Vancouver School Board VS. Burnaby School Board
For the first time, I attended my district’s board meeting, Vancouver School Board (VSB) District 39, that was scheduled Monday, June 1, 2015 and our neighboring district in Burnaby (BSB), District 41, which had their meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2015. Although, both had similar formalities and room layouts, there was a distinct difference between the two boards, which reflected the culture and community that it represented. There was a substantial sense of tension at the VSB versus the more relaxed and inviting community of BSB.
For those who couldn’t make it to the board meetings, their websites are a good representation of what would have been seen in person. The VSB’s website is quite outdated, with too much text and hard to maneuver through. For example, it was nearly impossible for me to find when the next available meeting was, because the date was not updated. It also did not mention dates any further than the upcoming one. Go to the BSB website, and you find all the dates for the whole year listed under simple tabs and keywords; they were set up quite efficiently.
At the VSB meeting, located in “downtown’s” busy business area, in a tall building with a designated “Board Room,” the space was sophisticated. There were 4 screens for video and slide projection (2 monitors for the trustees and 2 white screens for the viewers) mounted around a semicircular meeting table, which sat 12 trustees, including one student trustee (who is a student representative voted onto the committee by the district’s Student Advisory Council made up of students elected from each high school). There were tables to the two sides for media, associate superintendents and recorder, with about 50 public seats facing them all. These seats were about a quarter filled, which I suspect was more than usual.
For the first time, I attended my district’s board meeting, Vancouver School Board (VSB) District 39, that was scheduled Monday, June 1, 2015 and our neighboring district in Burnaby (BSB), District 41, which had their meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2015. Although, both had similar formalities and room layouts, there was a distinct difference between the two boards, which reflected the culture and community that it represented. There was a substantial sense of tension at the VSB versus the more relaxed and inviting community of BSB.
For those who couldn’t make it to the board meetings, their websites are a good representation of what would have been seen in person. The VSB’s website is quite outdated, with too much text and hard to maneuver through. For example, it was nearly impossible for me to find when the next available meeting was, because the date was not updated. It also did not mention dates any further than the upcoming one. Go to the BSB website, and you find all the dates for the whole year listed under simple tabs and keywords; they were set up quite efficiently.
At the VSB meeting, located in “downtown’s” busy business area, in a tall building with a designated “Board Room,” the space was sophisticated. There were 4 screens for video and slide projection (2 monitors for the trustees and 2 white screens for the viewers) mounted around a semicircular meeting table, which sat 12 trustees, including one student trustee (who is a student representative voted onto the committee by the district’s Student Advisory Council made up of students elected from each high school). There were tables to the two sides for media, associate superintendents and recorder, with about 50 public seats facing them all. These seats were about a quarter filled, which I suspect was more than usual.
Teachers were encouraged by union to attend this specific board meeting to show a presence in regards to the District Staff Pay Parking implications. This could have added to the unspoken tension in the room. Another factor that kept me on edge was simply trying to follow along the multiple bundles of papers provided. Both my colleagues and myself found it confusing to follow, as we constantly shuffled through the sheets to orientate ourselves. BSB had a neat and organized single package.
Furthermore, BSB was located in a residential area, in a small single level building, and a smaller sized room. There were also 12 trustee members, except no student trustee. Although, they only had two screens, they had a cameraman recording the whole meeting. Media was stationed at the back of the room, behind a few rows of chairs, which were filled with only a few teachers, parents and students of a new program called, “Take A Hike” and of an exchange program called, “Mesa Sister Association.” They all left after their presentation and I was the only public spectator left. This made me feel a bit awkward but otherwise surprised how unpopular this meeting was.
Furthermore, BSB was located in a residential area, in a small single level building, and a smaller sized room. There were also 12 trustee members, except no student trustee. Although, they only had two screens, they had a cameraman recording the whole meeting. Media was stationed at the back of the room, behind a few rows of chairs, which were filled with only a few teachers, parents and students of a new program called, “Take A Hike” and of an exchange program called, “Mesa Sister Association.” They all left after their presentation and I was the only public spectator left. This made me feel a bit awkward but otherwise surprised how unpopular this meeting was.
What’s interesting about the “Take A Hike” program is that it is already run in Vancouver, and more specifically, at the current high school I teach at, for the last 15 years. It was great to see the group reference our program and to hear the students speak with such articulation about the program’s first year running and the already positive effects.
The VSB also had a school program group, called “Street2Peak,” present at the beginning of their meeting. What’s important to note is the opening to the meeting before these highlights. The Chairperson acknowledged the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Coast Salish peoples. This formality affirmed the district’s goal to make an effort and attempt to integrate the practices of the local aboriginal peoples (this is continued at all formal Vancouver school assemblies).
Similar to the presentation at the BSB, the “Street2Peak” had prepared a slide show of their adventures and emphasized their thanks towards the board for approving their program. Both school boards were attentive during the presentation; however, BSB took their time to speak with the students and asked them to reflect specific experiences. These trustees were easy going, and even made jokes. They laughed and smiled, which isn’t what I could say about the VSB trustees.
Continuing, both boards made a motion to accept the last meeting’s minutes, the superintendent and the various committees’ reports were announced, motioned, seconded, and voted on for approval. VSB also had a report from the Student Trustee, who described her experience at a youth leadership conference in Ontario. It was actually great to know that the student’s voice was considered, even though she did not vote once in the meeting. I found out then, from her report, that one of my students that I was currently teaching had been voted president of the Student Advisory Council. The positive things I find out about my students always please and surprise me.
During these reports, the VSB trustees would refer to each other by their title then their last names. For example “Trustee Lombardi,” “Superintendent Robinson,” “Chair” or “Chair Richardson.” The same was done at the BSB, except at times; they would call each other by their first names. It was actually funny to see this, because it reminded me of how sometimes at school, in front of students, my colleagues and I may call each other by our first names instead of our last names, forgetting formalities. The BSB went through their scheduled agenda in exactly one hour, with a break in the middle. VSB went on for nearly two hours, with no break.
Actually, there was a break during their Committee II – Planning & Facilities report. They needed time to think of how to make the requested policy change; where Vancouver Farmers Markets recommended that “Policy FNC-R-1 be replaced by the revised Policy FNC-R-1 “Community and Commercial Use of Facilities and Grounds – General Terms and Conditions” subject to enactment of the proposed amendments to the City of Vancouver “zoning and Development, Street Vending and License By-Laws” to allow liquor sampling and sales at farmers’ markets in Vancouver” (Memorandum VSB, 2015).
Basically, the City of Vancouver had recently approved Farmers Markets to sell and provide samples of local liquor at the markets. Some are stationed on school grounds, and the original school board policy states that “Consumption of craft made spirits, beer and wine is not permitted on School District property and must occur off-site.” The trustees needed some time to find the proper words to add something along the lines that purchases of these items could not be consumed but samples could be.
Another report gave the official announcement that a new elementary school had been approved and contracted for immediate construction. $17.06 million in funding was approved by the BC Ministry of Education. Except, an additional $1.6 million would be borrowed and repaid to the board’s operating fund over 15 years. The thing is, soon after, the district’s audit report was released and 19 schools need to be shut down. It is evident that communities are changing drastically.
The VSB finally discussed the District Staff Pay Parking – Implementation at the near end. This is where things got a bit tenser. At this point, a trustee, made a withdrawal of vote for this decision, he continued to express the concerns he gathered from various school staff. He had taken the time to visit schools and get inputs. The frustrating part, is when another trustee responded with, “If teachers don’t want to pay, they can think of another way to cover the costs.” Then yet another trustee brought up her concern, that she had to pay for parking to be at the meeting. It was frustrating hearing them talk, one by one, without any progress to the matter. Questions from the public were submitted and instead of addressing them, the Chair decided to address these questions at their next meeting on June 29, 2015, which is also the day they need to confirm budgets for next year. My colleagues and I left the meeting feeling slightly defeated. Our “presence” seemed to be nearly ignored and not impactful at all. The trustees seemed impersonal and truly detached from the public.
From my two experiences, there is a huge difference between a big and a small school district. The political aspects are evidently higher in the Vancouver area. Burnaby’s reports were mostly celebratory and I believe it should be, especially at the end of the school year. For all the information required, the meetings went quite quickly. The number of reports that needed to be voted on was evidently reviewed ahead of time, prior to the public meeting. The greatest thing I’ve learnt, is that these meetings are centers for change and voices need to take advantage of these opportunities and speak so that they are recognized and acknowledged.
References:
“Burnaby Schools.” (2015) Website. Retrieved from http://www.sd41.bc.ca
Memorandum VSB, (2015, May 28). Inter office attachment. Vancouver School Board.
“Vancouver School Board: Board of Education.” (2015) Website. Retrieved from http://www.vsb.bc.ca
The VSB also had a school program group, called “Street2Peak,” present at the beginning of their meeting. What’s important to note is the opening to the meeting before these highlights. The Chairperson acknowledged the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Coast Salish peoples. This formality affirmed the district’s goal to make an effort and attempt to integrate the practices of the local aboriginal peoples (this is continued at all formal Vancouver school assemblies).
Similar to the presentation at the BSB, the “Street2Peak” had prepared a slide show of their adventures and emphasized their thanks towards the board for approving their program. Both school boards were attentive during the presentation; however, BSB took their time to speak with the students and asked them to reflect specific experiences. These trustees were easy going, and even made jokes. They laughed and smiled, which isn’t what I could say about the VSB trustees.
Continuing, both boards made a motion to accept the last meeting’s minutes, the superintendent and the various committees’ reports were announced, motioned, seconded, and voted on for approval. VSB also had a report from the Student Trustee, who described her experience at a youth leadership conference in Ontario. It was actually great to know that the student’s voice was considered, even though she did not vote once in the meeting. I found out then, from her report, that one of my students that I was currently teaching had been voted president of the Student Advisory Council. The positive things I find out about my students always please and surprise me.
During these reports, the VSB trustees would refer to each other by their title then their last names. For example “Trustee Lombardi,” “Superintendent Robinson,” “Chair” or “Chair Richardson.” The same was done at the BSB, except at times; they would call each other by their first names. It was actually funny to see this, because it reminded me of how sometimes at school, in front of students, my colleagues and I may call each other by our first names instead of our last names, forgetting formalities. The BSB went through their scheduled agenda in exactly one hour, with a break in the middle. VSB went on for nearly two hours, with no break.
Actually, there was a break during their Committee II – Planning & Facilities report. They needed time to think of how to make the requested policy change; where Vancouver Farmers Markets recommended that “Policy FNC-R-1 be replaced by the revised Policy FNC-R-1 “Community and Commercial Use of Facilities and Grounds – General Terms and Conditions” subject to enactment of the proposed amendments to the City of Vancouver “zoning and Development, Street Vending and License By-Laws” to allow liquor sampling and sales at farmers’ markets in Vancouver” (Memorandum VSB, 2015).
Basically, the City of Vancouver had recently approved Farmers Markets to sell and provide samples of local liquor at the markets. Some are stationed on school grounds, and the original school board policy states that “Consumption of craft made spirits, beer and wine is not permitted on School District property and must occur off-site.” The trustees needed some time to find the proper words to add something along the lines that purchases of these items could not be consumed but samples could be.
Another report gave the official announcement that a new elementary school had been approved and contracted for immediate construction. $17.06 million in funding was approved by the BC Ministry of Education. Except, an additional $1.6 million would be borrowed and repaid to the board’s operating fund over 15 years. The thing is, soon after, the district’s audit report was released and 19 schools need to be shut down. It is evident that communities are changing drastically.
The VSB finally discussed the District Staff Pay Parking – Implementation at the near end. This is where things got a bit tenser. At this point, a trustee, made a withdrawal of vote for this decision, he continued to express the concerns he gathered from various school staff. He had taken the time to visit schools and get inputs. The frustrating part, is when another trustee responded with, “If teachers don’t want to pay, they can think of another way to cover the costs.” Then yet another trustee brought up her concern, that she had to pay for parking to be at the meeting. It was frustrating hearing them talk, one by one, without any progress to the matter. Questions from the public were submitted and instead of addressing them, the Chair decided to address these questions at their next meeting on June 29, 2015, which is also the day they need to confirm budgets for next year. My colleagues and I left the meeting feeling slightly defeated. Our “presence” seemed to be nearly ignored and not impactful at all. The trustees seemed impersonal and truly detached from the public.
From my two experiences, there is a huge difference between a big and a small school district. The political aspects are evidently higher in the Vancouver area. Burnaby’s reports were mostly celebratory and I believe it should be, especially at the end of the school year. For all the information required, the meetings went quite quickly. The number of reports that needed to be voted on was evidently reviewed ahead of time, prior to the public meeting. The greatest thing I’ve learnt, is that these meetings are centers for change and voices need to take advantage of these opportunities and speak so that they are recognized and acknowledged.
References:
“Burnaby Schools.” (2015) Website. Retrieved from http://www.sd41.bc.ca
Memorandum VSB, (2015, May 28). Inter office attachment. Vancouver School Board.
“Vancouver School Board: Board of Education.” (2015) Website. Retrieved from http://www.vsb.bc.ca