LORRIE GOWEN has been a school trustee before and wants to return again, hoping to defeat incumbent Gary Turner for the one Thornhill seat on the Coast Mountains school district.
It's familiar territory for Gowen who represented Thornhill for six years in the past with four of them also being school board chair.
She decided not to run in 2008 and instead was unsuccessful in seeking a seat on Terrace city council.
Gowen has remained active in local education issues since then by being part of the district's Parent Advisory Council.
She also sat in on budget talks this year with the school district, and is a part of the school board's education committee.
One reason Gowen wants to get back on the board is her excitement over the direction the current board is undertaking,
Part of this she said is the change to the middle school concept.
“I think it's a move in the right direction,” Gowen said. “I want to be a part of that.”
As the regional manager for workforce training and continuing studies, at Northwest Community College, Gowen says she is in a strong position to help connect post secondary with high school education.
“We need to start talking to kids in high school,” she said about preparing students for trades opportunities coming to the northwest.
“I think it's a move in the right direction,” Gowen said. “I want to be a part of that.”
She was nominated by Cheryl Pelletier and Jill Pimlott.