Don Sabo is seeking to make the leap to school board trustee from district parent advisory council (DPAC) chair.
Sabo, 51, filed his nomination papers Friday, saying he can bring a level of experience to the position that many rookie trustees might lack.
Sabo has been something of a fixture at school board over the last three years.
In his capacity as the DPAC chair, Sabo has consistently attended school board meetings and made presentations to trustees meetings on a wide range of topics.
"I know the issues, so the learning curve won't be as large as for some of the other candidates," Sabo said. "And I do believe I have a lot to offer and will bring a lot to the table if elected."
Sabo also emphasized that he's a status Indian. His nominees are Prince George Native Friendship Centre executive director Bard Ward-Burkitt and Prince George-Nechako Aboriginal Employment Training Association executive director Karen Hunt.
"I'm running on behalf of all parents and all children within the district, but I do believe that a really healthy school board is reflective of the community," Sabo said and added that one in four students in the district is aboriginal yet the board has no aboriginal representation.
"I'm hoping to fill that gap and I'm hoping I am a strong enough voice on behalf of the people who really need that voice," Sabo said.
He sees preserving rural schools and providing support for so-called "grey area" students as the two overriding issues heading into the next term.
On rural schools, Sabo said the funding formula needs to be changed so it is less strictly based on per pupil funding and takes into account "square footage" to provide the money needed to keep them operating.
"Grey area" students are those who have mild learning disabilities and school districts are expected to cover the cost of the supports they require through the basic block funding. Sabo said the provincial government needs to provide additional funding to help those students get the attention they need.
Sabo is married and the parent of one son who attends Pinewood elementary school. He holds an associate degree in business administration and has made a living as a consultant but is now mostly a stay-at-home father.
"I am relatively debt free," he said. "My house has been bought and paid for for about 10 years so I've been able to back off on the work."
