My name is David Reid. I am married and have a twelve year old son. Over the past three years I have enjoyed representing Area D as a School Trustee. In my first term I was voted onto the Provincial Education Committee by the Trustees of our Kootenay Boundary branch and participated in the Provincial Council as an alternate. During my first term, the school district went through a teacher’s strike, hiring a Superintendent and a Director of Instruction, a major shuffle of Principal placements, which brought the four school model in the West, explored a middle school model district wide, and another teacher’s strike.
Some definite issues the Board will have to work on this term are repairing teacher relationships that were damaged at the Provincial and local level. I know this will be achievable as we all share the same goal of what is best for students. I have a son in the system and see firsthand what a tremendous job our teachers do in the District.
With the enrollment level where it’s at, it’s inevitable that we look at the issue of grouping kids together once again. This will probably come in the form of three grade blends in some of our schools over the next couple of years. To be successful, we need to make sure the schools can accommodate this, and have the tools they need in place.
It is impossible to know what will happen over the next four years but I have the proven experience of the last term to show that I have what it takes to navigate as part of a Board, whatever may come to that level. If I am voted in, I will continue to say and do the right thing for our students, even when it’s not necessarily popular, or in my own best interests.