A Nanaimo parent who has worked on Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools inclusiveness and truth and reconciliation committees wants to apply her experience to the school board table.
Leana Pellegrin has 11 years’ experience volunteering with at-risk youths, 10 years on Nanaimo Youth Services Association’s board and has served on the school district’s committees dealing with sexual orientation and gender identity, anti-bullying and truth and reconciliation. She is familiar with district issues.
She’s pleased with the work put into the district’s Syeyutsus reconciliation framework and thinks this work makes her a prime candidate.
“I’m very proud of our truth and reconciliation journey, because we are the first in the province to have this as one of the main pillars and to be investing so much into it,” said Pellegrin. “Other school districts are definitely watching us and following suit. I was a part of the inclusion policy when it was being written and I was also very proud of that. We were also one of the first in the province to have one and for it to be so inclusive and cover everything. I also sat on SOGI, so obviously, I’m 100 per cent in support of that.”
Pellegrin hopes to address the district’s child poverty issues. Nanaimo has a very high child poverty rate, calculated recently to be second-highest in the province, she said, something she hopes changes.
“We could very easily be a safe place and have students utilize showers and or laundry before or after school and make sure that help is offered without any shame,” said Pellegrin. “There are students well below the poverty line at the affluent schools as well and it’s easier for them to slip through cracks.”
Anyone running for mayor or councillor in the City of Nanaimo or the District of Lantzville, regional director in the Regional District of Nanaimo’s Area A, B, C or E, or school trustee in School District 68 is asked to contact the Nanaimo News Bulletin to set up an interview or invite us to a campaign launch event. Phone Greg Sakaki at 250-734-4621 or e-mail editor@nanaimobulletin.com.
ELECTION 2022: Candidates in Nanaimo, Lantzville, RDN and SD68
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