KAMSACK — Jaime Johnson will serve another term as the Subdivision 1 school board trustee for the Good Spirit School Division (GSSD). She will represent the area of Kamsack, Norquay and surrounding areas.
While Johnson is a returning school board trustee, many of her other colleagues are new.
She talked with the Kamsack Times / SaskToday.ca about focusing on helping the new school board trustees get acquainted with their role. "I plan on supporting them [the new school board trustees] and getting them up to speed over the short term."
Johnson understands the challenges of learning the educational system. She called it "far more complex than I realized." Johnson pointed out the many factors that need to be considered by a school board trustee, including legislative requirements and the needs of students and their families.
Johnson hopes the new board will "continue to focus efforts on advocating for sustainable funding, supporting initiatives that lead to student success and improved student and family engagement."
She also spoke about the overcrowded classrooms in schools across Saskatchewan. Johnson made it clear funding would eliminate the gap in operating dollars, which could help communities while supporting rural and remote schools.
Bridging the gap is easier said than done, as rising costs and inflationary pressures keep school boards from heavily investing in overcrowded classrooms, said Johnson.
As Johnson continues to advocate for better educational experiences for all, she spoke about her most proud moment as a school board trustee. The 'Inspiring Success' Policy was introduced to foster inclusion, equity and success for Indigenous students. Johnson said the program "aims to create an equitable and inclusive education system that embraces and promotes Indigenous ways of learning and knowing through partnerships, targeted supports and programming that will increase success and build a supportive education environment for all learners."
