The West Coast elected Sandra Leslie to be its new representative on the School District 70 board on Saturday.
Leslie secured 825 votes, besting Sally Mole’s 732 votes to earn her first term on the school board.
Gurmail Aujla did not run for re-election after serving two terms.
READ MORE: School District 70 candidates hold court in Tofino
“I’m excited to do this and to really get involved and be present and active in the school communities, including the First Nation communities,” Leslie told the Westerly News. “I have the skills to do this and the energy and the time…Thanks very much to all the people who voted for me and please feel free to give me your ideas.”
Leslie will officially take her new position next month and said she plans to meet with, and listen closely to, local teachers and parents to hear about the concerns and ideas they’d like her to bring to the SD70 table. She also encourages West Coasters to reach out to her through email at sleslie219@gmail.com.
READ MORE: Coun. Thicke believes commuting to Ucluelet is hindering Tofino students
“It’s important to be connected and just to listen,” she said. “We have a West Coast school board representative because we are seperate and, in some ways, are forgotten…I can give voice to the needs of the West Coast.”
She said the peninsula needs new seismically safe schools, particularly in Ucluelet, and added that Tofino’s Wickaninnish Elementary School needs to be upgraded to create more room for a growing student population.
“We’re coming up to a big growth on the West Coast,” she said. “I’m looking forward to supporting that in any way I can.”
READ MORE: No space at Tofino school
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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