At the 89th Annual Meeting of Council, Saskatchewan teachers elected Samantha Becotte to serve as the next President of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF).
Becotte is the seventh woman President in the Federation’s history and will take on the role effective July 1 for a one-year term.
“I am thrilled and honoured by the trust my colleagues have placed in me,” Becotte said.
“The experiences of our members are diverse, but we are all united in our resolve to provide high-quality education to all of Saskatchewan’s students. As we prepare to enter the next round of provincial collective bargaining, I am committed to revitalizing our collective strength and being a catalyst of change as our organization continues its evolution to meet members’ changing needs.”
Becotte has been an active member of the Federation for more than 10 years. She was first elected to the Executive in 2015 and has served as Vice-President since 2019. Previously, she also served as an STF councillor, on the Lloydminster Teachers’ Association Local Implementation and Negotiating Committee and on the STF Resolutions Committee.
A mathematician, Becotte is also passionate about women in leadership. She resides outside Lloydminster with her husband and two daughters.
Four new members-at-large were also elected to two-year terms on the Executive. The successful candidates are Neal Boutin, Chinook Teachers’ Association, Micheal Hagel, Tri-West Teachers’ Association, Gwen Paul, Prairie Valley Teachers’ Association and Crystal Schindel, Horizon Teachers’ Association.
Outgoing President Patrick Maze congratulated the incoming Executive and noted that the competitive election as a sign that the organization is well positioned to represent teachers and meet future challenges.
“Thank you to each and every candidate who ran for election this year. Regardless of the results, I encourage you to harness your desire to serve and find opportunities to inspire and lead your colleagues,” Maze said.
“It has been an honour to represent Saskatchewan teachers for the last seven years. I will forever be proud and grateful for this incredible experience and opportunity to serve my profession.”
Maze continues in his role as President until June 30. On July 1, Becotte will begin her term as President. The new Executive members will also begin serving their terms on July 1 and will join the existing Executive members, who were elected to two-year terms in 2021.
