A joint middle-secondary school for Burke Mountain and hopes for an updated funding formula that puts more dollars in School District 43 coffers are among the issues facing the new board of education, according to chair Barb Hobson.
The veteran Coquitlam trustee who is serving her second stint as board chair in 11 years of serving said she is looking forward to working with three new trustees and five experienced trustees and expects the group to work well together.
“I’m really excited to be working with the new trustees, we’ve got three new voices and some seasoned trustees,” acknowledged Hobson, who was on the board from 1996 to 2003, took a break for 12 years and was reelected in 2014 and 2018.
Hobson was acclaimed to the post of chair, while Christine Pollock, of Port Coquitlam, who is a retired education assistant and a new trustee, was elected to be vice-chair over Craig Woods, a Coquitlam trustee who also put his name in for the post. Also elected to the board were newcomer Jennifer Blatherwick, of Coquitlam and incumbents Michael Thomas in Port Coquitlam; Carol Cahoon in Coquitlam, and Lisa Park and Keith Watkins in Port Moody. Kerri Palmer Isaak was acclaimed in Anmore/Belcarra.
With the Oct. 20 election now in the rear view mirror, trustees will be working on a number of fronts, including funding advocacy, updating the Directions 2020 strategic plan, working with the cities on ways to increase childcare options in the Tri-Cities, and staying informed on bargaining for unionized teachers and support workers.
Hobson said she hopes to hear soon from the province on an update to the education funding formula which she said has resulted in lower funding for Coquitlam students.
“We’re looking for equity. We’re lower funded than the other districts in the Lower Mainland and there doesn’t seem to be any explanation for that,” Hobson said.
As well, the board and district staff will continue to lobby for funds to build the new joint middle-secondary school on Burke Mountain, needed because more people are moving to the area.
“The board has advanced funding for the design of the building so when we do receive funding we can go forward with it,” Hobson said.
The next board of education meeting is Nov. 20.
