I have been a child protection social worker for 20 years, being promoted to supervisor in 2020. I have strong experience collaborating with multiple government ministries and provincial unions.
I’m a single parent to two wonderful children, aged 12 and 15. I have been active in my children’s school PACs for the last 10 years, chairing both the Westview PAC and District PAC since 2017.
I’m on many community committees, including the Early Years Planning Table, qathet Community Justice Committee, Family Safety Committee, and recently joined the Community Action Team and Poverty Reduction Task Force.
There are a number of pressing issues facing the board. Our academic achievement and graduation rates are lower than provincial average. We know our students are already struggling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and mental health supports strategically placed are vital to their well-being.
In addition, Powell River has larger social issues such as a housing crisis, addiction issues, and children and youth living in poverty. I believe schools are key support places for our students.
Our job as a board is to collaborate with community agencies, and the Tla’amin Nation, to support students so teachers and administrators can do the most important job at hand: taking care of and teaching our children.
It is also critical to remember that a lot of great work has been done and is being done by EAs, teachers, custodians, bus drivers and administrators. I’m keen to listen, learn, collaborate and be supportive of continuing that hard work while making SD47 even better.
~ Jaclyn Miller
The upcoming Powell River Board of Education school trustee by-election will be held on April 24. Polling stations at Kelly Creek Community School, Westview Elementary School and James Thomson Elementary School will be open from 8 am to 8 pm.
There will also be advanced voting on April 14 and 21 at the school board office, 4351 Ontario Avenue, also between 8 am and 8 pm.
For more information, go to sd47.bc.ca or contact chief election officer Cathy Greiner at 604.485.7744, or cathygreiner520@gmail.com.
