Alex Johnstone is stepping down as chair of Hamilton’s public school board.
The trustee for wards 11 and 12 has announced she won’t seek a third one-year term when she and her colleagues hold annual elections at the board’s Dec. 7 meeting.
Johnstone said she’d always intended to only serve two years because of “the vulnerability that our board faces when you have a single chair for an entire term” — an apparent reference to Todd White, who was defeated in the 2018 municipal election.
She said she’s worked to build a board that’s inclusive, supportive, collaborative and mentors new trustees.
In a 27-minute farewell speech at the board’s Nov. 23 meeting, Johnstone said she’s “filled with pride” to now see first-term trustees Becky Buck, Cam Galindo and Paul Tut chair committees.
But the 10-year trustee also highlighted many challenges over the past two years, including COVID-19, budget cuts, teacher job actions and the October 2019 stabling death of high school student Devan Selvey that prompted a wider bullying review.
Johnstone said the board became a bit lost and fractured in June, when it ended a police liaison program in schools following heated debate, but it’s important to “lean into challenges” to do what’s best for students.
“What matters most is that we continue the commitment to do what’s right," she said.
“As we won’t always get things right, what matters most is that the greatest shame is not that we got something wrong, but rather if miss opportunity to make a difference.”
Alex Johnstone is stepping down as chair of Hamilton’s public school board.
The trustee for wards 11 and 12 has announced she won’t seek a third one-year term when she and her colleagues hold annual elections at the board’s Dec. 7 meeting.
Johnstone said she’d always intended to only serve two years because of “the vulnerability that our board faces when you have a single chair for an entire term” — an apparent reference to Todd White, who was defeated in the 2018 municipal election.
She said she’s worked to build a board that’s inclusive, supportive, collaborative and mentors new trustees.
In a 27-minute farewell speech at the board’s Nov. 23 meeting, Johnstone said she’s “filled with pride” to now see first-term trustees Becky Buck, Cam Galindo and Paul Tut chair committees.
But the 10-year trustee also highlighted many challenges over the past two years, including COVID-19, budget cuts, teacher job actions and the October 2019 stabling death of high school student Devan Selvey that prompted a wider bullying review.
Johnstone said the board became a bit lost and fractured in June, when it ended a police liaison program in schools following heated debate, but it’s important to “lean into challenges” to do what’s best for students.
“What matters most is that we continue the commitment to do what’s right," she said.
“As we won’t always get things right, what matters most is that the greatest shame is not that we got something wrong, but rather if miss opportunity to make a difference.”
Alex Johnstone is stepping down as chair of Hamilton’s public school board.
The trustee for wards 11 and 12 has announced she won’t seek a third one-year term when she and her colleagues hold annual elections at the board’s Dec. 7 meeting.
Johnstone said she’d always intended to only serve two years because of “the vulnerability that our board faces when you have a single chair for an entire term” — an apparent reference to Todd White, who was defeated in the 2018 municipal election.
She said she’s worked to build a board that’s inclusive, supportive, collaborative and mentors new trustees.
In a 27-minute farewell speech at the board’s Nov. 23 meeting, Johnstone said she’s “filled with pride” to now see first-term trustees Becky Buck, Cam Galindo and Paul Tut chair committees.
But the 10-year trustee also highlighted many challenges over the past two years, including COVID-19, budget cuts, teacher job actions and the October 2019 stabling death of high school student Devan Selvey that prompted a wider bullying review.
Johnstone said the board became a bit lost and fractured in June, when it ended a police liaison program in schools following heated debate, but it’s important to “lean into challenges” to do what’s best for students.
“What matters most is that we continue the commitment to do what’s right," she said.
“As we won’t always get things right, what matters most is that the greatest shame is not that we got something wrong, but rather if miss opportunity to make a difference.”