Students in School District 46 will have a new voice heading into the new school year.
According to the district, Cael Read took the oath of office during the Sept. 13 regular board meeting in Gibsons, and he marks the 11th student, in the district’s history, to assume the role enabling students to have an influential voice at the board table.
Read says he is humbled by his appointment to the board and will work diligently to deliver the voices of his peers to each meeting.
“My goal as a student trustee is to make sure school is a place where everyone can thrive,” he says. “I want to hear from students, and bring what they are saying to the board.”
Students across SD46 are continuously looking for ways to improve education and make their academic experience more enjoyable and Read says his peers are bringing some excellent ideas forward already.
“Students have a lot of ideas around improving transit,” he says. “They also would like to see more programs around mental health and financial literacy.”
Read was selected by a group of his peers in the District Student Leadership Team, which is comprised of students from all four SD46 secondary schools.
Read says the leadership program is designed to groom students, starting in grade 10, to prepare for the role of Student Trustee, and the process to get on the team is done through an interview and application procedure.
“Student trustee is picked from someone who is in the DSLT, so it is not open to everyone,” he says. “Students apply in grade 10 then they stay on until they are in grade 12 then one of them becomes the voice to the board.”
Read’s term will finish in June and he will be responsible for attending monthly meetings with key educational figures in the district, including the superintendent of schools, principals of Indigenous learning, secondary principals, and vice-principals.
Board chair Amanda Amaral says having student involvement at the board level gives them a better understanding of the impact the board’s decisions are having on the academic environment.
“With each student trustee we evolve in our understanding of the role and the ways that we can harness and leverage student voice to create a meaningful student experience,” she says. “We are honored that we have students who serve as trustees alongside us.”
Read currently attends Elphinstone Secondary and aspires to pursue higher education in the field of Political Science.
