North Vancouver School District
the natural place to learn©
Correspondence & Advocacy

​​The Board of Education and its educational partners correspond and meet with key educational leaders and municipal and provincial ministries and authorities to raise awareness about policies and decisions that impact students and learning.  In partnership, they advocate for a first-class public education system for all students and our local communities.


September 24, 2020

​Subject: Request to Postpone Foundation Skills Assessments

NVSD to Ministry re Postponing Foundation Skills Assessments (FSA’s)


January 16, 2019

​Subject: Joint Advocacy to Eleanor Liddy, Executive Director, Student Information Systems, expressing ongoing concerns with MyEducation BC.

NVSD to E Liddy re: MyEd BC


January 18, 2018

Subject: Youth Mental Health.  The Board acknowledges the continued work and partnership that the ministries provide to schools within the province surrounding the importance of youth mental health issues. The North Vancouver Board of Education is proud to encourage ministries to continue their good work in creating a greater continuum of support systems within and across schools, while achieving success with Foundry North Shore.

NVSD to Ministry re: Youth Mental Health


April 18, 2017

Subject: Provincial Election 2017 – Public Education is the Key. Throughout the 2017 provincial election, the North Vancouver Board of Education urges all residents to consider that Public Education is the Key to an equitable and democratic society. The Board of Education requests that members of the community vote – and keep the importance of public education in mind while doing so. 

Provincial Election 2017 - Letter from the North Vancouver Board of Education to the community of North Vancouver 


September 8, 2016

Subject: Traffic calming in the Capilano-Edgemont area. The Board supports and encourages consideration of permanently maintaining traffic calming measures that were put in place temporarily during the Capilano Water Main Project work.

Letter to the District of North Vancouver - traffic calming in Capilano-Edgemont


June 17, 2016

Subject: Support for a new museum in North Vancouver

North Vancouver Museum and Archives endorsement


February 26, 2016
​Subject: Joint Advocacy to Eleanor Liddy, Executive Director, Student Information Systems, expressing concerns about ongoing performance issues with the MyEducation BC Student Information System
Ongoing Performance Issues With MyEducation BC
​February 10, 2016
​Subject: A letter from Christie Sacré, Chair, Board of Education, Tsnomot Brad Baker, District Principal, Aboriginal Education, and John Lewis, Superintendent of Schools, to the North Vancouver community in support of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee's Calls to Action for Education
​Answering the Calls - An Open Letter to the Community of North Vancouver
January 29, 2016

​Subject: A letter from Christie Sacré, Chair, Board of Education, to the Honourable Mike Bernier, Minister of Education, requesting a meeting to discuss options for funding the full replacement of Handsworth Secondary School

​Letter to Education Minister Bernier - Options for Funding Full Replacement of Handsworth Secondary School
​December 17, 2015
​Subject: Joint Advocacy to the Honourable Mike Bernier, Minister of Education, expressing concern for the impact of the School Calendar change on vulnerable families and the need for inter-Ministerial communication.
​Letter to Education Minister Bernier - School Calendar Regulation Changes
​October 29, 2015
​Subject: A letter from Cyndi Gerlach, Chair, Board of Education, to Lesley Ballman, Regional Director, Capital Planning, Ministry of Education, in response to the Ministry's letter of request on August 11, 2015 for an update on surplus properties in the North Vancouver School District with respect to the Provincial Release of Assets for Economic Generation (RAEG) Program
Letter of Reply to the Ministry - Update on Surplus Properties in the North Vancouver School District
​June 5, 2015
Subject: Joint Advocacy to the Honourable Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education, ​with the submission of the 2015/2016 Needs and Opportunity Budget to preserve current services, restore services eroded by past budgets, and address unmet needs.
Letter to Education Minister Fassbender - Submission of 2015/2016 Needs and Opportunity Budget
​April 24, 2015
​Subject: A letter from Cyndi Gerlach, Chair, Board of Education, to the Honourable Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education, in support of the BC School Trustees Association's request for an immediate review of the intent of Bill 11 legislation, and the removal or amendment of all sections in Bill 11 that reduce the autonomy of local school boards.
​Letter to Education Minister Fassbender - Bill 11 and Local Boards of Education  
​April 20, 2015
​Subject: Joint Advocacy to the Honourable Mike de Jong, Minister of Finance and Government House Leader, and the Honourable Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education, advocating for adequate funding for public education in the 2015/16 Provincial Budget.
Letter to Finance Minister de Jong and Education Minister Fassbender - Provincial Budget and Operating Grant
​April 16, 2015
​Subject: A letter from Cyndi Gerlach, Chair, Board of Education, to the Honourable Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education, with a request to the Ministry to provide a one-time equity emergency preparedness grant to all Parent Advisory Councils
Letter to Education Minister Fassbender - Emergency Preparedness Grant for Parent Advisory Councils
​February 2, 2015
​Subject: A letter from Barry Forward, Chair, Board of Education, to the Honourable Mike de Jong, Minister of Finance and Government House Leader, with the Board's request to accept and implement specific recommendations from the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services' Report on the Budget 2015 Consultations - Education
Letter to Finance Minister de Jong - Findings and Recommendations of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services
​January 27, 2015
​Subject: Follow-up letter from Barry Forward, Chair, Board of Education, to the Minister of Education regarding a letter sent on September 9, 2014 in which the Board requested to meet with the Minister and Ministry staff to discuss the conversion of the Argyle Secondary School seismic project to a full replacement school 
​Letter to Education Minister Fassbender - Argyle Secondary School
​September 19, 2014
​Subject: A letter from Franci Stratton, Chair, Board of Education, to the Minister of Education, President of the British Columbia Teachers' Federation and the Public Administrator of the British Columbia School Employers' Association expressing the Board of Education's appreciation for a negotiated end to the labour dispute
Letter to Education Minister Fassbender, BCTF President Jim Iker, and BCPSEA Public Administrator Michael Marchbank
​September 9, 2014
​Subject: As we enter the second week of the school year with classrooms still closed, the BC School Trustees Association is extremely concerned about the impact the continuing strike is having on students, staff, parents, and BC's public education system overall.
BC School Trustee Association's Advocacy Update
​September 9, 2014
​Subject: A request from the Board of Education to meet with Education Minister Peter Fassbender to address any concerns related to the Argyle Secondary School Replacement Project.
Letter to Education Minister Peter Fassbender
​August 29, 2014
​Subject: An open letter to the community from the North Vancouver Board of Education regarding the labour dispute between the British Columbia Public School Employers' Association and the British Columbia Teachers' Federation.
​An open letter to the community from the North Vancouver Board of Education
​August 26, 2014
​Subject: A letter from Franci Stratton, Chair, Board of Education, to Layne Christensen, Editor of the North Shore News, providing clarification on points made by Trustee Skinner in her earlier letter to the North Shore News about land sales, debt repayment, and financing the rebuilding of schools.
Letter to North Shore News - Land Sales and Rebuilding Argyle Secondary School
​July 31, 2014
​Subject: The BC School Trustees Association (BCSTA) advocates for finding a balance between the bargaining objectives of the BC Teachers' Federation and the economic mandate established by the provincial government. With a goal of having all BC public school students start their 2014/15 school year on time, the BCSTA has launched its
BC School Trustees Association's Back to School Action Plan
​June 24, 2014
​Subject: North Vancouver Board of Education urges both parties to reach a negotiated agreement or mediated settlement as soon as possible
Letter to Education Minister Peter Fassbender, BCTF President Jim Iker, and BCPSEA Public Administrator Michael Marchbank
​June 12, 2014
​Subject: Capital Project and Seismic Funding - Letter from Franci Stratton, Chair of the Board of Education, regarding the BC Government's funding changes
Letter to Finance Minister Michael de Jong
​June 9, 2014
​Subject: Request for assurances from negotiating parties in the current labour dispute regarding transcripts and summer school
Letter to BCSTA President Teresa Rezansoff
​June 5, 2014
​Subject: Joint letter of response from the Board of Education and the Corporation of the District of North Vancouver to Education Minister Fassbender's letter of March 13, 2014. Letter addresses Ministry conditions related to the Argyle Secondary School Replacement Project
Joint Letter of response from Board of Education and Corporation of the District of North Vancouver
​December 5, 2013      
​Subject: Argyle Secondary School Capital Project - with the Letter of Support from the District of North Vancouver; Proposed Neighbourhood Learning Centre and intended use of space: Community theatre / performing arts area; Recreation facilities; and International Student Program: support and expansion      
Letter to Education Minister Peter Fassbender
​December 5, 2013      
​Subject: Argyle Secondary School Capital Project - School Replacement - Letter of Support from the District of North Vancouver
Letter to Education Minister Peter Fassbender
​October 1, 2013
​Subject: Argyle Secondary School Capital Project - Request for Full Replacement
Letter to Education Minister Peter Fassbender
​November 21, 2013
Letter of Response from Education Minister Peter Fassbender
​September 3, 2013
​Subject: Welcome to the 2013/14 School Year
Letter to parents/guardians from Franci Stratton, Chair of the Board of Education, and John Lewis, Superintendent of Schools
​June 28, 2013
​Subject: Annual Precipitation and Covered Play Areas
Letter of joint advocacy to Education Minister Peter Fassbender
​July 15, 2013
Letter of response from Doug Stewart, A/Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education
​December 20, 2012
​Subject: Designation of Space at the HOpe Centre for Mental Health
Letter of joint advocacy to Wendy Hannson, Chief Operating Officer, Vancouver Coastal Health
​June 26, 2013

Letter of response from Wendy Hannson, Chief Operating Officer, Coastal Community of Care, VCH

December 20, 2012
Subject: Argyle Secondary School Capital Project
Letter of joint advocacy to Education Minister Don McRae

January 6, 2012
Subject: Provincial Seismic Mitigation Program and Emergency Management BC
Letter of joint advocacy to Education Minister George Abbott
February 9, 2012
Letter of response from Education Minister George Abbott

October 7, 2011
Subject: Joint Submission on 2012 Budget
Letter of joint advocacy to Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services

June 8, 2011
Subject: SD44 and SD45 Request to Apply Common Funding Formula for all Secondary Courses
Letter of joint advocacy to Education Minister George Abbott

April 11, 2011
Subject: Message of Congratulations on Recent Appointment as Minister of Advanced Education
Letter to the Honourable Naomi Yamamoto, MLA

 

April 11, 2011
Subject: Message of Congratulation on Recent Re-appointment as Minister of Education
Letter to Education Minister George Abbott

November 12, 2010
Subject: Report on the Budget 2011 Consultations: Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services
Report to Legislative Assembly, Province of British Columbia 

October 8, 2010
Subject: Joint Submission on Budget Consultations
Letter of joint advocacy to Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services

June 30, 2010
Subject: Submission of 2010/11 Needs and Opportunity Budget
Letter of joint advocacy to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid

April 9, 2010
Subject: Request from Board of Education to Meet with Minister of Education
Letter from Board Chair to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid
June 23, 2010
Letter from Board Chair to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid acknowledging and thanking her for meeting with Board Chair, Superintendent, and Secretary Treasurer on June 11, 2010

October 22, 2009
Subject: Concerns about the Agreement for the Use of SMARTTool and Related Services
Letter from Board Chair to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid
January 8, 2010
Letter from Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid referring response about the agreement for the use of SMARTTool and related Services
March 11, 2010
Letter of response from Honourable John Yap, Minister of State for Climate Action
March 23, 2010
Letter from Board Chair to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid regarding use of SMARTTool and suggested alternatives for elimination of chargeback

September 21, 2009
Subject: Cancellation of the 2009/10 Annual Facilities Grant
Letter of joint advocacy to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid
January 20, 2010
Letter of response from Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid

June 19, 2009
Subject: Funding Concerns and Submission of 2009/10 Opportunity Budget
Letter of joint advocacy to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid

June 15, 2009
Subject: Foundation Skills Assessment
Letter of joint advocacy to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid 

January 20, 2009
Subject: Foundation Skills Assessment - Addressing the Controversy
Letter to Education Minister Shirley Bond

October 24, 2008
Subject: Submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services' Budget Consultations
Letter of joint advocacy to the Office of the Clerk of Committees

December 21, 2007
Subject: Capital Funding for Keith Lynn Alternate School
Letter to Education Minister Shirley Bond 

October 30, 2007
Subject: Major Funding Formula Change - Mid-Year
Letter to Education Minister Shirley Bond

February 20, 2007
Subject: GST Exemption for School Districts
Letter to Honourable Don Bell, MP

January 22, 2007
Subject: Financial Support for Early Learning Foundations Program
Letter to Education Minister Shirley Bond

November 2, 2006
Subject: Importance of Annual Facilities Grants to School Districts
Letter to Education Minister Shirley Bond