school

AT its Jan. 11 meeting,
the West Vancouver
school board announced
a six-month trial of new
procedures to enable a
broader range of com-
munity input on key
issues,

“irst, the board will distrib-
ute its information package
one week prior to its public
meeting. This early distibu-
ion will enable any agenda-
related questions from stake-
holders to be forwarded to
staff or trustees in advance,
eliminating the need for nwo
separate question periods.

Second, the board has com-
mitted to having its monthly
public meeting question period
at a set time, 8:30 p.m. This
consistency will allow commu-
nicy members to know preci:
ly when question period is,

rather than having to wait for
other beard business to be
completed. [t also assures resi-
dents of Bowen Island that
they will be able to attend
Question period and still make
the fast ferry home.

A third change to broaden
community input is the evolu-
don of the role and structure
of othe School District

Committee

the form of a senes of stake
holder liaison meetings and a
number of community forums
per vear. The board fias invited
ats Key stakeholder groups —
parents, twachers, admministra-
tors and support staff — to
have face-to-face fiaison meet-
ings with the board and senior
staff. These meetings are in
addition to the ting ad hoc
and © standing = committees
which will each still have rep

sentatives from cach stakehold-

er group.

Board chair, David
Stevenson, pointed out that,
“Liaison meetings bring 2
broader participation than is
possible with the current struc-
ture of the SPC
ple, rather than the one parent
representative on the current
SDCC, we will invite and meet
swith representauves from each
of our schools’ Parent Advisory
Councils. Similarly, teachers,
administrators and the com
munity at large will all benefit
trom increased participation.”

Also announced were the
first nwo ofa series of commu-
nity forums. The first forum
will help to establish the educa-
tional vision and direction for
the district. The second will
examine the viability and cont
munity perspectives on an arts
village for the district and elicit
input from all stakeholders.

he board is very ed

Raise cigarette taxes says City

IN yet another strategy to decrease smoking
in North Vancouver City, council will be
asking the federal government to raise taxes
on a package of cigarettes substantially.
Councillors are asking that the money from
taxes be spent on anti- smoking campaign
Coun. Darrell Mussatto, who put torward
the recommendation Jan. 17, said those most

eastern

sensitive to price increases are youth. The fed-

eral government raised taxes significantly in
1992, but reduced them again in 1994 when
faced with a mounting smuggling problem in
‘anada.

Coun, Bob Fearnley, who voted against the
motion, said, “While I support the direction, J
can't support the motion and giving money to
organized crime.”

— Anna-Lousse Pentland

about these events,” said
Stevenson. “These forums will
be modelled after our very suc-
cesstul foruny on ‘Building a
Healthy and Caring

Wednesday, January 26. 2600 ~ North Shore News - 27

which was held
last November.” In thar forum,
137) community = members
examined ways to make West
Vancouver an even better place

Community’

board Seexs more community input

to five.

The board is committed to
evaluating, these new
approaches after a six-month
trial period.

5 00% 5.50% 6.00% al pdt tsa

C-bend f held fer 3 years.

Year 1

Year 2

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