VSTA Connect – 2025 Issue 09

A municipal by-election is scheduled in Vancouver for Saturday, April 5, 2025, to fill two vacant city councillor seats. These vacancies arose following the resignations of Councillors Christine Boyle and Adriane Carr. 

At the VSTA Council meeting on March 13, the VSTA invited two progressive candidates to speak to our members. Lucy Maloney from OneCity was introduced by former VSTA President Rory Brown and Sean Orr from COPE was introduced by current COPE School Trustee, Suzie Mah. The VSTA has worked with both OneCity and COPE through VSB initiatives in the past. The VSTA feels that these two candidates will provide a compelling perspective to Vancouver issues.  

Click here for voter information/polling stations: 
https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/vancouver-by-election-pamphlet-english-2025.pdf

The VSTA is looking for representatives to join a VSB Working Group focused on the implementation of literacy screening, interventions, and professional learning for teachers in Kindergarten to Grade 12. This group will meet twice between April and June during the day, with release time provided, with the possibility of continuing into the next school year.   

This opportunity is open to: 

• two experienced secondary grade 8/9classroom teachers
• two experienced secondary grade 10-12 classroom teachers
• two experienced secondary school-based resource teachers 
• two secondary District resource teachers. 

Please email carmen@vsta.ca for more information and to express interest. 

The VSTA is inviting all VSTA members to a Spring Open House event.  Please join us and DJ CJ Kumar for canapes, refreshments, and door prizes. Click here to RSVP to help us with catering requirements.

VSTA WORKLOAD & MORALE SURVEY 2025 
Please take 5 minutes to share your thoughts anonymously about your morale as an educator working for the VSB. This survey has been developed by the VSTA for VSTA members. Answers will assist the table officers in conversations with the board and school trustees with the goal of highlighting concerns related to the increasing workload and to improving employee recruitment and retention. Link: https://forms.office.com/r/TVuz9CPUcG

In Solidarity,
Carmen, Carl, and John