Mike Murray is running for re-election on Saturday, October 15 for the position of Maple Ridge School Board Trustee.

Murray has been a director since 2011 and served as Chairman of the Board from 2011 to 2018. He was also a director of the BC School Trustees Association (BCSTA) from 2017 to 2020.

He has made it clear that he is running as an independent candidate and is not affiliated with any specific list or political party.

“I will be running for re-election in large part because I feel I have more work to do and can use my experience and my connections with other administrators across the province to ask the provincial government to respond to the needs of our community,” Murray explained of his decision to run.

Murray noted that the current capital plan reflects some of these needs. But, he said, the funding they need to implement the plan is rarely enough.

So, he said, he will also advocate for sufficient operating funding to ensure the school board can continue to have one of the best education systems and outcomes in the country. While there will be challenges over the next two budget years, he explained, as the level of funding the province has indicated it will provide will not meet all of the inflationary costs that schools in the district currently know.

“To be more specific, we are advocating with the government for school expansions and replacements where it makes sense given the age and condition of the facilities. We are also advocating for the acquisition of a new school site in Silver Valley which will eventually lead to the construction of a new facility. Operationally, we were very pleased to receive the equity analysis conducted by the district consultants which identified many recommendations that we will do our utmost to implement. »

“If I’m lucky enough to be re-elected, I look forward to this job,” he said.

Murray listed: the opening of the primary school c’usqunela; the acquisition of a new school site in the Albion region; promoting a capital plan for an additional school site in Silver Valley; expanded International Baccalaureate, French Immersion and trades programs; and higher graduation rates through some of his accomplishments with fellow administrators, school board staff, the province and the community.

He also noted that he authored two articles for the BC School Trustee Association that make recommendations on capital funding and school site acquisition legislation to the Ministry of Education.

Some of his other community roles include: Director of the BCSTA and Chairman of the BCSTA Capital Working Group; President and Community Services Director of Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows; director of the North Fraser Therapeutic Riding Association; president and director of the Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation; president of the Rotary Club of Haney; director and honorary life member of the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Arts Council; and President and Honorary Life Member of the BC Recreation and Parks Association.