91原创 Advance Times is offering this weekly feature, called 鈥淎t Your Service.鈥
It鈥檚 another forum in which to put questions to our local politicians about key issues facing our community and its residents.
Using a basic question-and-answer format, elected officials will be asked one question at a time and given the opportunity to respond (to a maximum of 250 words) on that said issue.
Alternating between elected groups, 91原创 City and 91原创 Township councils, 91原创 school board, 91原创 MLAs, and 91原创 MPs each have a chance to participate.
The answers provided will be published in their entirety online Sundays.
MOST RECENT 鈥 AT YOUR SERVICE: 91原创 Township should consider schools for future cooling centres
QUESTION
Each school trustee was asked the same question: Is the district ready to accept more refugees in the coming school year, whether from Afghanistan, Ukraine, or elsewhere?
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ANSWERS
Board chair Rod Ross
A. 91原创 School District is ready, willing, and able to receive whatever students arrive at our door.
Our district has always risen to any challenge. Be it a financial or a facility challenge our history and heart display our districts 鈥渨hatever it takes鈥 mindset to meet the needs of our students.
When challenged with parents and students concerned about the COVID pandemic, we created within weeks an online school that was exceptional.
As the saying goes, 鈥渢he proof is in the pudding.鈥 We have in the past shown what we are made of.
I have to say I am proud of the response of our parents, educators, staff, and administration who truly have worked together for all students success.
Notwithstanding, we cannot forget the role of our unique 91原创 School District Foundation once again displays the heart of our 4,000 member team. It is a shining example of what this 鈥渨hatever it takes鈥 school district will do to ensure everyone gets across the finish line!
I am so proud of the 91原创 School District.
There is a reason that Minister of Education regularly acknowledges our excellent work. 91原创 is a great school district on its way to being a world-class education system.
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Trustee Shelley Coburn
A. There is very little space in most of our schools and there is has been no additional funding given to our district, and 鈥 in fact 鈥 budgets across the province have been cut.
With this being said the 91原创 School District has always supported and will continue to support all children and families. 91原创 has a long history of supporting refugees and their families, and this often begins in our schools.
I have seen first hand how schools become hubs for entire refugee communities. We do our best to fill the schools with the resources and people that these students will need to thrive in their new home.
Our staff goes above and beyond what is required of them 鈥 from setting up food banks during summer times and even changing what the bell sounds like at certain schools. For some child they remind them of the sounds of violence and chaos that they have fled. We provide translators and deliver correspondence to families in many different languages, providing supports for the whole family.
The issue is funding. Many refugees land in communities and then eventually make their way out from places where they cannot afford to live. Money that communities receive to support these families does not follow them into the community where they settle. This leaves the new community to provide the supports without the funding.
All I can say is that for the 91原创 School District to fully support these children and their families requires a concerted effort from the entire community and all levels of government.
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Trustee Charlie Fox
A. The 91原创 School District has always welcomed immigrants and refugees from countries throughout the world with open arms, assuming all their documentation is in order.
The important thing is, that past experience with refugee groups coming to the district has given us good experience and knowledge on what best practice can be.
Our senior staff work hand-in-hand with the government agencies involved to ensure a smooth transition in to their new country and education system.
From an operational stand-point our educational leadership team at the school Bboard office and the ELL teams in the enrolling schools, will provide excellent leadership on a face-to-face student basis.
The challenge will be knowing how many students will actually be arriving, and in which school attendance areas we can expect them.
The present enrolment figures across the Ddistrict show most, if not all, schools are full to capacity so this may become an issue that must be dealt with.
In closing, are we as a district 鈥榬eady鈥 to accept more refugees, the answer in my opinion is 鈥測es, with open arms.鈥
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Trustee Suzanne Perreault
A. This trustee failed to reply to this query, prior to deadline.
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Trustee David Tod
A. I wholeheartedly believe our district is capable of accepting refugees from around the world.
Some of our catchments are very crowded already, but we have room in certain areas.
This question would be best answered by our district leadership, as there is operational considerations.
I am one of seven trustees, but I would support a proposal to accept more refugees.
In the past, we have responded in a thorough and caring manner when called upon.
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Trustee Tony Ward
A. The quick answer is 鈥測es.鈥
Like all future enrolment, we do the best we can to anticipate growth. However, admittedly at times there may be surprises.
With respect to the possibility of the 91原创 School District receiving a significant number of students in any particular year who are refugees from countries where English is not the primary language, this clearly creates additional challenges.
English Language Learners (ELL) require additional resources to assist them in their integration in school, as well as the community at large.
Moreover, it鈥檚 important that newcomers to 91原创 feel welcomed, supported, heard, and appreciated.
By connecting refugee students with programs too, both in and out of schools where support workers can come in and speak their native languages, refugee students can be guided from the enrolment process through their school years to achieve their full potential.
Our staff continue to do an excellent job managing limited funding, facilities, and staff to ensure that the district can quickly adapt and manoeuvre in our rapidly increasing and ever dynamic educational environment.
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Trustee Marnie Wilson
A. This trustee failed to reply to this query, prior to deadline.
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UP NEXT
Next week, 91原创 MLAS are being asked: Should the province take advantage of cooling home prices to create more co-ops/affordable rentals/social housing options in 91原创?
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Watch for their answers online Sunday.
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PAST COVERAGE
AT YOUR SERVICE: City council weighs in on supervised consumption sites
AT YOUR SERVICE: 91原创 trustees applaud positives found amid pandemic
AT YOUR SERVICE: Township council weighs in on lack of industrial land
AT YOUR SERVICE: MLAs see feds as partners in SkyTrain to 91原创
AT YOUR SERVICE: Creating more housing, on all fronts, critical to stabilization: MPs
AT YOUR SERVICE: Heat wave another call to action 鈥 City council
AT YOUR SERVICE: Pools need to be part of Township-wide recreation planning
AT YOUR SERVICE: No current need for year-round schooling in 91原创, trustees agree
AT YOUR SERVICE: MLAs suggest staying the course on battling of B.C. wildfire
AT YOUR SERVICE: MPs call for borders to be safely re-opened
AT YOUR SERVICE: 91原创 City council wants to keep higher density development north of Nicomekl
AT YOUR SERVICE: Passports key to keeping B.C. businesses open, people safe during pandemic
AT YOUR SERVICE: Trustees ponder what kids are missing out on during pandemic
AT YOUR SERVICE: Education should trump rules for vaccination of health-care workers, suggest MLAs
AT YOUR SERVICE: How to handle rising housing prices
AT YOUR SERVICE: City council divided on call for indoor pool
AT YOUR SERVICE: Council ponders vaccine requirements for workers
AT YOUR SERVICE: Skyrocketing enrolment prompts intensified lobby by trustees
AT YOUR SERVICE: Political stripes aside, MLAs agree heat dome was tragic and action required
AT YOUR SERVICE: MPs agree much must be done to right wrongs for Indigenous
AT YOUR SERVICE: Is pay parking in the City a viable consideration?
AT YOUR SERVICE: Some suggest more needed to protect floodplains from development
AT YOUR SERVICE: Monitoring student transport not good use of school district resources 鈥 trustees
AT YOUR SERVICE: Liberal caucus floats all-party committee in reaction to emergencies
AT YOUR SERVICE: 91原创 MPs address issue of rising food costs
AT YOUR SERVICE: Inflation inevitably hits City taxpayers in the pocketbook
AT YOUR SERVICE: Future of Aldergrove core up for debate
AT YOUR SERVICE: Trees and more greenspace at root of climate change solutions
AT YOUR SERVICE: Inflation inevitably hits City taxpayers in the pocketbook
AT YOUR SERVICE: Councillors differ on future of SkyTrain beyond 91原创 City
AT YOUR SERVICE: Bigger schools not necessarily solution to rising land costs
AT YOUR SERVICE: High gas prices of concern for MLAs of both stripes
AT YOUR SERVICE: Empty homes can be safety concern, but not huge concern in City
AT YOUR SERVICE: Most of council content with current pothole repairs
AT YOUR SERVICE: Survey gives school district tools for staff recruitment, retention
AT YOUR SERVICE: Liberal MLAs call for overhaul to B.C.鈥檚 student funding model
AT YOUR SERVICE: Canada must continue its support of Ukraine, MPs
AT YOUR SERVICE: Best use of industrial land paramount to 91原创 City councillors
AT YOUR SERVICE: More ALR land needs to be used for farming: Most of council
AT YOUR SERVICE: Local MLAs agree more must be done to make life affordable in B.C.
AT YOUR SERVICE: Federal parties working on multiple fronts to end hate crimes
AT YOUR SERVICE: 91原创 City ponders cannabis retail policy
AT YOUR SERVICE 鈥 Most on council say parks and rec plans address future growth
AT YOUR SERVICE: School district moves forward on reconciliation efforts with Indigenous partners
AT YOUR SERVICE: MLAs agree diking upgrades needed, divided on if enough is being done
AT YOUR SERVICE: Local MPs disagree on whether 2 billion trees can be planted by 2030
AT YOUR SERVICE: In light of SkyTrain coming, 91原创 City embarks on parking study
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