Crowded race in Hanover School Division

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This article was published 02/10/2022 (950 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two wards in Hanover School Division are up for grabs in the upcoming municipal election.

Ward 2, which covers Landmark, Blumenort and Mitchell has three candidates competing for two seats. Shayne Barkman, a new candidate on the ballot, is the son of Ward 3 candidate and veteran trustee Lynn Barkman.

Ward 3 — HSD’s biggest ward — which encompasses Steinbach, has seven candidates competing for four seats.

The Carillon asked each candidate a series of questions: what experience they have, what they see as the biggest issue in the school division and why people should vote for them. Below are their responses which have been edited for length and clarity.

Ward 2 candidates

Shayne Barkman

I am a small oil seed and grain farm business owner in which I staff a small local team from the Southeast area. I also have a strong background in financial management and planning.

I am very passionate about focusing on is the safety and mental well-being of our children. I would like to work toward seeing that HSD funding would highlight and support this. I think effective and open communication as well as transparency along with a combination of the fundamental education building blocks is what will ensure our children have the best possible education and supports they need.

I have the children and their family’s best interests in mind. I want to ensure that every child feels safe and happy to be at school. I will also ensure HSD funding is used with a families’ best interests in mind and locating resources where they are lacking in order to help more children get the supports they need to be successful while saving tax dollars where we can to help families navigate economic inflation.

I will make sure all voices are heard and a family’s choices for their children are made by them.

Sue Doerksen

I have served as a Hanover School Board Trustee for eight years and served on the various committees within with leadership roles. For several years I’ve volunteered in my children’s classrooms and I am currently a PAC member at the SRSS. I’ve volunteered at various organizations such as Southeast Helping Hands, Steinbach Community Outreach, and currently the Southland Church Food and Clothing Drive.

One of the most crucial issues we will be facing in our school division over the next term is that of mental health. Our students have gone through so much over the last few years and we have seen a huge uptake in those seeking supports for mental health and well-being. Their education is extremely important, but it becomes very difficult to learn when you’re struggling with anxiety or other stressors.

I am deeply committed to the education and safety of our students. With school-aged children myself I understand the importance of communication and full transparency with our parents and guardians. When there is family engagement and involvement in what their children are learning we are giving our students the best chance for higher grades, better social-emotional health, and more ability tackle difficult circumstances.

Charmaine Toews

I have participated on the Parent Advisory Council in three different schools for the last eight years, I volunteered as secretary, treasurer and currently I am the Mitchell Middle School PAC chair, I attended governance training seminar series offered by Volunteer Manitoba in 2018, I served on the regional board for Professional Photographers of Canada – Manitoba for seven years – serving in the roles of secretary and vice-chair, I served as a national board director with the Professional Photographers of Canada for four years as Treasurer and I earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences from Providence College.

The most urgent issue to address in our public schools right now is recovering from the impact of two years of public health restrictions and school closures. These restrictions had a profoundly negative impact on the academic progress and emotional well-being of our students. Over the next term we need to address this challenge by doing the following things: focus on academic recovery for those that are behind their grade level benchmarks in literacy and numeracy, prioritize adding more educational assistants and learning supports in the classrooms, rebuild positive school culture and belonging through school activities, athletics, performing arts, fine arts, and community building events.

I am passionate about education, committed to listening to parents and students, dedicated to serving our community, and ready to advocate for the best interests of our kids.

Ward 3 candidates

Lynn Barkman

I have been a school trustee for 22 years in HSD. I have been vice chair and served on all committees in my time.

I want to reevaluate how we spend the tax dollars and to support schools to have sufficient funds to look after the emotional and mental needs of the students.

My years of experience in HSD and my passion to see each student in our division find success is the reason you should vote for me.

Elma Blatz

I am a small business owner for the last 20 years with knowledge and experience in every aspect of running a business. I spent at least 15 years as a leader of children’s ministry, two years leading youth ministry and have experience in leading women’s groups.

I believe the most important issue in any school division/municipality is communication where everyone feels heard and understood. From students, teachers, school staff, and parents. My objective would be to try to listen to concerns, really try to hear and make everyone feel they have been heard.

I would work very hard to resolve issues that arise and find an opportunity for a solution because I am personable, outspoken, and an advocate for the underdog.

Ron Falk

I have been the chair, vice chair or a member of all HSD committees, chaired several HSD building committees, served as board vice chair for several years and board chair for 13 years.

The most important issue facing our division is the COVID-19 restriction fallout of the past two years. Many students have fallen behind in academic achievement, social interaction and need to be shown or taught what school culture is. The mental health of our students is a concern. Strong connections took place last week in our schools. The purpose is to assess each student academically and then determine what supports, if any, are required. In spring we surveyed our students to gain an understanding of how students feel regarding their school belonging, school climate, safety, well-being and a few other areas. Those results will help the board determine areas needing to be addressed. It is important that students are not only literate, but that they become well rounded individuals, learning to work collaboratively, creatively, thinking critically and persons of solid character contributing to society.

I have the experience and interest in the success of public education in HSD. To be successful in life a student needs to be successful in school. As a division we need to strive for excellence and develop skills and values for a productive and wholesome life. We need to do this within the framework of being financial stewards of the monies entrusted to us.

Danielle Funk

I served five years on the Red River College Polytech Students’ Association Board including roles as president and board chair and one year on RRC Polytech Board of Governors where I lobbied on a national level for post-secondary education. I am on the Arts for Tots PAC and I have been on the board of the HSD serving on boards in various roles for four years.

One of the most important issues facing our school division is student social, emotional well-being and a sense of belonging in schools. My hope over the next term is to continue to support and expand what our student services department can offer our students. Also supporting our division and school admin teams with what they may needed to rebuild the sense of community in schools that was lost over the past couple of years.

I would love to continue to be strong voice for our students. I would also like to help lead HSD into the future by leveraging the learning we have done over the past term to create better and more inclusive learning environments that fill our students with sense of belonging and success.

Mark Peters

I served on the finance committee while on the elder board for a church, I have experience as a project leader, often train new staff and I collaborate with people in cross functional teams to complete projects.

The most important issue is that the school division does not listen to parents and has structured public meetings to limit public involvement. Many of the problems parents encounter in dealing with the division stem from this central problem. How can they meet the needs of students if they will not listen to those who know the students best? The significant increase in homeschooling over the past decade is a symptom of the division not meeting the needs of students.

I will be an advocate for parents at the meetings they cannot attend, I will work to change policies so that the public can participate in public meetings and I will ask the difficult and uncomfortable questions necessary to ensure we are making choices in the best interest of students.

Brett Siemens

I spent eight years on PAC in Southwood and Stonybrook, I coach baseball and hockey and organize and run a recreational hockey team. I was a youth counsellor at summer camp and spent one year overseas with MCC.

I feel class sizes and the need for EAs to support students would be an issue and I would address a growing, diverse student body and learn how to grow with them.

I am a passionate parent with three students in Grades 5, 8 and 9. I would like to be a voice for parents, students and the community.

Brad Unger

I have served as a school trustee for the last two terms. During this time I have been on a number of committees and I am currently on the building committee for the new early years school in Steinbach.

The biggest concern that I have for our school division/municipality is regarding the mental health and well-being of our students. We have many students who are struggling in school or wanting to come to school. My desire is for these students to feel loved at school. Show me a kid who knows that when they enter their school they are entering a place where the message is: “you are loved here” and I will show you a kid who will want to go to school. We have staff who are already being proactive in sending this message to their students and I want to make it a division wide philosophy.

I have proven over my first two terms that I am committed to making our division’s values reflect our community’s values.

Elma Blatz did not submit a photo before press time.

Elections for school trustees takes place Oct. 26.