Jim Forrest, the recently retired principal at C.W. Perry School, has decided to run for one of three Airdrie positions on the Rocky View Schools (RVS) Board of Trustees.
“I’ve been in education now for a number of years – 37 years – and I’ve worked with RVS as a teacher and as a principal. I just retired at the end of June,” Forrest said. “I see being a trustee as another way to contribute; a little different way but it would allow me to continue to work on behalf of the students, parents and staff of Rocky View.”
Forrest said, while he would work hard to ensure Airdrie gets the number of schools it requires for its continuously growing population and work on the division’s busing issues, he felt there was another, bigger issue he would tackle as a member of the Board of Trustees.
“While those other issues are important, the reason that I am running is because I want to ensure, while there is a lot of good that Rocky View has been doing, that we also continue to focus on how we deliver our education to our students,” he said. “I feel, particularly at the elementary and middle school levels, it is important that we work on giving the kids the skills to be able to learn and to handle life challenges. Those are just as important as our academic excellence.”
Forrest has been a resident of Airdrie for 30 years. His own children and grandchildren have been RVS students.
“I have an excellent understanding of how the education system works in Rocky View. I have contributed a great deal over the years and it has been my job as a principal to be able to make the connections between providing education for our students while also working with parents and RVS,” he said.
“I would love to have the opportunity to continue to serve the students and education in Rocky View.”
