Answers to a Parent Advisory Council

1. ISP is a specialized program at Abbotsford Senior Secondary serving students with significant support needs, and parents and staff have raised concerns that current staffing levels are not sufficient for the program to operate as intended. If elected, what specific steps would you take—within your authority as a trustee—to determine whether the current level of support is adequate, and, if it is not, to advocate for restoring the resources needed for ISP to operate at full strength?

I am definitely interested in providing district funding for ISP. Students have different needs, and the district should maintain a range of options to meet those needs. This aligns with the Board’s priority of individualized education and ensuring students have the supports they need to succeed.

As a trustee, I want to hear from staff and students about how the program is currently operating and review the program’s outcomes and staffing needs. If the evidence shows additional resources are needed, I would advocate for the Board to support those resources, while recognizing that funding decisions must be made by the Board as a whole.

2. Over the last 8 years, Abbotsford’s International Baccaulaureate district program has been limited by catchment boundaries and has seen changes to its Pre-IB programming, nearly dismantling the program. What is your view on district-wide access to IB, and how would you support students across Abbotsford who want to pursue the program, including the preperatory course work in Grade 9 and 10 years?

Programs such as IB are an important part of our commitment to individualized learning. I like to see student access to opportunities that match their interests, abilities and goals. For students seeking a well rounded, academicly rigorous program that is recognized broadly by post secondary institutions, IB is an excellent program.

I am very interested in keeping a robust IB Programme in the district, including a district-wide designation of Grade 9 and 10 pre-IB. I am open to expansion of the program and exploring temporary space options and making IB capacity part of the district’s long-range facilities planning. Some districts in BC have higher IB participation rates and I would like to explore how they have acheived this.

Any changes would need to be carefully evaluated alongside enrollment, staffing, space and financial considerations, but I believe we should be looking for ways to provide more broad district-wide access to this internationally-recognized opportunity.