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ELECTION 2014: Former principal seeks school board seat

SCHOOL DISTRICT 72: Franklin, Richard – Trustee Candidate
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Richard Franklin

Richard Franklin has announced his candidacy for the office of School Trustee in the forthcoming election.

Franklin worked in School District #72 for 31 years. He retired in 2009 from the principalship of Pinecrest Elementary School.

During his long career in education, Franklin worked in many capacities.  He served as both president of the CRDTA and president of the Campbell River Principals and Vice Principals Association. In 2007, he was recognized with the Distinguished Principal of the Year Award by the Canadian Association of Principals. After retirement, Franklin became involved with the Campbell River and District Association for Community Living where he now serves as the Director of Child and Youth Services. He is a passionate advocate for children with special needs.

Franklin believes that students need a well-rounded, high quality education in order to succeed in the 21st Century.

“It is my goal to serve as trustee, and to help carry on a tradition of providing a great education in safe schools,” he said. But Franklin doesn’t believe the district can rest on its laurels.

“We must strive for excellence, improve achievement, and increase graduation rates, in particular for Aboriginal students,” he said. “As a board, we must advocate for adequate funding to meet these needs. Education must be a priority.

“British Columbia is experiencing challenging times. We have the highest rates of children in Canada living in poverty and high unemployment. The fact that the courts have determined that there has been bad faith bargaining on the part of the province is particularly troubling. All these factors have an impact on school climate, and ultimately, the quality of education being offered in our schools.

“Locally elected trustees give the electorate a local voice on the provincial scene. Trustees need to be strong advocates for their schools, their employees, parents, and most importantly the students.”