The Thames Valley District School Board has appointed two members of the community to fill a couple of vacanies on the Board of Trustees.
Late Tuesday evening, the board announced Laura Gonzalez and Sherri Moore will represent Wards 7, 8, 9, 10, and 13 and will complete the board's four-year term which expires in November 2022. The two were selected after the board interviewed all 17 candidates who applied for the role.
Gonzalez, a community research coordinator at Western's Brain and Mind Institute, is the current president of the TVDSB Home and School Association and a member of the Parent Involvement Committee. In her letter of application, she wrote that she believes Trustees are responsible for inspiring confidence in the school system.
"I care deeply about our education system and the impact it has in all aspects of our community," Gonzalez stated in her application.
Moore was a candidate in the 2018 election and also has ties to Western, where she works as a administrative coordinator at Schulich Dentistry school. She is currently a member of the TVDSB's Special Education Committee, representing Autism Ontario. In her cover letter to the board, she cited her experience with navigating different aspects of the school system and advocating for children.
"I have kept abreast of current issues... and I am absolutely prepared to hit the ground running," Moore wrote.
Gonzalez and Moore are filling vacancies left by Trustee Joyce Bennett, who retired in October, and Trustee Jake Skinner, who resigned just last week.
"We are very fortunate to have Laura and Sherri join the board and provide representation for the constituents of Wards 7, 8, 9, 10 and 13," said Chair Lori-Ann Pizzolato. "Their active involvement in our school district and the London community will be a definite asset to our Board."