UNITY--Ronna Pethick was recently re-elected by acclamation to the Living Sky School Division chairperson position. This makes for more than two decades of serving students and families with the local school board.
Pethick was first elected in 1994 to what was then known as the Unity Local School Board, which came out of each community and was a precursor to what is now known as school community councils in each school across the province. When SCCs came into effect in 2006, it eliminated local school boards.
The LSSD chairperson was first elected to the amalgamated LandsWest School Division which was created when the Wilkie and Kerrobert School Divisions merged. Pethick represented Cut Knife, Senlac, part of Unity’s rural area and the Hillsvale Hutterite Colony on the LandsWest Board of Education, which included six trustees.
In 2005, Pethick says the Government of Saskatchewan were in the process of forced amalgamations of 96 school divisions making only 28 school divisions in the province. In June of that year, Pethick ran for office as trustee for that new school division, that was yet unnamed, and would include six former school divisions.
Frances Love, representing Wilkie, and Pethick were successful in elections as incumbents.
“On Jan. 1, 2006, the 28 amalgamated school divisions came into existence across Saskatchewan. Living Sky School Division now has 10 trustees and our division stretches from Kerrobert to Leoville. In this new school division, I represent Unity, Cut Knife, and Hillsvale Hutterite Colony. There are presently 27 school divisions in Saskatchewan,” says Pethick.
From 2009 to 2016 Pethick served as vice-chair, elected in November of 2016 to board chair for the Living Sky School Division.
“During my tenure as a trustee, I have been elected to the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) as central constituency representative from 2012 to 2014 and elected as vice-chair of the SSBA from 2014 to 2016. I sat on the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee through two rounds of provincial bargaining with the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation in 2010 and then again in 2013. I continue to represent Living Sky School Division on the Public Section Executive of Saskatchewan which represents all public boards. “
Pethick also sits on the Sakewew First Nations High School Joint Board of Education, as well as serving on numerous division committees and presently is appointed by the SSBA to sit on the Provincial Teacher Education and Certification Committee as well as the Education Relations Board.
“I successfully completed my School Board Member Education and Certification Program and received my Professional Director designation from Brown Governance and the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. “
Making the decision when her children were younger, because of her interest in education, Pethick first ran as trustee. Her passion for students and their education has kept the LSSD board chair committed for more than two decades.
“Nothing makes me more proud and excited as to see our students cross that stage on graduation day knowing that they are leaving our schools with the best education that we can provide and knowing that they are our future in this province. Or alternatively, to watch our students in school doing such amazing and innovative things and observing their excitement and passion. We are in excellent hands! I am so proud of our schools and staffs across this division. Our students and their families are very well served.”
Pethick says she has observed many changes in her tenure from a governance perspective moving from a hands-on trustee to a more high-level governance trustee.
“The education landscape has changed over the years. Public school boards no longer have the authority to set local mill rates. The education mill rate is set by the province and school divisions receive their budgets through the grant.”
Living Sky School Division now covers a vast area. Their student population includes approximately 40 per cent First Nations students, while the division includes 11 First Nations within Living Sky borders.
“Mental health and student needs continue to increase across our division. Student and staff safety remains at the forefront of everything LSSD does,” she says.
“Our aging facilities remain a focus for our board. We continue to spend many dollars to keep our schools a place where students and staff feel safe to learn and work. Education funding is an ongoing concern. We are receiving less dollars today than we did in 2014 yet our overall costs continue to increase.”
Pethick also acknowledges that the student hall of fame night recognizing Grade 10-12 students in varying aspects of achievement and success is one of her highlights serving on the board.
“Ensuring we have the best staff in our schools and central services office to help our students in their success and achievement makes me proud. The relationship we have with our teachers and school staffs is vital to the success of our students and to our division. Bringing six former school divisions and cultures into a new entity is definitely a highlight. It took a few years to think of as ‘Living Sky’ and not as previous school divisions.”
Pethick notes that it was a lot of work to bring together staff, cultures, policies, procedures, new central office, bus garage, facilities and other aspects working collaboratively under the LSSD banner.
“There are many highlights over the years, too numerous to mention, but I will always say our students and their achievement and success will always be the number one highlight for me. Education is about relationships and you can’t have education without building and maintaining relationships with students, families, stakeholders, staff and education partners. “
The LSSD chair appreciates the ongoing professional development she receives as well as the many people she has met over the years who have challenged her perspective and broadened her insights.
“Being a trustee is a privilege and an honour and I am proud to continue to serve Subdivision 4 on Living Sky Board of Education.”
Pethick is known for her approachability as well as engagement with all of the schools she serves, often seen at events and activities in the LSSD schools which she represents. 2024 will mark 30 years that she has served students and families in the school division, through all the changes that have taken place.
