School District 43 (SD43) began 2022 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic with all its stress, illness and restrictions — and ended with new school funding, a boost in regional enrolment and a calmer teaching environment.
And, thanks to the recent settlement of the teachers' contract, 2023 is set to begin with more certainty on the job front even as parents continue to struggle with flu surges and COVID-19.
Hundreds of new students have enrolled this year more than predicted, bringing the total in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and Anmore schools to 31,330.75 FTE (full-time equivalent) or 796 more than anticipated earlier in the year.
Year in review
The year 2022 began with concerns about student illness, due to COVID-19, with high numbers of staff and students absent. Parents were then worried about a lifting of the mask mandate.
But by March, it appeared students could start participating in activities, such as theatre and graduation and parents were scrambling to raise money for graduation events.
Riverside Secondary in Port Coquitlam was the first high school to hold a live theatre event with its one-act musical The Drowsy Chaperone hitting the stage in early March.
Schools also saw the opening of the new Irvine Elementary — which is currently housing students from Coast Salish Elementary while they wait for their new building to be completed.
New $135M high school approved
On the school funding front, the SD43 board of education reluctantly approved putting $25 million towards a joint Burke Mountain middle/secondary school and, in the summer, then-Premier John Horgan approved the $135-million facility.
The school is slated to open in 2026 and will house 1,000 students in Grades six to 12.
However, with the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, the next issue was higher costs of everything, including construction, food, school supplies, heat and other necessities.
To help stressed out school administrators, the province provided more than $3 million for school supplles, food programs and field trips.
The summer also introduced Tri-Cities parents to the new District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) chair, Rosey Manhas, who encouraged parents to get involved with their school PACs.
SD43 also ended the last school year with an $11-million surplus, roughly half of which came from higher-than-expected international education revenues and the remainder from under-spending due to staffing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The school district also opened its long-awaited Education Learning Centre, which provides new board offices for staff and other programs.
Ukrainian students enrol in classes
In September, as schools reopened for the 2022-23 school year, officials identified more students had enrolled over the summer than originally anticipated, including 700 newcomer students from other countries, including Ukraine.
SD43 officials say more than 150 students from the currently war-torn eastern European nation have enrolled in Tri-Cities schools, and more are on the way.
November saw a status quo school board elected with two new trustees and three acclaimed.
Conservative slate loses election
However, the incumbent trustees were able to fend off a challenge from a new slate. However, ParentsVoice BC said it would be back to run in future elections, despite its election loss.
The group was often touted as being "socially-conservative," however, the founder, Mark Vella, said the group was a centre–right electoral organization that's working to counter union-supported candidates.
Two new courses have been established to meet the needs of the district's student population, including a table-top role playing course to teach leadership and a Farsi language curriculum.
With a new board in the works will come new issues and new challenges, including how to pay for additions and portables to house the growing number of students.
But for now, the Tri-City News wishes all 32,000 students, plus teachers, board officials, support workers and administrators the best of the holiday season and a successful 2023 school year.
