麻豆视频

PRINCE ALBERT — With former board chair Darlen Rowden now serving as the MLA for Batoche, Subdivision 2 in the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division will have a new trustee.

Subdivision 2 represents St. Louis, MacDowall, Red Wing Public School, Osborne Public School, West Central School and East Central School.  

Carlos Correa, who is employed as an International Student Advisor at Sask Polytech in Prince Albert, said that he decided to run for the position after receiving advice from Rowden.

"There was a suggestion by a former board member that my profile could be a good one to run for the position (and) that the board member in Subdivision 2 was leaving as she recently became the MLA of Batoche,” Correa said. “That's when I started to dig a little bit in try to understand what the board position means.”

Correa said that after doing some research, Rowden became a mentor. He also received some advice as a member of the SCC at East Central School.

Correa, who was formerly a journalist has worked as a settlement worker for the YWCA and now as a student advisor Correa explained that he brings an understanding of the diversity in the school system.

“There is a mixture of working with not the regular student and understanding a little bit more about the some of the complexity of the classroom,” he said.

Correa said the school environment has changed over the past 15 years, and he wants to use his experience it make sure it’s change for the better.

If elected, Correa said his goals would be to bring the perspective of a diverse voice into meetings of the board of education.

"I am very interested in finding out how I can support not just the students but also the staff in understanding some of the well-being and mental health difficulties that some students are having right now,” Correa said.

He also wants to learn what the division is doing for opportunities and resources for students of different backgrounds.

"They come to post-secondary, (and) sometimes they are not aware of things that they need in order to start some of the programs, so I would like to do a little bit of digging to how well are we sending those students out from the school system,” Correa said.

Correa said he wants to understand current policy but also share his knowledge of what is working for students and what is not. He said his goal is to provide teachers with better support while classroom sizes are so big.

"If I have the opportunity to be part of the board my first year will probably be a lot of learning and trying to understand what I'm doing and what can I use from my own experience to try to change some policies that might not be working or try to bring my opinion into it and then be supportive,” Correa said.

Correa added that he is not campaigning in a major way. He said he would be all right if his opponent wins. Correa added that he has heard positive things about his perspective being part of the board from various people since announcing his candidacy.

"There used to be less diversity in the classroom and there is more right now and not just with academic issues,” he said. “We are talking about language, mental health. There are students that they come as refugees that bring trauma.”

Correa added that since he began as part of the SCC at East Central his different perspective has been embraced.  

"If it happens I hope I can help somehow by helping those students or teachers Into these specific topics of diversity and the complexity in the classroom.” he said.

Correa’s opponent in Subdivision 2 Neru Franc declined the opportunity to be interviewed.

The Municipal and School Board elections are scheduled for Nov. 13.