Key priorities
Every child in Port Moody deserves a school district that supports them, believes in them, and prepares them for what’s ahead. My priorities for SD43 are shaped by knowing that good decisions come from working together. Here's how I want to contribute.
Supporting every student
Every learner deserves the resources and support they need to succeed. I want SD43 to continue investing in staffing, specialists, and classroom supports that enable teachers to meet every student’s needs.
Enrolment is declining in the district, but the number of students needing extra support is increasing, and so is the complexity of the help they need. This year’s school budget added more than 40 education assistant positions, and staffing for learning support teachers, counsellors, and teacher-librarians is set to meet or exceed provincial ratios. This is positive news, but still doesn’t fully meet the need in the classroom. Parents and teachers are asking the board to keep hiring education assistants and youth workers, and I agree that more supports are needed.
Staffing is crucial, but it isn’t the only way we support students. Directions 2030 says every student should have a trusted adult at school, that attendance problems should be caught early so we can address the challenges kids are facing and get them back in the classroom, and that teachers should get real training in helping kids manage big feelings. The Indigenous support blocks in our secondary schools show what it looks like when the district funds something purposefully and sticks with it. Those are the right commitments.
As a trustee, I’ll advocate for the board to keep classroom supports at the centre of budget decisions, to use the equity data the district is already collecting to see honestly where there are gaps, and to listen to parents and caregivers about what kids need.
Protecting programs of choice
Families in SD43 have real choices in how their children learn and that is worth protecting. French Immersion, Mandarin Bilingual, Montessori, iHub, and our gifted programs give students different ways to engage with school and help families find the best programs so their children can thrive.
These programs depend on stable funding, qualified staff, and enough space to meet demand. Port Moody is growing even as the district’s overall enrolment declines, and I want to see the board plan ahead so that programs of choice remain accessible to families across the district rather than becoming harder to get into each year.
Where programs are located matters too. Right now, some students can spend an hour each way getting to a program of choice or alternate program on the other side of the district. This can be a challenge for families, and a barrier for kids already having a hard time with school. I want the board to look at how programs of choice and alternate programs are spread across the district, and to plan for options closer to home.
I also support exploring new programs. SD43’s outdoor education currently reaches students in grade 10 through the COAST program, and I support bringing nature-based learning to younger students so more of them can benefit earlier in their school years. Having spent years volunteering at Mossom Creek Hatchery, I know what time outside and a hands-on connection to nature can do for a young person.
Choice should work for every family. I’ll advocate for the board to protect the programs we have, keep the entrance process fair and transparent, and make sure options are within reach of Port Moody families.
Future ready students
The world students are heading into looks nothing like the one most of us grew up in. Technology, careers, and skills that matter in the workplace are shifting quickly, and school programs need to keep pace.
Students need access to real experience and practical skills alongside their academic learning. I want to see SD43 expand career and trades programs through direct partnerships with post-secondary institutions and industry associations, paired with modern and practical STEM learning. Early exposure to career pathways will help students build the skills and confidence they need for a changing job market.
I want SD43 to be a district that looks ahead and ensures students leave school ready for what comes next.
Promoting school safety and well-being
Every student deserves to feel safe walking down the hallway, sitting in the classroom, and moving through their school day. SD43, along with other districts around the province, continues to see a rise in violent incidents both in the classroom and in the wider school community, including incidents directed at the teachers and Education Assistants (EAs) working directly with students. Some schools have started building calm rooms, mindfulness spaces, and providing de-escalation training for staff, but SD43 has identified that these efforts are uneven across the district.
As your trustee, I’ll work with the board to invest in what keeps kids and classrooms safe and supports their wellbeing. This includes funded, consistent training for teachers and EAs, and adequate staffing, including school counsellors, so students in crisis get the right interventions and we can reach kids early, before small problems become bigger ones. I’ll also push to strengthen the district’s partnerships with community mental health agencies and other partners so students get the supports they need consistently and early on.
Children learn best when they feel safe, whether that’s in the hallway, on the playground, or at their desk, and the adults who care for them deserve that same safety. Safer schools mean a richer learning experience for all students.
Planning for Port Moody's growth
Port Moody is growing and our schools need to grow with the community. As new neighbourhoods like Inlet Centre and Moody Centre take shape, planning for future school capacity must start early and alongside municipal development. It can’t wait until families have already moved in.
Too often, opportunities to build shared benefit into new developments get missed simply because the right conversations didn’t happen early enough. This includes joint-use agreements for gyms and fields, shared child care spaces, or co-located community amenities that serve both students and neighbourhoods. We are missing opportunities to bring more amenities to our community, and I want to make sure these discussions are a priority.
This only works if the school district and its trustees have a good working relationships with the community and opportunities to collaborate early on with Municipal leaders, developers, and the provincial government. I am committed to keeping these conversations open and productive for our community.
Financial responsibility and transpareny
One of the main responsibilities of our school trustees is ensuring every dollar in our school district budget is well spent on students in the classroom. This requires the school board to ask hard questions about where money is allocated and why. Families and taxpayers deserve to understand how choices get made and to know they are made with the best interests of student learning in mind.
Good fiscal management is about more than balancing a budget. It’s about ensuring we fund the things that matter, like strong programs, well-supported teachers, and the diverse student supports children need to succeed.
It also means looking beyond the budget we’re handed. Provincial funding hasn’t kept pace with the real costs of running our schools, and I’ll work with the board to advocate to the Ministry of Education and Child Care for funding that reflects what our growing district actually needs. At the same time, I’ll push the district to pursue grants, partnerships, and other opportunities that bring new resources into our classrooms rather than relying on the same stretched dollars.
Good fiscal management is about more than just balancing a budget. It’s about ensuring we fund the things that matter like strong programs, well-supported teachers, and the diverse student supports children need to succeed.
As school trustee, I am committed to transparency throughout the decision-making process and will always advocate for dollars to reach students and classrooms first.