Byelection 2025: Frank Do's candidate profile

The City of Coquitlam is organizing the School District 43 (SD43) byelection to fill a vacant Coquitlam trustee seat. Voters go to the polls on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025 (with advance voting open on Feb. 12 and 15). The Tri-City News asked the five candidates — Rosey Manhas, Candace Knoll, Dana Ebtekar, Nash Milani and Frank Do — to answer 15 questions about their campaign.

What city do you live in?

Coquitlam.

What do you do for a living?

I am the practice advisor for the Applied Science Technologist and Technicians of British Columbia, which is the professional regulatory body that oversees individuals working as applied science technologists and certified technicians within the fields of engineering technology and applied science.

Where do you volunteer in the Tri-Cities?

Like many families with children in sports, I volunteer most of my time in relation to my kids' sports. That includes being a Hockey Canada safety person for my son’s hockey team at Coquitlam Minor Hockey Association as well as volunteering for team activities for my daughter’s team, the Tri-Cities Predators. During the spring and summer months, you can find me volunteering my time with the Coquitlam Sharks.

Have you ever run for public office before? If so, what, when and where?

Never. This is my first time running for public office.

What public figures and organizations are endorsing your campaign?

N/A.

Have you ever worked for SD43? If so, when and what position?

Interestingly, my very first job was with SD43 as a student labourer, assisting with the year-end shutdown of my junior secondary school, Sir Frederick Banting. Like many first jobs, it paid minimum wage and involved plenty of menial tasks: taking inventory of textbooks, desks and science lab equipment, among others. However, a significant part of my time was also spent cleaning and maintaining the school’s on-site greenhouse, which was run by one of the science teachers at the time. It was a great experience working for my school and it gave me a deeper appreciation for all the behind-the-scenes work that happens before and after the school bells ring.

Do you have a relative or former family member that currently works for SD43? Who and what position?

Yes, my wife is currently a teacher within SD43.

Do you currently have children learning in SD43? If so, what schools?

I have two children who attend SD43 schools: my daughter is at École Rochester Elementary while my son attends École Maillard Middle.

Have you ever been a part of a school organization such as a PAC? If so, where and what leadership positions did you have?

No, I have not held a role within a school organization.

What is your financial background with public institutions?

In my career, I managed the stakeholder engagement and consultation for one of the province’s delegated authorities. This included hiring, training and overseeing department staff, budget and expenses for the organization.

Why are you running to be a Coquitlam school trustee?

I’ve grown up my entire life in Coquitlam. I first attended Mountain View Elementary, then went on to Sir Frederick Banting Junior Secondary and then finished off my final two years at Centennial Secondary School. The schools were often crowded but it never diminished the amazing experience I had. Now that I am older and a parent to two children myself, I understand and appreciate all of the effort and coordination that goes into creating a positive school experience. I am always grateful for the work that the teachers and administrators put into my kids, even when I know how difficult it has been with not only the COVID-19 pandemic, but also challenges in integrating technology and the struggles in dealing with a diverse and growing student population. I realize that the city I grew up in is very different from the Coquitlam of today and with it comes a new set of challenges that the school system must face, but that doesn’t mean that this responsibility solely rests upon a teacher’s shoulders. Education is a shared responsibility; as a parent of two SD43 students, a lifelong Coquitlam resident and graduate of the SD43 school system, it’s a responsibility I would be proud to take on. At the end of the day, my kids are important to me and so is the quality of their education. I want their educational journey to be as positive as my time in SD43.

How will you support students?

Fundamentally, I believe that all students, regardless of their neighbourhood or socio-economic background, should have access to a quality education within their own community. In practice, that means:
- Ensuring schools are built and classrooms are available to accommodate new students, so they are not forced to commute to other communities just to attend school.
- Providing diverse learning options by making parents aware of year-round educational opportunities beyond the traditional September-to-June school calendar. This includes online learning, summer school, and continuing education. Additionally, alternative programs such as CABE, Encompass and Suwa’lkh may better support specific student needs.
- Improving communication with parents about the proficiency scale and what it means for their child’s academic performance. One of the biggest challenges parents and students face is misunderstanding the scale — many assume their child is doing well based on proficiency reports, only to be shocked when they receive lower-than-expected letter grades in secondary school. Since post-secondary institutions do not accept proficiency scale assessments for admission, this misalignment can become a serious issue. Unfortunately, by the time families recognize the gap, students may have already missed key foundational concepts crucial for their future academic success.
- Ensuring proper staffing support so teachers can focus on teaching. Our priority should be to provide students with a high-quality education and learning experience. However, if we continually ask teachers to take on more responsibilities — such as extracurriculars, coaching and student support services — we divert resources away from our core mandate. I firmly believe that education is a shared responsibility. Delivering a quality education requires strong collaboration between schools, parents, the community and educators.

How will you support teachers?

Three key areas I believe that we need to focus on to help support teachers are:
- Manage teacher workload and expectations: reduce the administrative burden so that teachers can focus their time on classroom prep and providing student support.
- Establish a culture of a supportive administration: every school is run differently by their own administration but what makes the difference is the supportive culture and work environment created by the administration. The school board plays a central role in providing the leadership and setting the example and expectations for all administrative leaders.
- Increase recruitment and retention: beyond competitive compensation, specific attention needs to be placed on hard-to-fill positions and current teachers need to feel valued. Flexibility should be added where possible to meet the needs of staff and prevent teachers from looking for it elsewhere. Increasing efforts to recruit retired teachers back into the profession, encouraging career pathways for educational assistants to achieve their teaching degree, and recruiting teachers from out of province are all viable options that we can do to help lessen the impact of this shortage.

How will you ensure the board of education chooses the right senior management for new roles?

I have extensive experience in selecting and onboarding new team members in the organizations I have managed. While a rigorous recruitment process is essential, ensuring that the SD43 board of education selects the right senior management for new roles requires a strategic and transparent approach. Based on my experience, this involves a particular focus on:
- Alignment with SD43’s core beliefs and principles
  - Ensure candidates align with the district’s strategic goals, beliefs and principles.
  - Prioritize those with a proven track record in educational leadership, financial stewardship and community engagement.
  - Confirm that they consistently uphold student learning as the primary factor in their decision-making.
- Leadership and accountability
  - Seek candidates who demonstrate strong decision-making, communication and conflict-resolution skills.
  - Ensure they have a clear vision for student success, staff development and operational efficiency.
  - Establish measurable performance benchmarks to assess their impact over time.
- Strong onboarding and evaluation process
  - Provide new senior management with a structured onboarding plan, including mentorship and regular check-ins with experienced leaders.
  - Set clear expectations and conduct regular performance reviews to assess their effectiveness.
  - Implement a 360-degree feedback process, gathering input from all levels of staff who interact with senior management.
Remember, selecting a candidate to fill senior management roles is only one part of the equation. How we, as a board, provide ongoing feedback and support will ultimately define how successful a person is in their new role.

What is the most pressing issue facing SD43 today?

Two key factors are placing significant pressure on SD43: the ongoing teacher shortage and rapid population growth, which has led to higher-than-expected enrolment. The teacher shortage is not unique to SD43 — it is part of a broader trend affecting many school districts across the province. However, it remains a critical issue that we must address in collaboration with our partners at the BC Teachers’ Federation and the Coquitlam Teachers’ Association to improve teacher recruitment and retention. In terms of population growth, we have all witnessed how quickly Coquitlam is transforming. Neighbourhoods are expanding rapidly and, with thousands of new homes being built within our existing school catchment areas, we must ensure that schools are properly planned and resourced. As a parent, I want to prevent a situation where students are forced to commute to other communities just to access education.

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