Bruce Pettigrew, board chair for Rocky View Schools (RVS), has officially announced that he will not be seeking a third term on the board in the upcoming October election, and he hopes that with this early declaration that a pool of candidates will come forward to fill his shoes.
“I very much enjoyed the board,” said Pettigrew, whose career has spanned 40 years in various school positions, starting as a teacher, a principal and ultimately as RVS’ board chair.
Though he has enjoyed his time with RVS, Pettigrew said there are several challenges the school division faces in the coming years, infrastructure being at the top of the priority list.
“It’s a challenge we’ve had all along,” he said. “It’s a challenge and it’s frustrating because we’re not in control of it…it’s a provincial issue.”
Infrastructure has become a growing concern for many RVS division, including Cochrane, where student populations are on the rise.
Pettigrew said RVS continues to wait for word on seven new portable classrooms for Cochrane – 20 in total for its entire district – that, if approved, will be placed at Mitford Middle School to take on the overflow of students from Glenbow Elementary School.
RVS has had to deal with growing student populations for some time now, Airdrie being a primary focus as of late. Pettigrew said that if the requested portables are not approved, RVS will consider constructing them on their own, a venture that would cost between $250,000-$300,000 for each unit.
“We would have to look at some kind of financing,” said Pettigrew, pointing to the provincial government as an example of where they would look for funding.
RVS should hear word on the portables soon, and if they were granted, RVS would then have to apply to the Town of Cochrane for a development permit, and would aim to have the classrooms ready for students by Aug. 15, 2013.
Pettigrew said RVS is currently the fifth largest board in the province and that within a decade, it will move into the fourth spot.
The division saw 886 new students enter its schools last year, and that number is not expected to drop during any of the coming years.
Pettigrew said that RVS essentially needs three new schools every two years to keep up with demand.
Cochrane, Airdrie and Chestermere have not only been identified as the fastest growing school zones in the province, but also in the country – one of the reasons Pettigrew hopes a good number of qualified candidates throw their hat into the ring for board positions.
During his time as board chair, Pettigrew said he is most proud of bringing in a planning and transformation agenda, outlined in RVS’ three-year plan and development, which is conducted through a community consultation process.
“That process is very deeply imbedded,” said Pettigrew.
The plan strives to identify infrastructure and budget needs, while providing a clear path forward for RVS.
Pettigrew is hopeful that whoever takes over his role on the board continues down a similar road the present board has travelled.
“It’s an excellent opportunity for public service and to really make a difference,” said Pettigrew, who ran unopposed during his two terms, a situation he found unfortunate.
Pettigrew spoke passionately about his role as board chair, saying that being a trustee demanded good governance and that anyone thinking of running should know what being a trustee is all about.
“We try hard to be open and upfront,” Pettigrew said, adding that he would miss the various school councils and parent involvement.
As for Pettigrew’s regrets, the soon-to-be retired, travelling enthusiast was strait-forward and to the point.
“Not one…not one.”
