In Canada, education is a provincial responsibility. Under the School Act of British Columbia, each school district is required to have a Board of Education, which takes on much of the responsibility for the operation of public schools.
The Board of Education is elected locally and assumes the responsibility for governing the education system in a progressive and educationally sound manner. The Board is fully accountable to you, the public.
Our current Board of Education is composed of five trustees who were elected on November 20, 2018.
West Vancouver Board of Education:
Carolyn Broady
Lynne Block
Nicole Brown
Felicia Zhu
Dave Stevenson
School District Governance
The Board’s main responsibility is to set policies for the school district. Clear, well-defined policies in all areas of school district operations are the means by which the Board gives the necessary direction to its staff — the administrators, teachers and support staff who are responsible for the operation of the school system. Trustees also oversee the school district’s operating and capital budgets and monitor the operation of education programs.
Boards of education are also responsible for a broader mandate that includes early learning and adult literacy, and the reality that education extends beyond school walls.
Public Board Meetings
At its first meeting in December of each year, the Board elects the Chair and Vice-Chair. Public Board meetings are held once a month, normally on the third Tuesday of the month. There are two question and comment periods at each regular Board meeting. You may view the schedule for the current school year online. Community members are welcome to attend public meetings.
At Board meetings, school trustees debate and vote to determine a majority decision on educational issues. In order to make well-informed decisions at meetings, the Board encourages community input in a variety of ways. Ad hoc committees may be struck to consider specific issues in more detail than is possible in the course of a regular meeting. Decisions and recommendations made in Committee are presented at a regular meeting for discussion and adoption. Over the course of the school year, trustees meet with interested members of each stakeholder group, including parents, students, teachers, administrators and support staff, in order to hear their points of view directly from them. In addition, the Board encourages community members to provide their input on topics of interest. An online feedback form allows any interested group or individual communicate their views, or to give feedback to trustees on an issue before it is approved by the Board.
Board meeting agendas and minutes are available online, the agenda normally being available on the Friday preceding the meeting.
