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A2 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, September 26, 2006 * * A .4 MESAVE. 1~~~Tiaft MyioyoiaPla,"" mlytoyotaplaceacom iII former board chair flot seeking re-election By Lisa Tallyn SPECIAL To THE CHAMPION Citing health issues, longtime Haiton His pub- lic school board trustee and former Halton District Ethel Gardiner School Board chair Ethel Gardiner announced Wednesday she won't he seeking re-election in November. Gardiner was recently diagnosed witb cancer. "That will he my hattle for the next little wbile," said the 69-year-old Georgetown resident, wbo will contin- ue on as trustee until ber term ends. The decision not to, run for a fifth terni was a difficult one, but Gardiner said it was the only choice she could make at this time. She added, however, she basn't ruled out the possibility of running as a trustee candidate agamn in the future or being a scbool volunteer. "I plan to, be back and involved in scbools at some point," said Gardiner, who was 90 per cent sure she was going to seek re-election before sbe leamned. of her ilîness. "l'd like to thank the people of Halton Hilîs for their support, encouragement and trust over the years. She said its been an honour to serve Halton His for the last il years as trustee. "(Trustees) must be committed to public education that serves ail chil- dren and advocate tenaciously for the success of every student. Over the past 50 years, 39 as an educator and il years as a trustee, including six years serving as the boards chair, 1 have learned a great deal. My life bas been enricbed by the fabulous people 1 have met, and 1 tbank tbem for tbat." After retiring from. teaching in june 1995, Gardiner was first elected as Halton Hilis trustee tbat October. "I had been involved in education ail my life. To me it was just an opportuni- ty to keep involved and be supportive of ids and public education." In 1997, Gardiner was elected by the other trustees to serve as the boatels chair, a position she held for six con- secutive years until 2003, earning ber tbe distinction of being HDSBs longest- serving chair. Wbijle she said it was an honour to serve as chair, "my work in Halton His was more near and dear to my hcart." Gardiner said she remembers when she started as a trustee it seemed like there were 85 different hoards of educa- tion in Halton with the schools ai on different pages. She said today, the strength of thse Halton board system is that "we're ail focused on the same thing - numera- cy literacy, school culture and improv- ing student achievement." She bas had many highiights over the past il ycars. "Anytime i couid get into a scbool to see tbe great work tbat's happening or