Former trustee Ruth Ward chosen to fill vacancy at Rainbow School Board
In secret vote, board appoints trustee to fill vacancy left by Tyler Campbell
Ruth Ward is the new trustee at the Rainbow District School Board.
The eight other trustees appointed the Val Caron resident following four rounds of an in-camera secret ballot vote, prior to last night's school board meeting.
Twelve candidates applied for the seat, vacant since the resignation in December by Tyler Campbell, amidst allegations of conflict of interest.
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Ward has experience in the role— she served as a trustee on the school board from 2006 to 2010, when she was not re-elected.
That experience was appealing says board chair Doreen Dewar.
"She has the attributes to be a trustee. Mind you, [the 12 candidates] all did. They all were very well qualified and very interesting to speak to and a lot of dedication to students," she said.
Ward a school board trustee from 2006-2010
Dewar remembers working with Ward previously.
"She was very dedicated to the students, very interested in education in the area. She was always very prepared and came to meetings having read her agendas and the background information," Dewar said.
Ward will take over the school district that includes Lansdowne Public School, Larchwood Public School, Levack Public School and Chelmsford Public School, as well as Chelmsford Valley District Composite School.
These schools were all affected by the recent accommodation review.
Ward missed the vote by six weeks, but says she understands how difficult that would have been.
"Part of being a trustee is having to look at the board as a whole and what's the best interest of all the students in a board. We all know that fiscal restraints are a part of life of any part of the community," Ward said.
She says she has always been passionate about public education.
Both her daughters attended public schools in Greater Sudbury when they were younger. Now it's her grandson. Ward says he will soon be entering the education system.
"Firm believer in community schools"
"I've always been a firm believer in community schools. My girls both went to Confederation and Valleyview in Val Caron. The schools in my community," Ward said.
She says she was always involved in school or parent councils and tried to help out at the schools as much as she could.
"In fact, I had enclosed a letter from 1993 thanking me for my assistance in the school when my daughters were small," she said.
"I've always wanted to maintain that relationship with the schools and just assist, you know, be there and help when you can."
Ward will be sworn in at the board office sometime over the next week.
She will hold the position until the next school board election, which is scheduled for October 2018.
The voting process
According to a statement released by the RDSB, the applicant who received a clear majority of the votes "cast by all members present shall be declared elected."
The last-place name on the list would then be eliminated, and another ballot would be cast.
The successful applicant would require five votes, the statement said.