Former Langley school trustee Candy Ashdown has announced that she will run once again for one of the two Langley City seats on Langley school board.
Ashdown was elected to the board of education in 2011 and served until December 2014. She was chair of the board’s education committee and also served on its policy committee, among others.
Dedication to education and service to the community runs in her family, said Ashdown.
Her mother, Diane Pona, served for 12 years as a Langley School Board trustee, advocating strongly for public education. Prior to being elected to the board, Ashdown was involved for over 10 years with her children’s school Parent Advisory Councils, serving six of those years as either PAC president or vice-president. She also served two terms on the District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) executive as a member at large.
Ashdown said she is proud of what the board accomplished during those three years, including paying off a $13 million deficit a year early. In that time the board hired a new district leadership team and developed a long-term facilities plan, communications plan and a new Mission, Vision and Values statement.
When asked to share her vision for the Langley School District, Ashdown stated: “We need to continue to improve the culture in the Langley School District with all partner groups. I’m so proud of the progress that has been made, but there is still work to be done.
“Langley schools are very diverse and we must ensure that every one of our students has an equal opportunity to access programs and resources,” she added.
“We are seeing tremendous growth in the Township, specifically in the Willoughby Heights area. We are now going to be experiencing much growth in Langley City as well with new developments underway or being approved. We need strong advocates at the board table representing both City and Township students.”