After being a Penticton city council watchdog for years and trying several times to be elected, Lynn Kelsey is switching focus to education.
Kelsey, an advocate for social causes, is running for one of the four Penticton trustee positions with Okanagan Skaha School District 67 in the Oct. 15 municipal election.
“I’ve raised two kids with their own educational challenges and the reason I’m running for the school board is I firmly believe children of all abilities deserve an equitable education,” Kelsey said. “I have always wanted to help people to become as successful as they can be.”
This will be Kelsey’s first attempt at running for school board. In 2018, she ran for Penticton city council.
Her granddaughter Annaleigh will be entering kindergarten at Queen’s Park Elementary in September and that was one of the reasons she opted to run for a trustee position instead.
Kelsey has lived in Penticton since 1994 and became involved with Queen’s Park, assisting with the school’s accreditation program. She taught business administration and the healthcare aide program at Sprott Shaw College.
As a Registered Nurse, she worked with rehab and palliative care and was also employed by Penticton Community Resources where she supported children with physical, mental and developmental disabilities. Additionally, she worked with disabled adults at McNaughton Rehabilitation Services in Penticton.
If elected, Kelsey promises to lobby for exceptional learners.
Her list of volunteer work in Penticton includes: SOWINS, Community Resource Network, Diabetes Canada, Ironman Canada, the Pentastic Jazz Festival and South Okanagan-Boundary Labour Council.
A big issue in the next term for SD 67 will be the facilities review, she said.
Kelsey believes closing community schools should be a “last resort” and she’d like to see every school’s usage extend beyond the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays to benefit community groups.
READ MORE: Penticton mayor seeks re-election
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