12 ~- Wednesday, November 6, 1996 - North Shore News

A valuable income source or
a drain on school resources?

OTH North Shore public school districts have

fec-paying foreign students programs. In 1994-

1995, West Vancouver District 45 took in 163
foreign students who paid $1.8 million in fees. The
debt-ridden North Vancouver School District 44 start-
ed its own fee-paying forcign student program this year.
Tt costs a foreign student with a student visa $12,000 a
year to attend a North Shore public school. These fees,
in part, go to the cost of the so-called free public school
system. In reality the public school system is paid for by
taxpayers. The News lias reported that some apparent-
ly non-taxpaying, forcign parents have used a tegal
loophole in order to have their children attend free
public school.

The following responses are North Shore school trustee
candidates’ positions on the issue of foreign students as an
income source for the nwa school districts:

Marg Jessup, North Vancouver City school trustee
candidate: “I am in favor of accepting foreign students and
charging them a fee for their education. With a current reg-
istration of 17,800 students and more students cach year
asking entrance; our problem has been one of classroom
space. A program to educate foreign students would have
the merit of some cultural exchange and would be an excel-
lent source of revenue.”

Joanne Stephenson, North Vancouver City school
trustee candidate: “Forcign students have the potential to
add to the district in many ways including broadening the
knowledge and experience as well as adding a financial cle-
ment. The excellent education offered in North Vancouver
commands a reasonable price on the international market.
Raising funds by promoting this strategy is commendable if
the added stress and cost to the system in adjusting, these
_students is outweighed by the financial benefits.”

Richard Gauntlett, North Vancouver City school
trustee candidate: “I believe that all possible sources of
revenue should be considered and no option should be
closed ‘without full investigation and consultation.
However, using fee paying students as a source of income
for our school district would be a last resort. 1 am con-
cerned that it might place undue pressure on staff and inad-
vertently set up a two-tiered system which would divert
resources from our main goal of providing a free public

education for the students of North Vancouver.”

Deborah Kitson, North Vancouver City schocl
trustee candidate: “I believe that having foreign students
in our school district can be beneficial to both the student
and our community. The actual cost is covered by their fees
plus the surplus dedlars can improve our overall financial sit-
uation. 1 believe we should ensure that the number of stu-
dents should be controlled to a workable level.”

Tim Morrison, North Vancouver City school trustee
candidate: “The previous school board created a deficit of
$5.4 million for our local schools. In times of fiscal crisis we
need to be creative in producing desperately needed funds.
The additional revenue acquired from tuition fees of for-
cign students is a positive venture so long as the moncy is
spent directly on the improvement of our schools and to
provide more resources, such as computers, for our stu-
dents. Furthermore, our
children's education also
benefits from the direct
cultural interaction with
other students from
around the world.”

Ted Archibald,
North Vancouver City
school trustee candi-
date: “A number of dis-
tricts have an aggressive
policy of recruiting for-
eign students as an income source. 1 think this is a logical
area to create additional income from the board, brit there
must be assurances that the best interests of the student are
paramount and that they are not placed in a situation where
they become targets for exploitation.”

Chris Dorais, North Vancouver City schoo! trustec
candidate: “Foreign students should not be looked at as an
income source for our schoo! district. | am not against for-
eign students attending our schools and paying a fee in
doing, that; however, if foreign students are looked and
relied upon as an income source, our educational system
would become a marketable service and this is nor what
educating the students is all about, nor would it be to their
benefit.” :

Ed Barnes, North Vancouver District school trustee
candidate: “I believe that a real effort should be made to
encourage foreign students to attend school in the district.
We are a cosmopolitan society and need, the type of social
interaction offered by this type of program. Fees should be
on a realistic basis. The program should be at least self-

November 16

w

funding, Fees should be set on the basis that the district will
ears money from such a program, The district could con: ;
sider accommodation and monitoring as well as providing :
any extra assistance needed by such students and (in this:
regard) contemplate the infusion fands into the district that
could be used on much-needed things.”
Alfredo Sepulveda, North Vancouver
trustee: “YT support the admission of foreign students as,a
source of income for the school district. By February, 55:
students will have joined our schools for a gross income of
$660,000. The district is a real winner, We must put: in’
place a policy to ensure that our students are not affected in
any way. mo
There is a concern that some foreign students have taken
advantage of loopholes in the Family Relations Act to ci
cumvent the system and avoid paying. the corresponding:
fees to the school district, As a trustee I will give.
this matter high priority.” ;
Martha Lewis, North Vancouver District
school trustee; “We have to look at every: ide
for increasing ‘our income. The . {nrernational:
Student Program for children over 16° wi
English language proficiency is already in plac
and is contributing to our income.
It is vital that the program be carefully monitore
to ensure that certain criteria are met, for.exam
ple, that resident students are not compromised:
in any way and that we avoid the problem hap-;
pening elsewhere where parents/guardians of a small group:
of foreign students are abusing the system to avoid paying:
fees. This steals resources from legitimate students 'and cre

_ ates a strain on race relations by unfairly making. all forei:

students appear suspect.” :
Doug MacKay-Dunn, North Vancouver. Dis
school trustee candidate: “This program has:‘obvio
financial and cultural benefits for our school district,-o
community and our children, and I support it in principle
I caution that even though that it can’ be argued 't
since these foreign students are fluent in. English and ar
very dedicated, they will not overly, burden. their teachers
There is a risk that short-sighted ‘individuals will. sec’this
and similar programs,.as the “Quick. (financial) Fix?
force our children to pay the.additional price of more: ov:

‘crowded classrooms, stressed facilities and reduced: opp

tunities for instructional assistance.” | Ce ng
Barb. MacLellan, .North Vancouver. District ‘school;

See more page £2

District school.’

f BELL-LOWTHER

Residence:
:Dundarave

H Age: 49

f Occupation:
Manage of Social
§ Planning Dept. of
a North Van District

Key issue:
EB Our school system
and the services it
delivers need to be
more accountable
and responsive to
| students and par-
ents who are the .
customers and
shareholders.
Students and par-
a ents should have
4 an opportunity to
provide feedback

@ on the quality of

4 programs provided
2 and input into
policies on how
our schools are
] operated.

By moving to
B more school-based
A decision making
which includes all
partners in key
‘decisions, we will

& create schools and
p. classrooms which

respect, excite and
“challenge students
j to achieve their
best. This will also
enable students to
acquire essential
skills.

CLIVE
BIRD+

Residence:

North Vancouver
Age: 51
Occupation:
Lawyer

Key issue:

Akey issue for
school trustees is
the independence
of school districts
and their survival
as a viable form of
local government.
Cash-strapped '
provincial govern-
ments across
Canada, in seeking
to cope with dwin-

‘dling revenues and

massive deficits
are taking a hard
look at amalgama-
tion, and in some
cases even elimi-
nation of local
schoo! districts. |
believe this
approach is a huge
mistake. The most
effective and effi-
cient form of gov-
emment or the
public school sys-
tem, which
trustees should
vigorously defend,
continues to be
locally elected
school boards with
trustees account-
able to taxpayers
and citizens.

KRISTI
CAVE

Residence:
North Vancouver
Age: 18
Occupation:
College student

Key issue: Bring a
fresh new attitude
to the board that
understands and
can relate with
youth issues.
Continue the
opposition to the
provincial govern-
ment download-
ing their debt on
taxpayers. Ensure
teachers are
equipped to pre-
pare students for
post graduate life,
using new tech-
nology, career
preparation cours-
es and familiariza-
tion with comput-
ers. Increase
opportunities for
the communily to
use publicly
owned school
facilities during
non-school hours.
Encourage all par-
ties affected to put
their input in on
decisions.

JEAN
FERGUSON+

Residence: West ~
Vancouver

Age: 52
Occupation:
Founding director
of B.C, Public
Schools
Employers
Association

Key issue:
Enhanced stu-
dent/parent satis-
faction through
shared decision
making. .
Coordinated plan-
ning with munici-
pal council.
Continued
respectful labor
relations with
staff. Exploring
options for con-
tinued partner-
ships in West
Vancouver
schools with both
private ad public
dies,

KEN’
HAYCOCK+
Residence:

West Vancouver
Age: 48
Occupation:

University admin-
istrator

Key issue:

The West
Vancouver schoo!
board needs to
maintain the tight
academic and fis-
cat control it has
exercised during
the past three
years. It also needs
to ensure that par-
ents and the com-
munity are better
represented in
decision-making,
that technology is
used to improve
student learning,
not as a frill, that
programs and
facilities are coor-
dinated and shared
with the munici-
pality and duplica-
tion of services
avoided, and that
our heritage as
British Columbians
and Canadians is
reflected in school.
The commitment
to quality must
continue with
each child chal-
lenged, each
school improving.

KEEN

Residence:
West Vancouver
Age: 72
Occupation:
Engineer

Key issue:
Utilization of our
facilities and
resources for the
benefit of our
community and
our province.

MICHAEL. |:
MacDOUGALL+

Residence:

West Vancouver
Age: 54 —
Occupation:
Director with the
accuunting firm of
Price Waterhouse

Key issue:
Future govern-
ment funding for-
mulas: the board
has had to man-
age increasing
student enrol-
ments with
decreasing bud-
gets over the past
seven years.
Province-wide
bargaining: the
board has one of
the best collective
agreements in the
province and
excelient labor
relations with its
teachers, costs
could rise dramat-
ically.
Community
use of schools:
the schools are
currently being
well used by
numerous com-
munity groups,
still more needs
can be addressed.
Cost sharing of
services: the need
to reduce cost
duplication.

POND

Residence:
British Properties
Age: N/A
Occupation:

-Realtor

Key issue:

West Vancouver
School District 45
has always placed
a big emphasis on
shared decision
making which is
school-based and
involves input
from parents, stu-
dents, teachers,
staff administrators
and the communi-
ty. | would like to
work towards
making this
process an inclu-
sive one where
newcomers are
encouraged more
and mote to par-
ticipate actively in
the process. The
established stu-
dents of the com-
munily and the
incoming students
must have an even
playing field
which allows all
students equal
opportunity. The
school environ-
ment must be non-
threatening, safe
and conducive te
learning,

DAVID |
STEVENSON

Residence:

West Vancouver
Age: 41
Occupation:
Manager of clini-
cal services

. Key, issue:

To ensure that
school administra-
tion and teachers -
provide quality
education to each,
individual student.
To maintain effec-
tive labor relations
in the district..To
increase communi-
ty participation in
our schools. To
raise the standard
of student perfor-
mance. To equip
stuclents to meet or
exceed the expec-
lations of today’s
job market and
post secondary
education. To set
meaningful bench.
marks for student,
staff ancl board per
formance. To build
each student's skills
congruent with
today’s technology.
Manage schools by
transferring fo stu-
dentparent and
community coun-
cils responsibility
for site-based man-
agement.

News for”
information
on West |
Vancouver
council candi
dates Nov. 8
North
Vancouver
City council
Nov. 10 and
North
Vancouver
District coun
cil Nov.:13. |

Be a part of
the process. |.
Vote on Nov.
16.

+ = Incumben