School District 85’s Board of Education met for the last time in it’s current configuration last week before elections.
Because of changes made to the electoral boundary issues by the board earlier this year, at least one new trustee was guaranteed a seat at the table for the next term.
Superintendent Scott Benwell had some warm words for the outgoing trustees from the administration.
“I couldn’t have hoped for a finer group of committed community members to spend my first three years as a Superintendent with,” said Benwell. “I’d like to express my sincere gratitude for your guidance, for your patience, and for your courage as a board to steward education and do what I consider to be the right thing on behalf of the communities and the people you serve. I think you do it admirably, and I mean that in all sincerity.”
He highlighted some of the achievements of the past three years, including putting learners centre-stage, tackling access to programs, academic gains and improvement in graduation rates and the development of partnerships with entities such as Community Futures, North Island College and the Regional District.
“You are a credit to the folks that you serve and represent,” said Benwell, “and I look forward to serving with the next board.”
Field trips
In one of it’s last acts of business the board approved a pair of field trips for Eke Mi-Xe students.
It agreed to two clam digging trips to Lemon Point in the new year.
Also agreed to was a trip to the BC Lions Skills for Life Summit, and with it a trip to the Grey Cup, Nov. 30.
“They get to go to the Grey Cup game and have some learning associated with it,” said the Superintendent. “All districts get it; it might not be as important to West Van(couver) as it is to us but I think it’s a fabulous opportunity.”