Susan Thayer: Susan was first elected to the Algoma District School Board in 1997, initially representing Wards 4 and 5 in Sault Ste Marie and, following a change in the Ward system, going on to represent Ward 4 continuously for the past 25 years. Earlier this year, Susan was presented the Ontario Public School Board Association’s (OPSBA) President’s Award to recognize her 25 years of service to ADSB and to public education.
Susan served on a number of ADSB committees. In her first years as Trustee, she sat on the Transportation Committee, the Facility Review Committee and the Personnel Committee. She was employed as an accountant with B.D.O. Dunwoody and this experience made her a valuable resource for ADSB’s Audit Committee and Operations and Budget Committee, both of which she sat on for many years, often at the same time, dedicating hours of her time and expertise. Susan was Chair of both these committees at various times. She has also served as the Director to the OPSBA Board and Alternate for the Director to OPSBA Board and voting delegate. Most recently, Susan sat as the Chair of the Operations and Budget Committee.
Brent Rankin has served as the Central Algoma Trustee from 2003 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2022 serving as Vice Chair of the Board for the last three years. In addition, Brent sat on a number of committees including the Expulsion/Suspension Hearing Committee, Operations & Budget Committee, the Audit Committee, as well as the Communications Committee and the Personnel Committee.
He has served five terms on municipal council, four as mayor of Thessalon. Currently Brent is the Sault Area Hospital (SAH) Board Chair and previously served a three-year term on the SAH Board of Directors. Brent was also an inaugural member of the SAH’s first corporate Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC).
He is currently Chair of the F.J. Davey Home Board of Directors, a former Chair of the Algoma Manor in Thessalon, and also sits on the Algoma Public Health Board. He has sat on Boards supporting public housing and local and regional economic development and has volunteered his time generously throughout Central Algoma.
He is currently Chair of the F.J. Davey Home Board of Directors, a former Chair of the Algoma Manor in Thessalon, and also sits on the Algoma Public Health Board. He has sat on Boards supporting public housing and local and regional economic development and has volunteered his time generously throughout Central Algoma.
Brent is the managing editor and publisher of the North Shore Sentinel and, in 2018, was presented the Ontario Community Newspapers Association’s most prestigious individual honour, when he received the Community Award in Memory of Mary Knowles.
As an ADSB Trustee, Brent was motivated by the desire to try and make a difference in the education of all Algoma District students and to bring the unique perspectives and issues from Central Algoma to the Board table.
Sandra Edwards has represented Ward 5 since becoming part of the Algoma District School Board in 2014.
Sandra grew up in Sault Ste Marie and she and her husband raised two sons who are now grown with families of their own. Sandra’s children attended ADSB schools and her grandchildren are now doing the same. One of her sons has become a supply teacher with the Board.
Sandra grew up in Sault Ste Marie and she and her husband raised two sons who are now grown with families of their own. Sandra’s children attended ADSB schools and her grandchildren are now doing the same. One of her sons has become a supply teacher with the Board.
Sandra works at the Great Northern Retirement Home and it was her work here that inspired her to become a school board trustee. Over the years Sandra worked closely with students from White Pines and the former Alexander Henry High School as they were part of the Davey Home Field School. Sandra watched as these special students worked hard on site and was proud to see many of them go on to obtain jobs in restaurants and other facets of the food industry. More than once parents came up to Sandra to tell her what a difference the Field School made for their child’s confidence and ability. Sandra always found working with these students very fulfilling and she felt inspired and certain that she could make a difference for even more students when she ran for school board trustee. In the past Sandra sat on the Health and Safety Committee at the Great Northern Retirement Home.
In her time with ADSB Sandra has been part of the Supervised Alternative Learning (SAL) Committee and sat also on the Expulsion/Suspension Hearing Committee.
Sheila Nyman has been North Shore’s representative at the ADSB for 4 years, having been elected in 2018. Prior to joining the Board as a Trustee, Sheila was a secondary school teacher, Vice Principal and Principal for 28 years, first with the North Shore Board of Education and, following amalgamation, with ADSB. She retired from WC Eaket Secondary in 2015, the very high school she attended as student.
In her time as an educator with ADSB Sheila sat on a variety of committees including the Parent Involvement Committee and the Parent Advisory Committee. Sheila was part of the District Review Teams for School Effectiveness Framework. She was also an active member of the Board’s Aboriginal Focus Group and the Mental Health Team.
In her role as a Trustee, Sheila sat on several committees including the Expulsion/Suspension Hearing Committee and was the alternate for the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC).
Sheila continued to have a passion for public education and brought a unique perspective to the table as a former educator and Principal Emeritus. In her spare time, Sheila volunteers at the Algoma Manor and the Algoma Manor Family Council.
Sheila continued to have a passion for public education and brought a unique perspective to the table as a former educator and Principal Emeritus. In her spare time, Sheila volunteers at the Algoma Manor and the Algoma Manor Family Council.
In Chair Jennifer Sarlo’s absence, Trustee Russell Reid and Director Lucia Reece thanked the four trustees for their dedication to the students, staff and families of the Algoma District School Board. “We have valued your expertise and thank you for the time and commitment you so generously shared with this Board. You have all been valuable assets around this table these last many years.”