The now former Chair of the Anglophone East District Education Council is proud of the work achieved over the last four years.
Tamara Nichol says two of the highlights under her tenure are a brand new Mental Health policy, and a Math policy.
She says policies are now being created with input from students.
“In years past, the collaboration was always amongst teachers, and principals, which is all wonderful stuff too, but it was missing that most important piece, which is students,” says Nichol. “This is education for students, it should include their thoughts on it, and what works for them.”
Nichol says managing many different passionate people was challenging, but for the most part, everyone pulled together to help improve education.
She adds some of the most heartwrenching decisions they had to make were whether or not to close schools last year.
“We’re not about buildings in education, we’re about education,” says Nichol. “So was the building a distraction? Was it a drain? Because at the end of the day what is important is that our students are educated fairly, equitably, and appropriately.”
Nichol says being responsible for decisions affecting the education of future generations was, at times, a heavy burden.
“If we had chosen to close a school, how would that affect the community? How would that affect our students? How would it affect families?” says Nichol. “And it was a big decision, that’s a lot of pressure to put on someone to make those kinds of decisions.”
Nichol says the next DEC will experience some of the same challenges she experienced with some passionate members of the community, but overall, it doesn’t matter where you live in the province, or what Council you’re on, but every day you have to find ways to educate kids that is going to work.
That is always the challenge you have to focus on, according to Nichol.
