We asked the candidates the following questions: 1. Please introduce yourself. 2. List three main issues facing the schools you will represent and your suggestions for those issues. 3. What skills do you bring to the position? 4. Why have you entered politics? 5. What is a fun fact about yourself?
I am Nicola Koroluk and I moved to Hagensborg in 1997 with my husband Brad. We have three children who all attended public schools in the Valley, two of them are still in the system and our oldest daughter is attending UNBC after graduating from SAMS.
Three main issues I see facing our schools in the Bella Coola valley are student engagement, recruitment and retention and parent engagement.
Student engagement at school is at an all-time low. During the pandemic, it was a priority to keep our schools open for the well-being of the students. Although we were able to keep schools open during Covid there have been negative effects on students’ mental health and success in their studies and graduation.
I will continue to find ways to engage students in their learning, to advocate for students and encourage students to advocate for their own education. I want to see students excited about school. I will continue to promote extracurricular activities and class curriculum that engage students.
Recruitment and retention of staff is an ongoing issue. If re-elected I will continue to support the district rental of houses for new staff recruits and encourage administration to attend job fairs. I also think we can encourage and assist residents to upgrade their education so we have a qualified pool of workers to draw on. I will continue to advocate the provincial government to assist districts in incentives to recruit qualified educators at all levels of the system.
It is common for people to only come out and participate when they are unhappy with a situation, however my hope is that we can excite parents and guardians about education in their community and become involved in the direction of students’ education.
In addition to my experience with the school board, I have a number of skills that I bring to the table. I am organized and am not afraid to speak up in large crowds. I have a good understanding of how public education works and have been involved in the bargaining team for the employee for the last two rounds of bargaining. I am approachable and have many parents and students stop to talk to me about concerns in town. Most of all I am passionate about public education and believe that it is the right of every student to receive a high quality education that will allow them to become active members of society.
I first entered the race for trustee 11 years ago because I was frustrated with the lack of involvement of parents in the governance of schools and wanted to make a difference in delivering a high quality education to all the students in the district. As mentioned above this continues to be an ongoing issue, but I can talk to people outside the school settings and bring their voice to the board table.
Fun fact. When at the University of Northern British Columbia I was involved in the start up of the fencing club.
READ MORE: There will be special voting opportunities in Ocean Falls, Bella Bella, Wuikinuxv (Rivers Inlet)
monica.lamb-yorski@wltribune.com
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