The Rocky View Schools board chair will run again in this fall’s election.
Sylvia Eggerer has been on the school board for four years and has been chair for three.
“I’ve found that this is not a one-term position,” she said. “The learning curve is so steep that by the time you learn it all, you owe it to your public to make use of the knowledge you’ve gained.”
Eggerer has worked with Rocky View Schools for 30 years and has been involved in education for 42 years. She admits to “failing at retirement.”
“I tried to leave education in 2006 and I wasn’t very good at retirement so I made my way back to Rocky View Schools,” she said.
“I’m proud of what we have done. I was part of the initiation of the Three Year Plan and I have seen that go through full cycle and we are closing the loop now. I have seen education go from pencils and paper to iPods and SMART Boards.”
Eggerer said she is most proud of the loyalty and support she sees from both RVS and the community.
“The Airdrie Council of School Councils is doing exactly what the government has told us to do – to get the community involved,” she said.
“It is rewarding that people care about education and that they came to us and asked how they could help. We are here to support public education and we will do whatever it takes to make this work. We are not done yet – Airdrie still needs schools.”
Eggerer said school administration has been great at using the space they have effectively without detracting from the quality of education.
“Public education is the backbone of democracy,” she said.
“The community school is where we teach children how to be good citizens. Where they learn to care for each other and their community. Where they learn the drive to make their community a better place.
“As long as the staff care for the kids, it translates into trying to make the most of a difficult situation. Take a library being transformed into two classrooms for instance: we use more technology and circulate the books through the classroom. Students just learn differently.”
Eggerer said education has been her life and she plans to stay active in it.
“I like being involved with students, learning while they learn,” she said.
“Any kind of discussion around education is a good one.”
