INNISFAIL – It was just over 15 years ago when Laurette Woodward made the move to leave Chinook’s Edge School Division after six and a half years of devoted service.
The communications coordinator wanted to better support her young children at home, and still be able to stay engaged in the education and communication world.
And she did both with stellar efficiency.
Along with being a freelance writer and communications consultant for a variety of organizations, including those in education, she was elected as a school board trustee with the Red Deer Public School Division (RDPSD) from 2017 to 2021.
“That was a wonderful experience. I met really interesting people in that role. I also enjoyed meeting trustees around the province and learning more about education from the government's perspective,” said Woodward.
When she completed one term with the RDPSD Woodward accepted a part-time communications coordinator position at Clearview Public Schools (CPS) based in Stettler.
And after one successful year at CPS opportunity knocked in 2022.
The door was opened for a return to Chinook’s Edge.
Sandy Bexon, who Woodward knew well from her past days at Chinook’s Edge, was retiring after 15 years.
Woodward applied for the soon-to-be vacant Chinook’s Edge’s communications coordinator position.
She was successful. Woodward would soon replace the professional communications czar who replaced her 15 years earlier.
Woodward began her new role on Jan. 9.
“I feel like it's my home. I loved working here in the early 2000s. Clearview was also a great place but Chinook’s Edge is a little closer to home,” said Woodward, a Red Deer resident who commuted to Stettler during her year with Clearview. “And also, Chinook’s was a full-time job. This was a fit with the lifestyle that I wanted for myself.
“I couldn’t think of a better place than Chinook’s Edge because I had a wonderful experience when I was here before.”
She also returns with the experience of four years as a school board trustee, which will give her new job a valuable but different perspective.
“When you take on any role in an organization and learn that role it brings a specific way of seeing it and certainly trustees have an important governance role in a school division,” said Woodward. “I really value trusteeship, because I was a trustee.
“I think anything any of us do in our lives; any experiences that we have built that builds our understanding of the world helps us to understand people better and the way organizations work,” she added. “I'm grateful for all of the experiences that I've had and hope they are helpful to Chinook’s Edge.”
Those unique experiences, along with her long professional background, have set herself up nicely to handle today’s full-time challenges of messaging and dealing with today’s ever-changing media.
Woodward comes to her new role with many expectations, from not only a huge and critically vital organization like Chinook’s Edge, but also thousands of parents and children.
She is not arriving at Chinook’s Edge with any special project goal in mind but rather a mission to carry on with the stellar legacy left behind by predecessor Sandy Bexon.
“I think Sandy has done an amazing job. In so many ways media relations is just one area but another area was in her support of schools and in her support of the board. She offered so much expertise,” said Woodward. “And so first and foremost, I hope to maintain the integrity of the work that she has done here.
“She has been warm. She has been professional,” added Woodward. “Sandy has based all of her work on relationships, and I hope to maintain that first and foremost.”
