LINDA CAMPBELL was sworn in as the new school trustee for Kitimat April 18.
Campbell was elected in a byelection March 24.
Campbell had previously served three terms on the Coast Mountain school board in the ‘90s, and since then has spent two terms as a Kitimat city councillor.
“I feel good about my decision,” said Campbell. “I can’t wait to get started on different issues.”
One of which she said is the school district’s shift to a middle school concept next year, which will see Grade 7 students attending a middle school and Grade 10 students heading to high schools in Terrace and Kitimat.
“I think that the concept of a middle school is something that can be very exciting,” Campbell said. The byelection was called after the unexpected death of former board chair and Kitimat trustee Barry Pankhurst last December, which left one of two Kitimat seats open on the school board.
Pankhurst was Campbell’s brother-in-law, and she said he had encouraged her to run again in the past.
However, she explained that as both Pankhurst and Ray Raj had put their names forward she didn’t want to create the extra cost of an election by running.
“Barry was a huge advocate for special needs in Kitimat, and I would like to continue that,” Campbell said.
“I have some very big shoes to fill.”