North Vancouver's new Board of Education holds its first meeting on November 17

Seven newly elected trustees will be sworn in at the inaugural public meeting of the North Vancouver Board of Education on Monday, November 17, starting at 6:00 pm. The public can attend in person at 2121 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, or watch online through the board's Microsoft Teams live stream.

The board governs School District 44, which serves 17,886 students in 33 schools across both the District of North Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver and operates on an annual budget of $262.7 million, according to the district's own figures.

Who the new board is

Seven trustees sit on the board. Four represent the District of North Vancouver and three represent the City of North Vancouver.

The four elected by District voters on October 17 are George Tsiakos, Rob Haines, Cyndi Gerlach, and Jennifer Branston. Three trustees were elected by City of North Vancouver voters: Antje Wilson, Trish Neufeld, and Peggy Hung.

All seven will be sworn in at the November 17 meeting.

What the board does

The Board of Education is the governing body for School District 44. It sets the district's direction and approves its budget, policies, and plans. The board hires and oversees the superintendent, who manages the district's day-to-day operations, including its 2,850 or more staff. The board also sets the local portion of property taxes that fund part of the district's budget, though most funding comes from the Province.

Public board meetings are where the board votes on its decisions. Residents can speak at public hearings before major decisions, and can observe all public meetings either in person or online.

What happens at this first meeting

The board secretary treasurer administers the oath of office to each trustee. Once sworn in, the board elects its chair and may elect a vice-chair from among its members. Section 67(2) of the School Act requires this to happen at the first meeting.

The chair runs the board's public meetings and represents the board publicly. Under section 67(4) of the School Act, a majority of the board may elect a new chair or vice-chair at any time, but the November 17 meeting is when the positions are filled for the first time in this term.

The agenda for the November 17 meeting had not been posted as of November 12. The school district posts agendas and meeting packages each Thursday before a public meeting. The meeting is scheduled to run until 9:30 pm.

What each District-elected trustee committed to

Each of the four District-elected trustees made specific commitments during the October 17 campaign. All remain listed as not started on the promise tracker at /bc/north-vancouver-district-2026/tracker.

George Tsiakos committed to supporting student and staff mental health and well-being, advancing inclusive learning for diverse students, advancing the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action on education, and promoting environmentally responsible practices in schools.

Cyndi Gerlach committed to advocating for provincial funding for students and staff, strengthening literacy and numeracy, long-term planning for enrolment growth, and policies that promote belonging and well-being.

Jennifer Branston committed to championing mental health and safe inclusive schools, strong support for students with diverse learning needs, greater transparency in Board decision-making, expanding career and skilled trades opportunities, and supporting technology and future-ready learning.

Rob Haines committed to helping ensure resources reach classrooms.

What the board will work on in this term

The four District-elected trustees named enrolment and funding as priorities. Cyndi Gerlach committed to long-term planning for enrolment growth, and to advocating for provincial funding for students and staff. The Province sets most of the district's budget based on enrolment and formula grants. The board works with the Province and the two municipalities on capital plans for school buildings as the district's needs change.

The district's 2025-26 budget, by its own figures, was $262.7 million. Budget decisions for the next school year are among the first tasks a new board takes up.

What the law requires

Under section 49(a) of the School Act, a trustee's term begins on the first Monday after November 1 following their election. For trustees elected on October 17, 2026, that date is November 2, 2026.

Section 67(1) requires the secretary treasurer to convene the first board meeting as soon as possible and within 30 days of the term's start. The November 17 meeting falls within that window.

How to attend

The meeting is at the North Vancouver School District Education Services Centre, 2121 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver. Doors are on the main level; the board room is on the fifth floor. Underground parking is accessible from West 21st Street.

The board also streams its public meetings live through Microsoft Teams. A "Watch Live" link is on the public meetings page at sd44.ca/board-of-education/public-meetings/. No account is needed to watch; the district provides instructions for joining without a Microsoft account.

Residents who want to follow the board's decisions in this term can check the public meetings page for agendas before each meeting, and the promise tracker at /bc/north-vancouver-district-2026/tracker for the four District-elected trustees' commitments.