Armitage wants to give parents a voice on school board

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.

Trustee candidate Laura Armitage’s top concern is ensuring the Brandon School Division board hears directly from families who are navigating the school system.

With four children enrolled from elementary through high school, the longtime community volunteer believes her perspective as an actively involved parent gives her a unique understanding of the division’s challenges.

“I think it’s really important to have a trustee who has students in the system today,” Armitage said. “Many trustees don’t have that connection anymore. I talk to parents, teachers and students every day. I hear their concerns and see their struggles firsthand. That’s the kind of voice I want to bring to the board.”

Armitage is one of seven candidates in the Oct. 16 byelection, joining Shawna Mozdzen, Bonnie-Lynn Mills, Michael Grantham, Eren Oleson, Himanshu Shah and Henry Sieklicki in the race for a single trustee seat.

Her roots in school “volunteerism run deep,” she said.

For the past decade, she has been an active member of École New Era School’s parent council, serving seven years as chair. “That involvement has kept me closely engaged with families and staff, from fundraising and school activities to policy discussions.”

One area she hopes to champion as trustee is the sustainability of lunch programming. Currently, many school meal programs rely heavily on volunteers, with parents and community members devoting long hours to keep them running.

“Right now, volunteers are putting in 40 hours a week on top of their jobs, just to make sure kids are fed at school,” Armitage said. “That’s not sustainable. We need the division to take a more active role so these programs don’t collapse.”

She said overcrowding is a pressing issue across Brandon schools, particularly at the high school level. “There are classrooms with over 30 students and hallways where kids are shoulder-to-shoulder,” she said. “Teachers need smaller class sizes, and students need more space to learn effectively.”

Armitage argues the city urgently needs a fourth high school, along with additional elementary school capacity to keep up with growth.

Her platform also emphasizes support for teachers and staff.

“Teachers are being asked to do more with less, and that’s not fair,” she said. “We need to make sure they have the resources, support staff, and manageable class sizes so they can focus on teaching, not just surviving.”

On school safety, Armitage expressed support for the division’s recent steps, including the creation of safety advisory committees following an incident earlier this year. But she believes vigilance and open communication with families are key.

“Parents want to know their children are safe, and they want to have a say in how safety is handled,” she said. “I’ll keep listening to those voices.”

For Armitage, campaigning has meant balancing election commitments with work in retail and family life. She credits her friends, colleagues, and especially her children for motivating her to step forward.

“My family has been incredible through this,” she said. “They know how much I care about schools, and they’ve been cheering me on every step.”

She said she has attended almost every trustee meeting over the past two years, giving her insight into how decisions are made — and how parents often feel left out of those decisions.

“It can feel like families don’t always have a seat at the table,” Armitage said. “That’s what I want to change. I want parents to feel like their concerns are not just heard, but acted on.”

Ultimately, Armitage said her candidacy comes down to one simple idea: the board needs trustees who are close to the classrooms and the families they serve.

“I’m not a politician,” she said. “I’m a mom who wants to make sure our schools are doing the best they can for every student. That’s why I’m running — to bring that inside voice, the parent voice, to the board.”

Advance polls will be open on Oct. 8 in the main foyer at city hall from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Oct. 11 in the Pioneer Lounge at the Keystone Centre from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election day is Oct. 16, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at various locations across the city. A full list of voting sites is available at brandon.ca.

The byelection was triggered after Blaine Foley resigned in March. The next general school board election is scheduled to take place on Oct. 28, 2026, coinciding with the municipal elections.

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