Several new faces will appear around the table at School District 43 board of education meetings after Saturday's civic election.
And while some have government or education experience, others are newcomers to SD43 and will have a lot to learn, agree the presidents of the district's two largest employee groups.
"It looks like the voters wanted change and the voters got change," said Charley King, president of the Coquitlam Teachers' Association, who said his union will continue to advocate for teachers and support board efforts to advocate for more funding.
"I think it needed to be changed, there was too much baggage out there, [although] it might be a learning curve," acknowledged Dave Ginter, president of CUPE Local 561, which represents SD43 support staff. "It was too easy going for 10 or 12 years."
Although the CTA didn't endorse any candidates this time around, King said he is looking forward to working with the new board and letting them know about teachers' concerns in the classroom.
Ginter's union endorsed Michael Thomas in Port Coquitlam, Lisa Park in Port Moody and Chuck Denison and Carol Cahoon in Coquitlam - all of whom won - but said he doesn't have any expectations of them other than they ask questions and pay close attention to board issues.
Ginter also said that while CUPE didn't endorse incumbents Keith Watkins in Port Moody, Diane Sowden in Coquitlam and Judy Shirra in Port Coquitlam, he has respect for them and the work they've done in the past. Their experience will be important for the board to move forward, he said.
One issue both union presidents would like to see trustees bring up is trustees' pay, which is tied to the average of stipends for Port Moody, Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam councillors and automatically adjusted each January - and it's already the highest in B.C. even though this school district is the third largest.
Ginter, whose union purchased ads calling for a wage cut, said he expects at least one trustee to bring up the issue while King said he hopes trustees consider the matter.
King is also interested in the topic. "I'm glad to hear that people are thinking about talking about cutting their salaries," King said. "What that says is there is nothing [that's] off the table here and the priority is getting resources back into the classroom."
NEWCOMERS
Coquitlam
Carol Cahoon, an accountant and piano teacher with children in school, said she is ready to get down to work immediately and looks forward to the challenge. "If there was a board meeting called tomorrow, I would be ready for it," she said Monday, acknowledging that she has a lot to learn but also wants to work on establishing lines of communication with the community, including families and teachers, and ensure the board gets its finances in order.
Chuck Denison will have to give us his post as the president of the District Parent Advisory Council now that he is an elected trustee. And the small business owner with one daughter in school said he is looking forward to the challenge of being a trustee. Denison also hopes that voters will continue to support public education. "This new, energetic team of trustees will serve us well. Governments respond to the public, so be involved, speak out, use the media, write letters, engage your trustees."
Barb Hobson has experience on school board, having served as trustee in SD43 from 1996 to 2002, three of those years as board chair. Hobson said her win hasn't completely sunk in but she's excited to get to work. "I'm looking forward to working with the other trustees to get the finances in the district back on track. School District 43 has a well-earned reputation as an excellent school district and I'm extremely pleased that I will be serving on the school board for the next four years," Hobson said.
Port Coquitlam
Michael Thomas, a father with children in SD43, said his experience as a civic volunteer stood him in good stead during the run-up to the Nov. 15 election and added that he plans to "hit the ground running" in his work for the school board. "Obviously we need to get the funding situation stabilized and ensure that student resources are restored," Thomas said.
Port Moody
Lisa Park, 35, is the youngest new trustee. She was a union-backed candidate who credits her strong team, her work knocking on 5,000 doors and her values for getting elected. The Burnaby teacher who immigrated to Canada from Korea in 2000 works in adult education and is a Grade 5 and 6 teacher-on-call. Park said she will listen and be respectful to those with more experience. "I want to make a stronger community and school board."
Anmore/Belcarra
Kerri Palmer Isaak is finishing up her term as Anmore village councillor to take over her post as trustee on the board of education. She has children in school in the district and though she currently lives in Port Moody, plans to move back to the villages soon. "At the moment, what I am really looking forward to as a newly elected trustee is building a great, dynamic relationship with the new board, staff and administration. We are going to have to focus our priorities and be open to each other's creative solutions and suggestions. Having a team that does not work together is unproductive."
