Trustee Responses 4

What are your top three priorities as a trustee?

Fred Robertson

As a Trustee the top priority is really quite self-evident.  The Board’s main role is to see students receive the best support and education to ensure their success in school.  The tricky bit is how does a School Board, with limited authority, manage this priority.

The hard work of learning is done in schools and in classrooms.  Trustees sets the budget each year.  The budget is a reflection of their priorities.   Trustees must commit all available finances and resources to support schools and classrooms.

School Boards do not exist on their own little island.  They are a part of a larger community.  The School Board must collaborate with local governments, (Municipal and First Nations), and agencies such as the Crisis and Counselling Centre, Island Health and the First Nations Health Authority and services that have ‘youth’ as a part of their mandate. There are many overlapping interests.  Working together makes for healthier and stronger communities.

School District funding is mostly based on a per student basis. While this may work for more urban school districts, its puts more rural and geographically dispersed districts at a disadvantage.  SD#85 needs to work with Municipal governments, other School Districts and the Provincial Government to establish a Task Force to study Rural Education Funding.  This would be a first step toward establishing more equitable funding.

Personally, I bring a fresh perspective and proven leadership skills.  I am committed to open communication and to work collaboratively. 

Laurie Garret

Improve graduation rate for our school district with our students leaving with the tools for the next phase of their lives including critical thinking, communication skills, numeracy, literacy, social-emotional, wellness and resilience. 

Improve attendance across the School District in order to encourage continuity of learning as educators build their lesson plans to cover the curriculum. 

Continue our local North Island tradition of incorporating our natural environment in the learning cycle.

Roland LeFort

Accountability

Financial Accountability – ensuring that funding is going where it’s needed to provide the best educational experience for students and staff alike.

Educational Accountability – ensuring that students are finding success on their own merits.

Reporting Accountability – Implementation of programs and policies will need transparent reporting and communication with the affected parties to indicate successes and failures so we can continue to develop in a positive direction. 

Indigenous Culture & Language

I would like to work towards more inclusivity of indigenous culture and language into all grade levels to create a more seamless transition for all students from school to school. Indigenous culture is integral to where we live and working more closely with the surrounding communities, elders, and historians, should be a priority for the board to provide excellent education and maintain cultural heritage for all students.

Future Proofing

Employee Recruitment/Retention – We are a remote community, and getting the right people involved is critical to student and program success. I don’t want to see good staff members leave due to job instability or lack of benefits. Diversity in our staffing will help keep the school district running smoothly year after year.

Facility Management – Lowering our liability for aging infrastructure is not only going to save us money in the long run, but create a safer, more stable environment for our educators and students. We need to be continuously improving infrastructure and being diligent about its maintenance to keep our schools running.

Financial Stability – Our school district should not be unsure on whether we will be running on a year to year basis. Financial security to allow for fluctuations in enrollment and funding levels should be top of mind. That security should give us time to adjust, and minimize the impact on students and staff.
P.S. I know I stretched the “3” priorities a little bit.

Jeff Field

First, our schools must be safe and inclusive. We must support programs like ERASE and work to stop bullying and discrimination. WE need to foster a caring environment where everyone can learn.

Second, we need to ensure that staff have the resources to do their job and make sure that the budget is supporting district educational goals. Third, I believe in land-based learning. As well as supporting indigenous ways of learning it is important to get students out of the building to experience their natural surroundings. It is amazing to watch a group of young students at Hardy Bay or Storeys Beach doing beach studies at low tide. This type of activity can help to support physical and mental health. And, you never know you might just develop a new friendship with a classmate while exploring these tidal pools.

Christine Swain

Identifying and advocating for resources to support mental health and wellbeing of all people in Vancouver Island North Schools

Equity in funding for rural schools

Increasing the connection between schools and community

Leightan Wishart

Student success and well-being

Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of where they live in our district. That includes strong educational programs, mental-health supports, safe schools and opportunities for students to develop the skills they need for their future.

Safe, supportive and respectful schools

Students and employees need to feel safe, respected and supported. I want to see continued attention to violence prevention, student behaviour, mental health and the recruitment and retention of the staff needed to support our schools.

Responsible financial management and strong rural schools

We have to make every education dollar count. With continuing financial pressures and changing enrolment, the board must make difficult decisions responsibly and transparently while protecting classroom learning as much as possible. At the same time, we must recognize that our rural and remote schools are essential parts of their communities and cannot always be measured simply by enrolment numbers.

After many years as a trustee, I believe experience matters. My priorities are straightforward: put students first, support our staff, and make responsible decisions that protect the future of our entire district.