PRINCE ALBERT — Barry Hollick who served as chair of the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division Board of Education before stepping down and announcing his retirement has decided to enter his name again as a candidate for trustee in the city of Prince Albert.
At the time he announced his retirement, Hollick said he planned on travelling to Ukraine and Russia, but those plans have changed. There are also health issues in his family that require him to now stay closer to home.
"I will be here and I certainly value the work that the board does and I enjoy it, so I'm running for reelection,” Hollick said. “I understand the important role that we play in the educational system and how school divisions can best serve those students.”
He was also encouraged to run by the last board because he brings experience as a chair. His replacement as Chair, Darlene Rowden, resigned before the Provincial Election and is now MLA for Batoche.
Hollick said that trustees expressed the need to have an experienced board chair on the board after the next election. He noted that when he served on the board he was mentored by former Chairs Wayne Stene and George McHenry before serving for 11 years himself.
"I was honoured to be the board chair, and we certainly had a good working relationship with the director at the time, Robert Bratvold,” Hollick said. “(I) had some really valuable experiences for the board, working with him…. We worked through COVID. That crisis which presented some major difficulties for school divisions throughout the province.”
Hollick said he still enjoys the work as a trustee and finds it to be important.
He added that along with his experience as a trustee and board chair, he offers years of experience in the education system. Hollick has served as a teacher and principal in the public school system. He was also a student in the division before graduating and enrolling at the University of Saskatchewan.
“I really feel that I know the system,” Hollick said. “I know where we've been. I know where we're going and I really feel that I still can play an important role in making sure that we are providing the best options for our students in education.”
Hollick said he also offers various experiences working as the president of the PAATA for a decade and as an STF Counsellor for 16 years. He added that in his role with the Canadian Teachers Federation, he met with MPs and could advocate for funding federally such as Jordan’s Principle. Other experience included serving on the University of Saskatchewan Senate for six years.
Hollick said that if he is re-elected as a trustee in the future he would like to continue the work that is already underway. That includes continuing to advocate for full-day Kindergarten.
He also wants to advocate for special budgeting for vulnerable students.
During Hollick’s time on the board, Saskatchewan Rivers implemented an Elder’s Council, plus a Cree Language Program at John Diefenbaker.
Hollick said that the division has been working on setting up a charitable foundation for philanthropic people, using the example of the new Max Clunie Field and the philanthropy of the Clunie family.
"If we were to look into the foundation and get people who really have an interest and a view to the future to contribute to a foundation, this would help us when the government underfunded education. We have special projects that may need financing, a foundation can present dollars that you otherwise would not have. It's something else that I would certainly like to see,” he explained.
Another point of pride for Hollick is the Saskatchewan Rivers Students for Change (SRSC) which the division was awarded in 2019.
“I see nothing but positives coming out of this and I'm hoping to have the opportunity to serve again and making sure those positives happen here in the Sask Rivers,” Hollick said.
The Municipal and School Board elections are scheduled for Nov. 13.
