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REAL team announces coalition

Four members make bid for spots on Delta's Board of Education
23018southdeltaREALtrusteecandidates-WEB
Left to Right Dale Saip

Creating partnerships in education is the backbone of a group running for spots on Delta's Board of Education in the Nov. 19 civic elections.

Last week, the Delta R.E.A.L. Team, (Responsible Education and Academic Leadership) announced its group will include Dale Saip, current Board Chair, incumbents Brenda Bennett-Schneider and Simon Truelove, plus 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,” stated Saip.

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 adding he has a ‘skill set’ which will contribute to making our ‘good School District even better.

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. 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 to the Provincial Council of the BC 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," he said. 'We are also attracting new students to Delta which is so important to the viability of our District."

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 Delta School Board in1987, Saip is the current School 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," Saip said. "We have a tradition of good sound management practices which includes good governance and solid leadership. I will, along with my fellow R.E.A.L candidates, continue to demonstrate leadership by finding solutions to difficult challenges in a respectful, constructive and thoughtful way, seeking consensus rather than divisiveness.”