We asked candidates to fill out a questionnaire about their background and their positions on some issues facing their communities.
Here are their answers, as submitted by them.
Candidates
The Gulf Islands school district has seven trustees elected from five zones.
Six people have been acclaimed:
- Janelle Lawson — Mayne Island
- Gregory Lucas — Pender Islands
- Tisha Boulter — Salt Spring Island
- Stefanie Denz — Salt Spring Island
- Robert Pingle — Salt Spring Island
- Chaya Katrensk — Saturna Island
One trustee will be elected from Galiano Island:
- Deblekha Guin — Facebook
- Shelley Lawson
Shelley Lawson
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
I have lived in the Gulf Islands for almost 15 years, moving to Galiano Island from Salt Spring Island 8 years ago. My first term as School Trustee has been a terrific learning experience, exploring schools on all 5 islands, sitting on the Board of the Galiano Activity Centre and the inaugural Daycare Committee. I have 2 wonderful business partners with whom I run the Galiano Post Office and a tea and papery shop. I sit on the founding board of an Affordable Rental Housing society, and am active in several other Galiano organizations.
Why are you running? What's your motivation?
My motivation for this work has always been my daughter and her learning environment. I started working with the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) and DPAC when she was in elementary school – our district has always been open to the parent voice and includes DPAC among its primary stakeholders. Being involved in decisions around public education seems like the best place to “be the change” and, although my daughter graduates this year, I am passionate about continuing that role at the Board table.
What do you think are the top issues facing your district?
The primary issue on Galiano has long been the water taxi and equitable access to middle years programing for pre-teen students. As a district, we are facing a significant turnover of Board and Senior Admin staff, budget concerns, and pending employee contract negotiations. Provincially we continue to introduce transformed curriculum and assessment practices. Looking at all of these issues, I am excited about innovative, creative conversations with new and outgoing staff to re-evaluate our strategic plan and vision for the next 10 years.
Deblekha Guin
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
In my 20+ year role with the Access to Media Education Society (AMES) I have worked with youth from marginalized communities to develop and deliver educational programing to school districts around BC. I have also been an active parent/volunteer with DPAC (3 yrs), PAC (10 yrs), and the Preschool Society (4 yrs), where I raised funds for and helped develop new preschool spaces/playgrounds on Galiano. In these capacities, I have become acutely aware of the concerns and challenges facing children, families, and schools, and have developed relationships with key educational stakeholders throughout the district.
Why are you running? What's your motivation?
I'm eager to use my skills and energy to ensure that SD64's vision aligns with its practices, procedures, and priorities--inside and outside the classroom, and in waterways that connect the 5 islands within it. I'm particularly focused on it's commitment to provide all SD64 learners with “equitable access”, to “dynamic and safe learning environments” that “Ignit[e] a passion for learning”. To this end, I will be a strong advocate for the unique needs and realities of outer island schools and learners within the district, as well as for those of the district within the ministry.
What do you think are the top issues facing your district?
Financial Challenges/Uncertainties - The combined impacts of 1) a recent enrolment audit that led to a significant reduction in funding to the district in 2017/2018, 2) a projected deficit, 3) potential enrolment declines, and 4) the Ministry rolling out a new Funding Formula for BC school districts, have contributed to financial uncertainties in SD64.
Equitable Access/Student Engagement and Achievement - An equity-audit re: student engagement and achievement rates would enable SD64 to operationalize it's expressed commitment to provide equitable access to its programs, and support ALL learners to be engaged and successful academically.
Transportation/Accommodation: SD64 is made up of 5 unique islands. Though an asset in many ways, this is one of the Districts greatest challenges--in terms of building a sense of shared identity and inter-island collaboration, while maintaining the unique attributes and character of each island community.
What's one "big idea" you have for your school district, or an issue you would like to tackle?
The choice to opt into a middle school model was a district-wide decision that involved funding from a tax base made up of the ENTIRE district. As such, the only middle school in the district (which is on Salt Spring) should be accessible to ALL of the students in the district. Unfortunately, only students who live on Salt Spring Island are guaranteed access to the middle school (resulting in an inadvertent 2-tiered system). The outer island students must compete for limited seats on the water taxi, and if they do not get a coveted seat, have a much higher risk of academic disengagement and social/emotional isolation, potentially putting them on a downward trend academically.
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