Janice Novotill - VIVA

Janice has been living in Victoria for 23 years. Her work background is diverse, ranging from retail, manufacturing, computer support and most recently as a health care aide. As a single parent, her two children went through School District 61 and she helped out by volunteering for various activities during the school year. Janice was an involved parent at the co-op preschool, on the band PAC in middle school and PAC Treasurer in high school.

As a school board trustee, Janice would like to bring about change. Hope for the future and positive support for the students is more essential now than ever before. Janice is concerned about the mental health of our society as a whole and realizes the need to support the mental health and social and emotional wellness of all students and staff. Next to mental health need is an equal requirement to uphold quality education by ensuring more support in the classroom. Teachers need support and require assistance, especially in the younger grades for children with learning challenges.

Janice believes in open, honest and authentic communication and has related experiences in non-violent communication. Transparent communication between schools and the parents is a fundamental element of academic excellence.

Balancing the budget is a top priority but only without compromising the high standards of education. Budget concerns need to be addressed to provide and include academic fundamentals including enhanced art programs and physical education to ensure intelligent, well-balanced graduates.

Janice would consider it an honour to give back to her community and work to make sure the next generation of children will be walking into a bright future.

Questionnaire Responses - click questions to open

1. How would you define the role of trustee? What is your personal connection to public education in SD 61? What is your motivation for wanting to be elected as an SD61 trustee?

Trustees are responsible for setting policies that meet the community's education goals. They must provide support to kids, monitor teachers' performance, maintain facilities and pass a balanced budget. Our school trustee candidates are individuals as well as a team. They are diverse and have a wide range of knowledge, skills and experiences. Each will bring a unique voice and perspective to the School Board. From parents attending SD61 schools to retired high school teachers, business owners to health and social service professionals and former Parent Advisory Council members, VIVA Victoria candidates are passionate about democratic accountability and want to serve their community

2. SD61 has education agreements in place with the Four Houses. As a trustee, how will you ensure that barriers are removed so that Indigenous students have equitable access to education? How can we ensure that we are being culturally responsive to Indigenous students and their families?

By treating all children equally, VIVA Victoria candidates are committed to ensuring all races, religions and cultures are respected. No children should have barriers placed upon them for these reasons. From our first peoples to new immigrants, all children will be given opportunities to learn and achieve. Any child struggling should be given the educational and emotional assistance required to overcome these challenges and to reach their full potential.

3. How would you address exclusion on the basis of disability, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity and other protected classes under the BC Human Rights Code in our schools and at the board table? How will you address barriers to accessibility in the school district? Do you believe that health and sexual education should be a part of students’ education in SD61? Why or why not?

Excluding children on the basis of disability, race, culture, sexual orientation, or gender identity is a violation of BC's Human Rights Code and will not be tolerated. We will work to remove any barriers to accessibility in the school district. Health and reproductive education are important for students to learn. However, we must ensure that materials are age appropriate and we must also be culturally sensitive to different families' beliefs and backgrounds, allowing for them to opt out of instruction that does not align with their cultural or religious philosophies. In this way, we are tolerant and supportive of all perspectives.

4. What does community and stakeholders/rights holders engagement look like to you? What steps will you take to ensure that the community as well as stakeholders/right holders’ perspectives are considered by the board when they are tasked with making critical decisions about the budget, student programming and staffing?

School trustees must offer opportunities for parents and the public to engage and be heard. All members of the public are stakeholders and have a vested interest in the successful outcome of their future fellow citizens. Meetings and decisions must be open and transparent and free from personal, political agendas. VIVA Victoria candidates believe there must be avenues for the wider community to express their views and feel that they are being heard and considered with an open mind. Decisions must be made with a lens to improve student programming and staffing while upholding the fiduciary duties of balancing the budget.

5. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the school board? How do you plan to address these challenges?

Currently, parents and stakeholders do not feel that they are being heard. The school board has lost its way by not understanding its primary purpose of setting plans, policies and the annual budget. Schools have become much more focused on social issues rather than academic achievement. The environment is overly politicized and trustees have been unable to listen respectfully to different points of view in order to solve complex problems. We need candidates who are invested in reasonable and logical solutions which benefit all.

6. This district has faced a deficit for the past two years that has resulted in critical staff and programming cuts.As a trustee, how do you plan on addressing looming deficits? What would you do differently than our current board? How do you think that trustees can best advocate to the province for more funding for education?

Funding decisions must be looked at critically to determine which pet projects may not be serving the greater number of students. Programs and resources must be prioritized in a way that makes sense. The board must have strong leadership that is able to successfully lobby the province for increased educational funding. Current wasteful spending has contributed to recent staff and programming cuts. Litigation is expensive and takes dollars away from these other important areas.

7. Over the past two years, trustees have struggled to balance the SD61 budget and funding the arts has become a contentious issue among trustees. What is your philosophy about funding arts education for students? Do you believe that this is an “extra” for students or should arts be part of the core curriculum? Should arts education be reduced in elementary and middle schools in the district? How should arts education be funded in SD61?

We believe arts and music are fundamental to a rich and well-rounded education and should be introduced in the early grades to foster a lifelong love and appreciation for these vital markers of overall satisfaction, fulfillment and purpose. VIVA Victoria believes that if budgets are managed properly, this can be achieved. Currently many thousands of dollars are being spent on wasteful lawsuits due to a dysfunctional board that was unable to resolve issues through respectful debate. Other funds are being spent on pet projects that do not benefit the wider school community. SD61 has had thriving arts and music programs in the past and can again with responsible, good governance.

8. Over the past few years, parents and community members have observed conflict among board members, between board members and SD61 staff, and between board members and stakeholders/rights holders. What skills would you employ to bring a more collaborative tone to the school board? How would you handle differences of opinion among fellow trustees?

All school board members must approach issues objectively and with an open mind. It is inevitable that people will be coming to the table with different opinions and perspectives but these viewpoints must be respectfully considered and calmly debated. VIVA Victoria candidates believe it is only through open and respectful debate, using reason and logic that the best ideas can be fleshed out and implemented. Recently, a number of trustees have had their own political agendas at the forefront, rather than considering the broader needs of the community as a whole. Trustees must also display strength and resilience by handling objections and differing policy opinions without feeling personally harmed.

Disclaimer

As an organization representing all parents in the district, we do not endorse any candidates. This website was put together by VCPAC to showcase information provided by each candidate. All questionnaire answers are posted as received, without any editing. We encourage voters to contact the candidates with any questions they may have.