Students, families are main focus for trustee candidate

In the weeks leading up to the Oct. 16 Brandon School Division trustee byelection, the Sun will interview the seven candidates on their platforms and why they are running.

Ensuring students and families feel supported, included and safe in local schools is the top concern of Shawna Mozdzen, a candidate contesting for the Ward 1 trustee seat in the Brandon School Division.

Having worked in five local schools in support and educational assistant roles since 2007, Mozdzen says those experiences provided a close-up view of the daily realities students face — from learning challenges to mental health struggles.

“For me, it’s always been about students and families,” she told the Sun. “When parents are comfortable in schools, students are more comfortable too. That’s why community and family engagement is so critical.”

The longtime Brandon resident and Indigenous community leader is one of seven candidates vying for a single trustee seat in the Oct. 16 byelection. She faces Laura Armitage, Bonnie-Lynn Mills, Michael Grantham, Eren Oleson, Himanshu Shah and Henry Sieklicki.

Mozdzen said her work in the school system ranged from assisting students with learning needs to helping teachers deliver inclusive programming. She has also served on school-based committees, where she advocated for stronger cultural programming and family engagement.

Her campaign centres on inclusion, equity and well-being. She said she would work to strengthen communication between families and schools, advocate for mental health supports and ensure teachers have the resources they need to focus on what matters most: teaching and mentoring children.

A Métis and First Nations woman with roots in Kinosota and Ebb and Flow, Mozdzen said she intends to bring a unique voice for reconciliation to the board.

“I’m a firm believer that we need to learn about Indigenous culture and the beauty of it, alongside the difficult history, to move toward reconciliation,” she said. “It may take generations, but every step counts. Schools are a key part of that journey.”

The importance of safe schools is another issue she ties back to families. Following last June’s violence at École secondaire Neelin High School, Mozdzen said she understands parents’ anxieties and believes prevention must be a priority. While she welcomed the division’s creation of safe advisory councils, she would also like to see security measures considered — if funding allows.

Funding, she said, is always the most challenging aspect. But Mozdzen says trustees must still do their best to protect what matters most to families: the quality of their children’s education.

“The board has to stretch every dollar. At the end of the day, it’s about making sure students and families get the support they need.”

As a single mother of two sons who graduated from the Brandon School Division, Mozdzen said her own family’s experiences keep her grounded.

“I know the school system works — both of my sons succeeded here. Now I want to give back by helping make sure every family feels that same sense of belonging and opportunity.”

Campaigning is still in its early stages, but Mozdzen says the encouragement she has received from friends, colleagues and community members has been strong.

“I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t think I had a chance,” she said. “But more than anything, I want the best person for the job to win — because our schools, students and families deserve it.”

The byelection was triggered after Blaine Foley resigned in March. The byelection date is Oct. 16, with advanced polls open on Oct. 8 and 11.

The next general school board election is scheduled to take place just over a year later, on Oct. 28, 2026, coinciding with the municipal elections.

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