A former pastor and administrator, Bruce Reid was also a secondary school counsellor and teacher in Richmond, Fort Nelson, Alberta and Ontario. He was also on the executive of the Richmond Teacher’s Association for several years.
His experience as a teacher and a counsellor has helped him understand the educational system from many perspectives and he has used this experience to guide the school district over the past eight years. “I am particularly proud of the fact that we were able to keep our schools open for most of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
This time around, he will be running with fellow school board incumbent Nick Kanakos, who is also seeking re-election under the “Independents Working 4 U – Kids Matter” banner. “Serving the district as a trustee for the past eight years has been a privilege and also an opportunity to have a positive impact on education in Delta,” Reid said. “I chose to run as a trustee to help improve educational funding and the quality of education in the district. While we have seen funding improve in this province, and our district stands out as a leader in many areas, we still have a way to go to see our funding equal to that of other provinces.”
Kanakos said Reid brings a wealth of knowledge to our school board meetings.
“He has a deep understanding of the education system, which is invaluable when making decisions regarding the futures of our children,” said Kanakos. “Together we have over 60 years of teaching experience in the classroom and we would be honored to continue to serve the students and parents of Delta.”
Reid has been a resident of Delta for the past 13 years. He has seven grandchildren, three of which are students in the Delta School District. He also has a son teaching in Campbell River.
What are your election issues:
Delta is one of the best managed districts with the best student outcomes in British Columbia.
Having taught in Ontario and Alberta, I am acutely aware that the Delta tradition of high achievement that has been established by past boards has made it possible for future boards to continue providing outstanding educational opportunities for our students. However, there are still areas where advocacy for improvement is needed, as the success of our students remains our number one priority. While academic preparation for students moving on to college and university has been high, we continue to need a greater emphasis on preparation for equally important skilled trades.
While in recent years, educational funding from the province has improved, we still lag behind other provinces in funding. In fact, in Delta we also receive less per capita funding than other districts. Recruitment and retention of staff is also an issue which requires constant attention. Especially certain teaching areas have been difficult to fill.
The Delta School District also has a history of working well with all stakeholder groups, including our indigenous community, and this has resulted in a cooperative atmosphere which exists throughout the district.
A new reality that has come out of the COVID pandemic is that maintaining healthy physical school environments has become more expensive. It would be ideal to hire more janitorial staff to maintain the standards that were established during the pandemic.
Our inclusive learning model is well-established and requires constant monitoring to ensure that all students receive the best education possible.
Because of the stress, which is prevalent in our culture, staff wellness is also a major concern. As an employer, we need to continually be seeking to promote mental health support.
In conclusion, the main issue is continuation of the good work that former boards have started.
