Dear Parents,

It’s time to make our votes count. The most meaningful levels of government to our daily lives are our local governments (city councillors and school trustees) and yet, we usually have to work the hardest to become educated voters about local politics due to inadequate media coverage. This posting is an effort to distill the information so that we can make an informed choice on Election Day, November 19, 2011.

On Wednesday, November 9th, there will be an all-candidates debate for the school trustees brought to you by the North Vancouver PAC (District PAC). An all-candidates debate is an excellent forum to learn more about the candidates and is open the public.

ALL-CANDIDATES DEBATE (School Trustees)
Wednesday, November 9th
7 pm at Sutherland Secondary School

Trustees have an active and important role in setting direction for our schools. Over this last term Trustees have dealt with $10 million in district budget cuts, closed schools, renovated schools, re-organized special programs and set in place a new strategic plan for the School District. This is your chance to meet and ask questions of the candidates that could be deciding the direction of the school district for the next three years.

Please click here to visit the Advocacy Ross Road section of the PAC website, where you will find much more information on:

• The NVPAC All-candidates school trustees debate (November 9th, Sutherland Secondary School)
• The role of the Board of Education
• Candidate Nominations (school trustees)
• Other resources

Thank you,
Janice Sardari
Advocacy Ross Road

In response to the open letter from the North Vancouver Teachers’ Association to parents that was sent home with every student in January 2011, a group of parents (Advocacy Ross Road) has decided to take action in support of the teachers’ concerns (please click here for a copy of the open letter).

The PAC Executive is most supportive of these efforts and has provided space on the PAC website for this project.

Click on any of the following links to find out more:

• Information about the upcoming Local Government Elections
• Background info about Advocacy Ross Road and its petition
• Petition Information – Petition wording
• Sample letters/emails – you could use to send to MLAs and other key players
• Suggested phone dialogue – if you would rather phone than write
• Contact List – key people and organizations to contact (ex. MLAs, Trustees, Superintendents, etc.)
• Additional resources – if you are interested in learning more
• NEW: NVTA/WVTA letters to parents regarding provincial underfunding (November 2011). Click here to view.

We would appreciate input and insight from all concerned parents and citizens. Please feel free to email advocacyrossroad@gmail.com.

Thank you,
Advocacy Ross Road co-chairs,
Colette Anderson, Lene Burgmann and Janice Sardari.