to improve our kids’ education.”

Orcherton said she is aware that today many parents face major challenges just making ends meet, and she will advocate strongly for those parents who care deeply about their children but can’t always take part in parent committees and similar activities.

Contact: Peg Orcherton 250-382-1603 or pegorcherton@telus.net