A Mitchell stay-at-home mom of 3 boys says she’d like another opportunity to serve as a Hanover School Division Trustee.
Sue Doerksen, who has been on the HSD board for 8 years now, says that her kids have always taken top priority in her life.
“Making sure my kids are well and happy and safe and getting a good education, those are all really important things to me. My husband Jed and I have lived in Mitchell for 17 years now and before that, I grew up in Hanover. So, I’ve lived here and worked here my whole life. I’ve volunteered here, well, I think since I was a child I've been volunteering in some areas of our community, which I've really enjoyed. I kind of think volunteering made this (becoming a Trustee) a more natural step. To step into the trustee role is just another area where I can serve. I can serve my community and meet my community. So that to me is really exciting.”
Thinking back to why she first put her name on the ballot for HSD Trustee, Doerksen says, “It was never something that I saw myself doing. I was actually encouraged by people around me, that I should be doing this, should be stepping into this role. That, to me, was a complete shock because I never expected anything like that. But you know, my kids at the time were still young and in school and I just thought it was a really good time. Then to have some sort of influence on what would be happening in their classroom has been humbling. And so, that's kind of how it got started for me and I enjoyed it far more than I ever knew or anticipated.”
Doerksen explains why she chose to put her name on the ballot again.
“You know, I'm not going to lie. We've had some difficult times over the last eight years. Some of it's been the most tumultuous and challenging for education and school boards altogether, but in the end, I still thoroughly enjoy the work. I enjoy serving my community. I enjoy meeting people, talking with them and being able to, hopefully, make a difference as I help a parent where they're maybe struggling, where their child is struggling. Perhaps see if I can help them find the help that they need. I know that with everything that's happened in the last couple of years, which affected the last few school years, helping the kids heal mentally, socially, and emotionally, that work has just begun, and I would really like to be a part of finding the right support for our schools.” This is what Doerksen says she would like the HSD board to really look into.
“With all the mental issues we've had of late, I'm really looking forward to finding some help for them. I intend to continue to encourage parental involvement, communication and awareness, as well as ensuring that each of the decisions made at the Board level are truly 'about the kids'. That is what matters most. Every child needs to know they are loved and cared for, and it is important to me that they feel a sense of belonging and support in school.”
She is also excited about the growth in the RM of Hanover and thus the need for more classrooms.
“Right now, I'm on the committee for the Mitchell Middle School addition and I'm just super excited to see that through and I know that we also have a new elementary school coming up in Steinbach. Then we’ve got the school addition in Grunthal. There is so much going on in the division right now, it’s really exciting and I’d just love to see that through.”
“Throughout my years as Trustee representing Mitchell, Blumenort, Landmark and SRSS, I have also served on various committees as a member, Chair, and Vice-chair on Governance, Education, Operations, and also now the Mitchell Middle School Addition Committee. I have a great appreciation for Hanover and the values our communities were built on.”
Municipal Council and School Board Election Day is on Wednesday, October 26, with the deadline to submit nomination papers on Tuesday, September 20.