The School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) Board of Education elected their new chair and vice-chair at the inaugural board meeting held November 8 in Nelson. Lenora Trenaman has been relected chair, a title she has held consecutively since 2005 except for one year in 2014. Dawn Lang is serving her first term as vice-chair and has served as an SD8 trustee since 2008. Trustees elect a board chair and vice-chair annually, and school trustees are elected every four years.

“I am honoured that my fellow trustees elected me as chair, and I am honoured to serve our school communities. We are a large region geographically and our board includes diverse perspectives. I look forward to working together with all trustees from across the Kootenay Lake school district to support learners from Kindergarten to Grade 12,” said Chair Trenaman.

“This is an exciting day for me and a privilege to serve alongside Chair Trenaman. I look forward to focused attention on relationships to assist in leading the Board of Education. I’m keen to get to work with all trustees for the benefit of our students and families,” said Vice-Chair Lang.

Provincial Court Judge Craig Sicotte conducted the oaths of office attended by Nelson City Police Chief Constable Donavan Fisher and RCMP Constable Robert Siu. Also present were SD8 Superintendent Trish Smillie, Chief Election Officer and Secretary-Treasurer Johan Glaudemans, senior staff from SD8, and members of the public and media.

Returning trustees include Susan Chew for Salmo, Taghum and Blewett; Sharon Nazaroff for Slocan Valley/Bonnington; Lenora Trenaman for Crawford Bay, East Shore and North Shore; Allan Gribbin for the South Rural Zone near Creston; and Dawn Lang for the Village of Kaslo and North Rural Zone at the north end of Kootenay Lake.

Trustees serving their first term on the Board of Education are Murray Shunter and Julie Bremner for the City of Nelson/Bealby Point; Mary Jayne Blackmore for the South Rural Zone; and Kathy Etheridge for the Town of Creston.

The next meeting of the Board of Education held in public will take place at 5 p.m. on December 13, 2022 at the SD8 board office in Nelson.  

(L to R) Chair Lenora Trenaman and Vice-Chair Dawn Lang

The new School District No. 8 Board of Education (L to R): Trustee Allan Gribbin, Trustee Julie Bremner, Trustee Murray Shunter, Trustee Sharon Nazaroff, Trustee Susan Chew, Trustee Mary Jayne Blackmore, Trustee and Board Vice-Chair Dawn Lang, Trustee Kathy Etheridge, Trustee and Board Chair Lenora Trenaman

About School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake):

School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) provides educational services to numerous diverse communities in the East & West Kootenays, including Crawford Bay, Creston, Kaslo, Meadow Creek, Nelson, Salmo, Slocan, South Slocan, Winlaw, Wynndel and Yahk. Its dedicated team focuses on providing the best possible educational opportunities for over 4,700 students and their families. Its mission is to focus on excellence for all learners in a nurturing environment.