Angie Delainey started off her first public meeting as chair of School District 27’s (SD 27) board of education by reviewing ground rules.
“As the new chair of the board of education I’d like to also start the meeting in a really good way,” Delainey said as she introduced a decorum statement and emphasized the importance of professional and respectful conduct during meetings.
Delainey’s leadership throughout the Nov. 25 meeting was calm and proud, with only a few natural stumbles which she attributed to first meeting “jitters.”
The meeting included a report from Supt. Cheryl Lenardon on the District Plan for Learner Success 2024-2027, which she reviewed and asked for the board’s approval before it was made public. The district’s director of education Sean Cameron presented individual school plans for learner success which need to be approved annually.
Four caregivers of students were present at the meeting, including George Hobi who requested the board include the topic of harassment, bullying, discrimination, racism, safety and health on every single board meeting agenda. Hobi is part of a group of caregivers in Williams Lake organizing against violence in their children’s schools.
“I’m here standing in front of you for the fourth or fifth time asking the same,” Hobi said.
Delainey told Hobi he could not introduce a motion as he is not a member of the board, but she recommended he turn to the trustee assigned to his region or to the Parent Advisory Council which can decide to bring it to the district through its representative.
Comments inched towards dialogue as Hobi asked how he could have the motion brought to a meeting, and Delainey reminded Hobi he could only make statements related to the agenda at public meetings.
Hobi moved to his second point, which was to ask why no trustees were present at the Nov. 18 and Nov. 19 meetings meant to be an opportunity for parents to have a conversation with school and district representatives. The meetings were held at Columneetza Junior Secondary and Lake City Secondary School, schools at which Hobi and other parents have raised concerns over bullying and violence.
While this was not an item on the agenda, Delainey responded to Hobi by saying the meetings were school-led and as such should not involve trustees.
“That’s an operational meeting, and us trustees have lives beyond being a trustee and so we get to the things we can get to,” she said, adding: “that was an operational, a school led meeting, it’s not really appropriate for all the trustees to show up to that.”
Hobi ended by saying the board was dodging his concerns and that he would be back. He also said he would be reaching out to his trustee and PAC and continue his efforts to update the board meeting agendas.
Look for stories on the District Plan for Learner Success 2024-2027 and Secretary-Treasurer Brenda Hooker’s report to the board in future editions of the Tribune online or in print.
