OUTLOOK - This week brings with it municipal elections, and with them also come elections for those running for trustee positions with the Sun West School Division.
In order to help educate the public on what ideas the candidates may have, the Sun West Teachers' Association conducted special 'Meet Your Candidate' Q&A surveys with candidates who are running for those positions.
In Outlook, which comprises Subdivision 7, the two candidates running are Cathy Morrow and Christian Moulding.
Here are the Q&A surveys that each candidate filled out.
Candidate - Christian Moulding
1. Why are you running to be a school board trustee member?
"After participating in several public engagement sessions and working on community projects involving the Sun West School Division, I found myself repeatedly frustrated. This frustration intensified following a letter sent to Sun West families on April 11, 2024, which did little to acknowledge the challenges that the stalled negotiations between the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation were causing in my own daughter's education. That letter prompted me to reach out to some of the Sun West staff I knew, hoping to better understand the situation. While these conversations were insightful, they ultimately reinforced my concern that the Board seemed more focused on preserving its own autonomy and relevance rather than taking meaningful steps to improve how the division is managed. These experiences have driven me to run for trustee to bring about the changes I believe our students, families, and community deserve."
2. What do you think are the top three priorities for improving the quality of education in your school division?
"Specialist supports.
Teacher wellness.
Student mental health."
3. What are your ideas on working with stakeholders to address the challenges around classroom complexity in your school division?
"I believe this question touches on the core of what I see as the most pressing issue with the current Board and its management of the division.
I deeply believe in the transformative power of education, though I am not an educator myself. My background is in data analysis and policy, and I understand that my success as a trustee will rely entirely on how effectively I listen to and engage with stakeholders - Sun West educators, administrators, students, and families - and translate their ideas, along with my own, into meaningful policies.
These policies may include measures like quotas on specialist/support staff per student or a productive hour credit system that enables Sun West team members to support different classes or locations with more flexibility, if desired. I may not know what the best path forward looks like, but I am certain we'll be able to find one together.
Additionally, I will prioritize policies that make the Board's decisions and operations more transparent, so all stakeholders have a clearer understanding of what's happening at the table."
Candidate - Cathy Morrow
1. Why are you running to be a school board trustee member?
"Education is my passion. I always want what is best for student's success in our schools. We need to address the current issues in education. The critical need for solutions to the increased complexity of classroom compositions - e.g. children with learning and behaviour problems, children whose first language is not English and lack of sufficient funding for personnel who can support students with special needs that cannot be addressed by a teacher in an overcrowded classroom. The educational needs have changed in my years as a trustee. I want to continue to contribute to problem solving in the ever-changing educational landscape."
2. What do you think are the top three priorities for improving the quality of education in your school division?
"Class size.
Teacher wellness.
Student mental health."
3. What are your ideas on working with stakeholders to address the challenges around classroom complexity in your school division?
"Over the years, I have witnessed the growth in the number of students in the Outlook schools. I have actively advocated for 'increased supports' for the Outlook schools (more teachers, support staff and professional speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, child and youth counsellors to address student mental health issues.) As enrolment continues to grow, I have been advocating for increased classroom space. I would also as a board member urge the provincial government to include classroom complexity as an issue that needs to be on the table each time the Saskatchewan Teachers negotiate a provincial contract."
