Every week, we'll send you an update on what happened at City Hall and School Board in the last seven days. Hear directly from OneCity Councillor Lucy Maloney, OneCity School Board Trustee Jennifer Reddy, and OneCity Park Board Candidates on the goings on in City government.
City Council Update:
Lucy is taking this week's update off to enjoy some soccer. She'll be back next week with City Hall Updates.
School Board Update: Jennifer's year-end round-up
As we look back on our eighth year at the school board table, this year brought many issues to light: the need for predictable and ongoing funds to run key programs and services throughout the city, the need to protect school lands, and the critical pattern of increasingly excluding public voice in school board decision-making processes.
OneCity continues to focus on schools as the heart of our neighbourhoods. When kids can walk and roll to a school in their neighbourhood that meets all of their learning and developmental needs, we are planning well for current and future generations; we are planning for a city that is welcoming residents to stay, affordable, climate resilient, and with thriving public services supported by a respected workforce that wants to stay.
In just the 2035-2026 school year, I shined a light on the exclusion of public voice in board decision-making that has and continues to negatively impact funding for programs and services throughout the city. Parents and members of the public are consistently turned away from speaking to elected trustees thanks to former ABC/Van Lib Council hopeful, Victoria Jung.
Again, we have successfully put childcare back on the table, asking for the board to take initiative in delivering childcare including before and after school care by leveraging existing infrastructure of over 100 school sites across the district and existing, qualified VSB staff. Our slate of OneCity School Board Trustees will champion this work and demand urgent action on the growing childcare crises.
We continued to see the ABC/Greens vote in favour of leasing out school sites for 99 years to private entities. Practically, this policy has resulted in the removal of Fleming Elementary’s basketball courts and approval of the permanent closure of the long-neglected Carleton Elementary at Joyce and Kingsway. This reckless decision-making will have long-term impacts on future communities and we will need to continue to fight to keep school lands in public hands.
Please read and share the latest press release from Vancouver Elementary and Adult Educators Society that clearly outlines the flawed decision-making that plagued the VSB’s budgeting and staffing process by forecasting low enrolment, shifting inclusive education funds to principals, and cutting critical services before students are in the classroom. We continue to stand against budget cuts, especially considering that we see lower graduation rates for students who are already marginalized.
This will be my final School Board update of this school year. Please get in touch if you have any questions or feedback, my line's always open.
In solidarity,
Jennifer Reddy, OneCity School Board Trustee
Park Board Update:
There's no news from the Park Board this week! Check back next week for an update on latest meetings and outcomes.
