Garibaldi Annex Parents

SHARON GREGSON
Vancouver School Board Trustee

Thursday August 7, 2008

NEWS RELEASE

Vancouver School Board Trustee Sharon Gregson to seek re-election as Vision Vancouver candidate; announces campaign to win September 20 nomination

VANCOUVER - Vancouver School Board Trustee Sharon Gregson announced Thursday she will run for a Vision Vancouver nomination to seek re-election in this year’s municipal vote.

In May 2008, Gregson left the Coalition Of Progressive Electors [COPE] to join Vision as its first school trustee.

Gregson, first elected in 2005, says parents and their children need a strong advocate at the Vancouver School Board who listens to and acts on their concerns.

“The Non-Partisan Association majority on the Vancouver School Board has been secretive and has repeatedly failed to adequately consult parents and students about important issues affecting their education,” Gregson says. “From school closures to the sale of VSB-owned property to stalled seismic upgrading, the NPA has simply refused to hear parents’ concerns.”

“And the NPA are afraid to advocate on behalf of students to the provincial government when it comes to Education Ministry budget cuts, teacher layoffs and services for children with special needs,” Gregson added. “That’s just not good enough and it’s time for a change at the Vancouver School Board that will put kids first.”

Gregson said she is proud to run on her record as a trustee, pointing to her successful work championing families concerns at Garibaldi and Queen Elizabeth Annex, fighting school closures and the sale of public land, pushing for alternative sources of funding for new schools at UBC and taking on the bureaucracy over key issues concerning parents and students.

Gregson, who works as a child care professional and advocate, has pushed for school-age daycare in every Vancouver elementary school and requested a “needs-based” budget to accompany the official Vancouver School Board budget submitted to the provincial government to point out the shortfalls in funding that directly affect students.

Gregson says her record includes voting against unacceptable class sizes and class composition and supporting parents and teachers in VSB budget requests.

The Vision Vancouver nomination meeting for school board, council and park board candidates takes place Saturday September 20.

For More Information: Call Sharon Gregson at 604-505-5725.