As I connect with community members, I often get the question: What exactly does a school trustee actually do? The job of a school trustee is an important part of every community.
A school trustee is a locally elected representative who sits on the Board of Education for School District 43. SD43 is the district that delivers public education for students in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore, and Belcarra.
The SD43 school board has nine trustees in total and two of those seats are held by Port Moody candidates. Every four years, trustees are elected the same day as your municipal council, this year on October 17, 2026.
Once elected, a school trustee serves on a school district’s board of education and governs public education, sets strategic direction, and manages district finances. Overall the job entails:
Setting the strategic direction. The board decides where the district’s energy and priorities should go over the coming years. SD43 just rolled out its new strategic plan this year: Directions 2030.
Approving the budget. Trustees review and approve the annual budget, making sure spending aligns with priorities and the process remains transparent.
Hiring and overseeing the superintendent. The board hires the district’s top administrator. The Superintendent of schools is similar to a CEO in the corporate world or a CAO in municipal government. The board is also responsible for ensuring the right systems are in place for the superintendent to do their job effectively.
Representing the community. Trustees are also an important bridge between families, educators, and the provincial government, bringing local voices into decisions that affect them.
A trustee is not a principal, a teacher, or day-to-day administration. Trustees don’t evaluate individual staff, settle classroom-level disputes, or make unilateral calls about specific schools. The School Act hands decision-making power to the board as a group, never to one sole trustee.
As a trustee, I will be an active voice at the board table with fellow trustees and encourage collaboration and healthy dialogue that puts students first.
How Port Moody elects their trustees
On October 17, 2026, Port Moody voters elect two of SD43’s nine trustees, on the same ballot as municipal elections across the province. The term runs four years, 2026 to 2030.
Voting Information for Port Moody residents:
| Advance voting opportunity 1 | October 7, 2026 |
| Advance voting opportunity 2 | October 10, 2026 |
| General Voting Day | October 17, 2026 |
I would be honoured to be elected as your Port Moody representative for SD43 School Trustee
I’ve spent over two decades connecting with community in Port Moody and the Tri-Cities and want to contribute to one of our most important community assets – our youth. The job of school trustee deserves candidates who are committed to job, understand exactly how this role supports students, and know how to collaborate and move things forward.
Learn more about my priorities for SD43 here.
