A community volunteer from Pitt Meadows and a parent of a child with challenges, has thrown his hat into the ring for school board trustee.
David Isaac is the parent of a 16-year-old daughter currently in the school system.
As a parent of a child with challenges, he said he is well aware of the frustrations of trying to get children the support they need to succeed.
If he is voted in, one of the most important issues he would like to deal with is the aftermath of disrupted learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need, he says, to plan ahead in case there are further disruptions.
He would also like to bring the different stakeholders in the school system together to have everyone on the same page.
Isaac said he has noticed people involved in the school system are at most times at odds with each other – even though everyone has the same goal, that being the success of students.
“I’m not here to change the School District, I am only one voice, one person, I simply want to be able to bring the various parties together to help achieve the goal of helping students reach their potential and succeed and meet their goals,” he said.
Isaac – who has lived in both communities of Maple Ridge or Pitt Meadows his entire life – ran for Maple Ridge school board trustee in 2014.
At the time he said he volunteered with: the Maple Ridge Lions Club; Ghost Ridge, a haunted house at Halloween that used to raise money for local community organizations; and with Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Country Fest.
Isaac said he has also been involved with the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Christmas Hamper Society and the Pitt Meadows Museum.
His mother Faye Isaac was a trustee on the school board for three terms prior to being elected to Maple Ridge city council from 1999 to 2005.
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She tackled issues like the opening of Thomas Haney Secondary School and planning for the construction of Samuel Robertson Technical School, explained Isaac. She also dealt with numerous negotiations with CUPE and the teacher’s union.
What Isaac learned from his mother’s experience is how trustees have to balance the needs of everyone who are involved in the education system with the needs of the district.
“I also learned of the need to put passion aside and make calm, rational decisions as children’s education is too fragile to trust to emotional responses,” he said.
Isaac considers himself a good listener who is fiscally responsible, and able to work with anyone to achieve their goals.
He also said he is good at bringing people with different viewpoints together to find solutions to problems.
Isaac firmly believes that being a school trustee is the most important position in the city.
“While Council and the Mayor may set policy and taxes for the city during their term, if students cannot achieve success while in school, who will be able to purchase the homes, start the new businesses and otherwise pay the taxes?” he asked.
The election is on Saturday, Oct. 15.
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