The SSBA Life Membership is awarded to school board members who’ve served at the provincial and national levels.
“It’s been an honour to serve provincially and to work with other school board members to improve opportunities for kids across Saskatchewan,” Prairie Valley Board Chair Janet Kotylak said. “I am thankful for the support I’ve received from my provincial colleagues, Prairie Valley board members, SCC members and constituents in Subdivision Seven, and many others. I’m humbled to receive this recognition from the SSBA and am proud of the important work elected school board members do in our province to bring the community voice to publicly funded education.”
“On behalf of the Prairie Valley Board of Education, I’d like to congratulate Janet on this well-deserved recognition of her commitment to improving publicly funded education,” Prairie Valley Board of Education Vice Chair Terry Berglund said. “Her focus on ensuring equitable opportunities for all students and her strong voice for rural school communities is always evident at the board table. Janet’s contributions at the provincial and school division levels have benefitted so many kids across the province and our board is grateful for her service.”
Highlights of Kotylak’s service include chairing the National Trustee Gathering on Indigenous Education and Canadian School Boards Association Congress, co-chairing an education equity working group, receiving a 2021 YWCA Women of Distinction Award, and co-chairing a committee that defined how community input would be included in the recently finalized Provincial Education Plan.
Kotylak was first elected to Montmartre’s local school board in 1997. She has been on the Prairie Valley Board since 2005 and served as Board Chair since 2012.
Kotylak was presented with the SSBA Life Membership on November 13 at the organization’s 2023 General Fall Assembly