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Prince George’s school district elects Trent Derrick as board chair

Shuirose Valimohamed, trustee from Mackenzie, was elected as vice-chair
Hanna Petersen
Hanna Petersen
Untitled design (18)
Newly elected board chair Trent Derrick (left) and vice-chair Shuirose Valimohamed (right) (via SD57)

School District No. 57 (SD57) has a new chair of the Board of Education: Trent Derrick.

At SD57’s inaugural meeting tonight (Nov. 3), Derrick, who was first elected to the board in 2018, was nominated to serve in the top seat by Trustee Shuirose Valimohamed.

Derrick is the owner of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Prince George and a member of the Gixstan First Nation.

During his time as trustee, he’s created an ad hoc committee to review implementing Truth and Reconciliation recommendations and the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Derrick also served as the vice-chair for the last year and as Chair of the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee.

“I want to thank my trustees who have supported me to become vice-chair and I hope that over the last year I represented myself well and the board well,” said Derrick when he accepted the nomination for the chair.

“We are two years into our mandate and we have challenging times ahead we are still in COVID-19 and I am up to the challenge to lead us as a board and a district.”

Trustee Sharel Warrington was also nominated for the position by Trustee Ron Polillo, but when it came down to a vote, Trustee Derrick was selected for the position.

Derrick will be replacing outgoing long-time board chair Tim-Bennett, who announced he would not be seeking a re-election nomination and would instead stay on as a trustee.

Bennett served as SD57 Board Chair the past four years and was elected as vice-chair the four years before that.

For the first time in SD57’s board history, an elected rural trustee now fills a chair position after Trustee Shuirose Valimohamed was voted to vice-chair.

Trustee Valimohamed was also elected in 2018 to serve as a representative from the Mackenzie area.

She was nominated for vice-chair by Trustee Bob Thompson, who's in the other rural SD57 seat out of Valemount.

Trustee Polillo was also nominated for vice-chair by Trustee Warrington, but when it came down to a vote, Trustee Valimohamed won the position.

“I have learned from each and every one of you as leaders here,” said Valimohamed after she accepted the nomination.

“I don’t need to be in Prince George to be an effective vice-chair. I know my diversity will give a fresh outlook on the challenges ahead, budget and building relationships. If I am elected it will also reflect the diversity in our student population.”

SD57’s regular public board meeting followed the inaugural meeting after the positions were appointed.