For Maple Ridge trustee
• Name: James Rowley.
• Residence: Maple Ridge.
• Occupation/education: ESL Instructor, Actor/puppeteer, Bachelor of Arts Degree (English Literature), UBC.
• Volunteer work: Hammond Neighbours, Scouts Canada, Maple Ridge Montessori PAC, Earth Day, Emerald Pig Theatrical Society, Maple Ridge Home Energy Retrofit Project, Ridge Meadows Recycling Society.
Question: Please provide an example of what you have done that qualifies you for school board.
Answer: I am parent of two young kids in the district. My experience includes being a founding board member of the Ubyssey Publications Society, UBC and past president of the Raymond Burr Theatre Society.
Q: Why are you running for trustee?
A:
The teachers’ labour dispute is over. We have a chance to really talk about education funding. Such challenges continue from class size and composition, to paying for new schools and retrofitting old schools. I want to address those with all the stakeholders at the table.
Q: What makes you stand out from other candidates?
A: We need a diverse board. Parents like me know it’s not just about our kids, it’s about the future of the province. I have a strong grasp of the triple bottom line: economic, social and environmental.
Q: How do you see the school district changing in the next 10 years?
A: I expect us to continue to put best practices into practice. We are leaders at this. The secondary programs, in particular, need to catch up. I strongly support the development of the strategic facilities plan now underway. Kids should be able to walk or ride to school.
Q: What will be your top priority if elected to school board?
A: I would like to set up a simple mechanism for parents, students and educators to share anecdotes of successes and struggles to be shared day by day over social media. The voting public needs to know what these ‘savings’ are costing us.