Trustees' responsibilities expand
Trail Daily Times
October 23, 2007
By: Kate Skye

Kootenay-Columbia school trustees didn't know just how much the Ministry of Education planned to expand its provincial mandate when they ran for office two years ago.

Now that the new mandate has been clarified, district superintendent Jean Borsa told trustees last week that it would be a challenge, "To keep our focus on the main thing - all students, all learning and all achievements."

Borsa presented trustees with a list of 17 areas they are now responsible for and said only four of them involve "academic and student achievement, which is the primary mandate of the school board."

New provincial legislation means local trustees are now responsible for things like:

- reaching out to all sectors in the community to develop literacy plans that support community members from birth through late adulthood

- working with community colleges to support smooth transitions for graduating student

- coordinating a Strong Start early education centre at Fruitvale Elementary

- implementing policies on healthy living and good nutrition to meet new legislative requirements

- implementing the new Tobacco Control Act

- providing tuition-free upgrading courses to graduated adults through distributed learning….

Trustee Toni Driutti said she is especially interested in the early literacy program in the district.

"As far as the mandate, I think it's a good thing," she said. "I would consider running again in order to promote the programs that we've initiated."

Long-running trustee Lorraine Manning said the expanded mandate is something that has been needed for a long time.

"I think it is super that we are looking at education from birth to death," she said. "But most of the added work is on the superintendent."

Beaver Valley trustee Janice Schmidt said it means trustees will have to put their "heads to the grind-stone," to expand their own understanding. "It's a lot of extra work, but worth it," she said.

Bev Maloff, from Castlegar said the expanded mandate is going to be good for the kids. "I'm excited about the adults getting free courses," she said. "It's a win-win situation."

Trustee Vince Morelli, who also works as an administrator for the Village of Fruitvale, said every sector is facing expanded mandates, not just education.

"The provincial government is hitting municipalities, as well as school boards," he said. "It's par for the course."