MANITOULIN—Regardless of whether Lisa Corbiere-Addison becomes the new Manitoulin trustee on the Rainbow District School Board (RDSB) or whether some potential other new candidates leads the polls, there will be a new trustee on the board. Incumbent trustee Margaret Stringer has indicated that she will not be running in this fall’s election.
“I’ve decided not to run for a second term as trustee,” Ms. Stringer told The Expositor. “Jim (her husband) and I have a new grandchild and I want to be able to prioritize family moving forward and perhaps be able to travel a bit.”
Ms. Stringer said “I’ve really enjoyed being a trustee for the last four years and I want to thank all of the people who gave me this opportunity. After all of my years in education, it was especially meaningful to spend this time as trustee supporting schools and families and doing what I could to make them better for students.”
“I’ve loved having the chance to work with parents, watch students grow up over the years, and work with the outstanding staff in the system. It has truly been a pleasure representing Manitoulin, and I hope that I made a difference,” said Ms. Stringer.
“A final thought as I move on,” said Ms. Stringer. “We need people to be involved in the democratic process, as voters, but also as candidates. I strongly encourage interested people to put their names forward for this important position of trustee.”
At present, one candidate is prepared to answer Ms. Stringer’s challenge to participating. Lisa Corbiere-Addison has officially put her name forward for the position of Manitoulin Island trustee on the RDSB. “I am running for trustee now that I have retired as a teacher with the board,” she told The Expositor. I am not ready to take a non-active role in education, so, I decided to run for the trustee position for the Manitoulin Island region, presently held by Trustee Margaret Stringer.”
“I’ve had over 25 years experience in teaching and with not being employed by the RDSB now, it allows me to run for the position of trustee,” said Ms. Corbiere-Addison. “My drive is to help the kids (students). There are a lot of issues I feel that need to be addressed on an ongoing basis and I would like to tackle them one at a time.”
“I am hoping to make a positive change in the system as a trustee,” said Ms. Corbiere-Addison. And, with my experience I feel I can make positive changes for students and teachers.”
“My kids went through Charles C. McLean Public School and MSS,” said Ms. Corbiere-Addison. “I went to Lakeview School in M’Chigeeng and taught there and then at Manitoulin Secondary School. My grandkids are now coming up through the system.”
Ms. Corbiere-Addison said, “people have approached me over the years on issues and concerns and I have developed a really good rapport with many parents over my years as a teacher. My involvement has been all across Manitoulin Island, with every student being treated the same.”
The election for school board trustee will take place October 24, the same date as municipal elections are held throughout Ontario.
Ms. Corbiere-Addison, who lives in Silver Water, retired from a career as a teacher at Manitoulin Secondary School at the end of this school year. She is also a business owner, and with her husband owns and operates BJ’s and Addison’s OK Tire Shop in M’Chigeeng.
