The Western School Division School Board has welcomed a new face.  

Nicole Levesque, who has been a resident of Morden for the past 20 years, has recently filled the vacant trustee position that was created by the departure of David Guenther. 

Levesque, a southern Ontario native, is a practicing dental hygienist who previously worked in Somerset and Winnipeg before taking her current position at Care Dental Group in Morden. Levesque is also on the board of the Winkler Barracudas swim team. 

Levesque has already been involved with the school system through her three daughters who, following in her footsteps, attend the French immersion program.  

Nicole Levesque and familyNicole Levesque and family. Supplied Photo. 

“[I]t kind of piqued my interest. I knew a few people on the board already before the seat became vacant, and I just thought it would be good and . . . interesting to see what is all involved and, you know, with having kids in the school system and . . . having these communities grow so much, I just thought it would be a really good idea to get myself invested in the community.” 

Levesque’s family has had a good experience with the Western School Division.  

“My kids, they love school. When I drop them off, they're all excited to go. I think it's really cool the diversity we have in our classrooms . . . . [A]ll these kids come from different areas of the world, and they're all together. My kids get to learn different cultures, which I think is amazing.” 

As a trustee, Levesque strives to be an active member of the board.  

“I want to be a team player. I want to be able to have [my] own opinions but be able to work with a group of people . . . . [T]hese communities are growing and it would just be really nice to be there for the kids to ensure that things are happening and letting them grow.” 

After Levesque’s first few board meetings, the involvement of the community members who attend stands out. Levesque says that the participants alert her to matters that she would not have known about otherwise. 

“It’s going to take me a long time to just learn everything, but it’s a [great] group of people. They work really hard to ensure that everything is good for the kids.”   

Levesque is also passionate about the opportunity to represent the board outside of meetings. 

“[I]t's really about getting yourself out into the community so that people . . . know who you are, [and] that they can trust you, [and] see that you're there for the kids, for the schools, for the parents, for all the things.” 

Something that excites Levesque about Morden’s future is École Discovery Trails, a new school that is expected to open in September.  

“[The school] is beautiful. We're very, very lucky to have that in our community.” 

With the new school on the horizon and the growth of the Western School Division, Levesque predicts good things for the future. 

“[I]t's a really exciting time for Morden.” 

The Western School Division School Board meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month.  

~With files from Robyn Wiebe~