Mount Pleasant Parent Advisory Council
2300 Guelph Street, Vancouver, B.C. V5T 3P1
phone 604-713-4617 fax 604-713-4627






April 2010

To: Jenny Wai Ching Kwan, MLA
1070 – 1641 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
V5L 3Y3


As parents of children in an inner city school, I would like to begin by saying thank you to the Board for the 20 years you have given to inner city schools. That said, I implore you to consider the detrimental impact the proposed cuts will have on the children in my school--children who are already at risk.


Many of the children in my school are vulnerable. They live in poverty, and may also face crime, hunger, transience, emotional neglect, abuse, delayed language development, social and cultural barriers, violence, refugee/immigrant status, the effects of drug and/or alcohol abuse in the family, and other special needs.

The promotion of literacy, social emotional development and parent-community engagement has been demonstrated to increase the outcomes for children in inner city neighbourhoods. In many inner city schools, these goals are being reached through a dedicated school team, including but not limited to: Inner City Project Teachers, Youth and Family Workers, Staff Assistants, Neighbourhood Assistants, Cultural Workers, ESL support, subsidized meal programs and all day kindergarten.

We have committed teachers, administration and school support staff. The proposed budget cuts threaten this already vulnerable situation. Boards of Education are required to balance their budgets and be able to meet the educational needs of all children.

They cannot do this unless the Provincial government acts in a fiscally responsible manner and covers the provincially mandated increased costs of operating public schools.

We would like to remind you of Premier Gordon Campbell’s promise to “build the best system of support in Canada … for children at risk”. Please help the Premier keep his promise to the children in my school by urging him to increase funding for public education now.


Name:



cc: Premier Gordon Campbell

Budget News

Postcard and Letter Writing Campaign:

The PAC of Mount Pleasant Elementary have decided we will be joining Shaughnessy School's Postcard Campaign. To view a copy of the postcard, click here. Look for parents walking the grounds with clipboards on Monday morning or Monday after school for your chance to tell the Honourable Dr. Margaret MacDiarmid, Minister of Education, what you think of the cuts. We will also have a parent stationed at a table near the office.

In addition, we will be creating our own letter, stressing the impact of the proposed cuts specifically to inner city schools, which we will share with other inner city schools. More information and details will be posted shortly.

The Budget Proposal

In case you haven't seen it, here is the link to the budget proposal:

Vancouver Board of Education
2010/2011
Preliminary Budget Proposals

Advocacy Links

VSB Advocacy Page

Includes information about the trustees’ advocacy work including correspondence with Ministry and news clips. Public resources include a sample letter to MLA’s, MLA contact information and budget information.

BC Education Coalition

Run by two Vancouver parents, Helesia Luke and Dawn Steele, this website includes information about funding shortfalls in over 30 school districts across BC. Resources include a template letter, Media Guidebook for public interest groups and information about campaigns across BC.

Moms on the Move
BC Families Supporting People with Special Needs

Moms on the Move was formed in 2001 by BC parents who were concerned about drastic provincial budget cuts to services for children and youth with special needs. Strong community advocacy helped to mitigate the worst of the planned cuts and BC’s Premier eventually committed to forming the “best system of supports in Canada” for children with special needs, children at risk and adults with disabilities.

Stop School Cuts Vancouver
*coalition of stakeholder groups

Stop School Cuts Vancouver is a broad coalition of organizations concerned with cuts in Vancouver. Members include:

BC Society for Public Education, COPE (party), CUPE 407, CUPE 15, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 963, Vancouver and District Labour Council, Vancouver Elementary Teachers Association, Vision (party), Vancouver Secondary Teachers Association

The BC Society for Public Education

The BCSPE is a volunteer, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting public education in BC. They carry out research and other activities aimed at providing accurate and accessible information to students, parents, the general public and decision makers.

The BCSPE believes all children and society benefit from a strong, diverse and equitable public school system and we encourage parents and others to support public education.