Former Trustee elected Vancouver School Board Chair
Posted October 30, 2017 11:11 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Janet Fraser is the new chair of the Vancouver School Board.
The Green candidate was elected at their first official meeting Monday night since the by-election.
Fraser was first elected back in 2014 and was fired by the provincial government last year.
She says she wants to bring a new tone to the district, “… and a culture of respect.”
“I think that what I saw the board meeting this evening was a really good start, we had a blanketing ceremony to remind us of our responsibilities and the work that we have to do and I think that we will work together well as a board.”
The high cost of living in Vancouver is one of the biggest challenges to attracting new teachers.
Fraser says the shortage means students who need more support aren’t getting the help they need.
“There’s typically a teacher in every classroom, but some of the additional supports are not in place,” she adds. “That’s not something that should be happening in our district and we should be looking for ways to improve that.”
She says the nine-person board needs to figure out a solution by talking with staff, employee groups, and the province to find a solution unique to Vancouver.
“Because I’ve just been sworn in, I don’t have a full understanding of what measures have been put in place and what’s possible,” she continues. “I don’t think that just because there’s an elected board that there’s an answer to make it alright.”
The other elected trustees were also sworn on to the board.
Official trustee Diane Turner, who took over after the previous board was fired, will now serve as a special advisor.
