Retired office administrator Jan Gordon-Hooker is the first candidate to step forward in the race to replace the late Pat Casey as trustee for Southeast Kootenay School District 5.

Casey passed away Jan. 14, 2010 and an election was called for the Cranbrook seat on the board April 24.

Gordon-Hooker, who was a friend of Casey's and worked with her on the Communities in Bloom Committee, said Casey leaves big shoes to fill. “I really respected her. When I was thinking of running I just thought maybe I could continue her legacy.”

Gordon Hooker was raised in Vancouver, but has lived in Cranbrook for the past 30 years and managed her late husband's medical office for 20 years and has a diploma in business administration from the College of the Rockies.

She has never held elected office before but served on several boards including the Kootenay Chamber Orchestra, the Cranbrook Public Library and the East Kootenay Outdoor Club. She was also a voluntary tutor in the One-to-One Literacy program for the past four years and served on the Infant Development Program management committee for five years.

“I've been an active volunteer for several years and I'm familiar with how boards run. Serving on the school board will be a challenge, but I'd like to make a contribution.”

Gordon-Hooker said she supports the community centre of learning concept that is being touted as the model for the Mount Baker replacement school. “It's not a new concept, but it's an interesting and timely one.” She also supports all-day-kindergarten and doesn't feel the longer school day would be too hard on children at an early age.

“I'm sure it would be structured in such a way as not to create a situation where children would be stressed and that there would be a balance of education, play and down time.”

Even though the education budget keeps getting bigger every year, Gordon- Hooker said her own “objective analysis” of the situation makes her tend to believe there is still under-funding in the system. She also feels there is less need now to close schools because the enrolment decline is slowing down.

“Hopefully, we're past the point of doing radical things like closing schools. I strongly believe that children should be able to go to school in their own neighbourhood, but obviously if enrolment falls to a certain point you have to think of closure.”

Gordon-Hooker says she's not a political person and won't be carrying any particular political philosophy to the Board. “I just want to roll up sleeves and work for the board and work for children because obviously they have to come first.”

As far as standardized test go, Gordon-Hooker said she hasn't arrived at a position yet. “I think I would have to talk to teachers and the Board trustees before I take a position.”

However, Gordon-Hooker said she believes there's a role for testing in the system. “At some point, I think we have to have some idea of where the students are, but if they (standardized tests) are as disruptive as teachers say they are I would want to find out more about that.”