The Delta REAL Team, (Responsible Education and Academic Leadership) is running a unique coalition for school board in the upcoming civic election (Nov. 19).
The coalition will work together to continue a track record of academic excellence and innovative leadership. The REAL platform is based on the belief that at the heart of a successful school district is a commitment to "Partnerships in Public Education."
Led by Dale Saip, current Delta Board or Education chair, REAL includes incumbents Brenda Bennett-Schneider and Simon Truelove. Added to the team is retired teacher Nick Kanakos.
“Nick would be a valuable addition to the school board because of his extensive knowledge. He is a team-player who seeks excellence, as we do in our district,” said Saip.
The REAL team has the advantage of representing both independent and cooperative approaches, Saip added.
Bennett-Schneider is seeking a second term with the Delta school board. She is a life-long Delta resident and is married with two children in elementary school. She earned her CGA and then stayed home to raise her family.
“The successes over the last three years on school board have been as a result of innovative approaches and hard work," Bennett-Schneider said. “Delta is a vibrant school district with great people and I am ready to get to work for another term.”
Truelove, a teacher, father and grandfather, has served on the Board for six years. He is currently the Vice-chair and Delta’s representative on the provincial council of the B.C. School Trustees Association.
"Our board has done extremely well over recent years in working with teachers and staff to achieve top graduation rates despite fiscal challenges," Truleove said. "We are also attracting new students to Delta which is so important to the viability of our district.
Kanakos, whose teacher responsibilities, over 30 years in Delta, included school computer coordinator, department head and head football coach, has experience dealing with students, teachers, parents and the administration in the district.
“I understand the school system from the inside out,” said Kanakos, who has firsthand knowledge of the day-to-day workings of the district. Kanakos added that he has a skill set which will contribute to making Delta's "good school district even better."
Saip and his family are longtime residents of Delta. He is the vice-president of business development for the Vancouver Giants and he helped manage the 2006 World Junior Hockey Championships and 2007 Memorial Cup.
First elected to the Delta school board in1987, Saip is the current board chair (six terms) and has served as vice-chair (three terms). He has also served six terms as president of the Ladner Business Association. Saip currently sits on the board of directors for the Vancouver Food Bank.
''The Delta School District has a long and distinguished history of academic excellence. We have a tradition of good sound management practices which includes good governance and solid leadership. I will, along with my fellow REAL candidates, continue to demonstrate leadership by finding solutions to difficult challenges in a respectful, constructive and thoughtful way, seeking consensus rather than divisiveness," Saip said.