Aftan Forrest's family has been entwined in education for generations. 
 
"My family comes from a long line of educators starting with my grandma who worked in a one-room Rockland school," Forrest said. "And then my dad, who's been an educator for 40 years, and then my sister, who's currently a very hardworking RVS [Rocky View School] teacher."
 
Forrest is running for the Ward 3  School Board Trustee position in Airdrie and believes that it's not just her familial connections to education that make her a quality candidate. Having worked in the oil and gas industry, Forrest is well-acquainted with having multiple stakeholder interests to balance. Forrest said with her very concrete and practical skill set, there is no doubt in her mind, that it would benefit the Board of Trustees.
 
"There's a lot of reading and policymaking, so you have to really have the attention to detail to see where there can be improvements for the students or what can be changed," Forrest said.
 
Forrest also doesn't shirk from the hot button issues, which are a frequent topic of discussion amongst her family. The issues in education are vast, but the most buzz-worthy topics boil down to the most recent news in education: the global pandemic and how it has impacted students, both physically and mentally as well as the new draft K-6 curriculum that has been announced by the government of Alberta.
 
Forrest said that while she can sympathize with COVID-19 fatigue and the constant boom and bust cycle of restrictions and easing of restrictions, the priority should be safety, especially when it comes to masks, schools, and kids. 
 
"The divide that exists between those who want full-on masking and those who do not want masking at all, is pretty significant," Forrest wrote. "In the meantime, it is important that the students, teachers, and staff are kept safe, both physically and mentally."
 
COVID-19 has also aggravated many children's mental health, especially during periods of isolation and online schooling. Forrest thinks that part of the issue is that resilience and motivation are not well integrated into the curriculum.
 
"This [curriculum] should include incorporating the skills to push through hard tasks and accept whatever the results might be as a learning experience instead of a failure," Aftan wrote. "Character development in our schools sometimes is an afterthought so it’s vital that soft skills are given the proper attention." 
 
She also spoke of the new draft curriculum brought in by the Government of Alberta and its potential shortcomings.
 
"[There's] concerns about grade-level appropriate content and the belief that it does not sufficiently represent First Nation and Indigenous peoples,"  she wrote. "There are also concerns by some that the teaching and learning are too traditional and do not promote critical thinking."
 
Since Aftann is a more recent RVS school graduate, she thinks she can relate better to students and wants to share that understanding with the board. 
 
"I'd be grateful for the opportunity to bring a more youthful perspective that can benefit the board and continue to help Rocky View [schools] be a world-class school division," she said.
 
Airdrie's municipal elections will be held Monday, October 18th, 2021
 
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