Megan Schick is one of the three Weyburn residents who is running for the open seat on the Southeast Cornerstone Public School Division's Board of Trustees.

Born and raised in Estevan, Schick has lived in Weyburn for six years and is raising two young daughters with her husband Mason. She pursued her post-secondary education at the University of Saskatchewan, as she has always been passionate about education.

"Education starts when you take your first breath and the learning journey doesn't end until you breathe your last breath," she commented. "I am passionate about education in all its forms. Virtual, experiential, at home and in schools. I would love the opportunity to support and advocate for quality education for all children and youth in southeast Saskatchewan."

"I felt this would be a good opportunity to have a voice and advocate for students, parents, and teachers in our area, and ultimately advocate for quality education across the division." 

Schick said she feels like this would be a natural fit for her.

"Education has always been on my mind. Ever since I was young, I wanted to be a teacher. I went and got my education degree and I just really want to be a part of that, making the best education system that we can," she said. "So I think this is a great opportunity for that."

It's not common, however, for a teacher to be on the school board, is it?

"I don't think it is common," Schick noted. "I am currently not a teacher in the public sector, so I think there's no conflict of interest there. It's just I have a teaching background. So I do know what it's like to be in the classroom and working with the students directly."

She said she also has the experience of being at home and teaching her own children. 

"Education takes on many forms. The SECPSD oversees all those forms. As a home-based educator, I still pay my education taxes, and I report directly to the division," Schick noted. "I am able to access a variety of services within the division to support and diversify my children's education. I have family and friends who teach within the division and feel I have an ear to the ground to listen to parents, students, and teachers about what is and is not working within the education system. I do not homeschool because I devalue the in-classroom experience. I have nothing but respect and admiration for teachers in our division and the families who choose the in-classroom experience. I also acknowledge and support the educational choices of those online or at home as valid options for education." 

She said with home education on the rise in Saskatchewan, she would like to begin building a bridge between Southeast Saskatchewan Home-Based Educators and our School Division. 

"I'd like to work on improving communication, building mutual respect, and an understanding of how we can work together. The school board often hears reports of student progress in the classroom and if elected I would advocate for an annual update from Saskatchewan-Home Based Education to be included in that process." 

"In my experience as a classroom teacher, the teacher-to-student ratio has always been a concern. As class sizes increase and staff decreases, the quality of education for each student is at stake. Budgetary constraints are often the cause of these strains on the teacher-student ratios.  This is an area of concern currently as budgets have been adjusted again this year with a significant decrease in staff. Related to this issue is the concern that all students have access to the support that they need. With staffing cuts, students are often left without the extra support needed to experience success at school."

As an active member of the Weyburn Homeschool Community, Megan plans large group activities such as writing workshops, physical education classes, and STEM workshops. 

Schick has volunteered in the Weyburn community in a variety of capacities, including serving three years as treasurer for the local Ducks Unlimited Chapter. She is in her second season as a volunteer coach for Weyburn Hurricanes Waterpolo Team and is a member of the Weyburn Wildlife Federation. She is also active in the Free Methodist Church and volunteers with WFMC's Children's Ministry. 

"So I'm very much involved, and I want to try to contribute in this way," she said. "I'm excited to learn the ins and outs of how a school board operates, and be a part of the educational decision-making for the area. I'm also excited about getting a better understanding of what's going well in the division, and the possibility of the board supporting and strategizing areas that need improvement. And then I'm also excited for the experience of working with the seasoned veterans on the board, and collaboratively problem solving and coming up with solutions to best serve our division." 

She added she is also concerned about class sizes and challenges to do with busing. She would like to advocate for parents and teachers in helping to improve communication. 

Find a link to the election details HERE or click the article link below.

Hear a full audio interview below. Note, however, that some of the quotes were submitted and are not included in the audio file.

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