Wanted: Yukoners to serve on school councils

Five Yukon schools are looking for candidates to serve on school councils.

Elections Yukon is holding byelections next monthto fill spots left vacant after a vote in May. At that time,13 schools didn't have enough candidates torunelections. Some candidates were elected by acclamation, while otherpositions were left unfilled.

Byelections are taking place for school councils in Beaver Creek, Ross River,PellyCrossing,HainesJunction and atTakhiniElementary in Whitehorse.

"In the case of these five schools, we only had one nomination or no nominations for those school councils," said Bob Walker,school council liaison with Yukon's department of education.

"We'recertainly keen to get people into those positions and get those councils up and running."

Councils require between four and seven memberseach. Walker says school councils meeton a monthly basis, but he says members often join sub-committees and volunteer atother school events.

He said roughly half the members acclaimed or elected during the spring election were incumbents.

"Some folks I know have servedlike20 years as their kids have progressed through elementary and secondary school."

Walker says most council members are parents of children in the school, but it's not a requirement.

Elections take place every two years. The department of education says members receivehonoraria for attending regular meetings.

Nominations are open until Oct. 11 with voting on Oct. 22.