British Columbia School Trustees Association

Before we head into summer, BCSTA's Board of Directors and staff gathered today for one final send-off. A chance to reflect on another dedicated school year and look ahead to the year to come.

To all boards of education across the province: thank you for your leadership and commitment to students. Wishing everyone a restful and well-deserved summer break. ☀️

We closed the Canadian School Boards Association 2026 Trustee Gathering with an inspiring keynote from Jon Montgomery — Olympic champion and award-winning host of The Amazing Race Canada.

His message was clear: believe you can, do the work, stay uncomfortable, and enjoy the ride.

Drawing on the discipline and precision of elite sport, Montgomery made the case that performance comes less from talent or circumstance and more from belief, ownership, and the willingness to act decisively. He challenged delegates to examine the moment where potential either turns into action or stalls and showed how confidence is built through preparation and ex*****on.

Key takeaways for trustees and education leaders:
✅ Identify behaviours that turn intention into consistent action and measurable results
✅ Recognize how strong individual performance builds high-functioning, results-driven teams

To the trustees working across the nation in the K-12 public education he added: “You’re helping to make Canada a better place.”

Thank you, Jon, for an energized way to close our event.

This morning, to open the last day of the Canadian School Boards Association Trustee Gathering, we held the Cross-Country Check-In, an opportunity for school boards from coast to coast to coast and across Canada to hear from one another, directly and honestly about what is happening in their boards.

From common challenges, governance structures, and pressures to what is working and what is needed to support stronger public education and stronger local governance.

Thank you to all those who participated!

CSAP (Conseil scolaire acadien provincial) – Nancy Pynch-Worthylake

Québec English School Boards – Joe Ortona

Manitoba School Boards Association – Sandy Nemeth

Yellowknife – Terry Brookes

Saskatchewan School Boards Association – Shawn Davidson

Alberta School Boards Association – Shali Baziuk

British Columbia School Trustees Association – Tracy Loffler

Thank you to HUB International for generously sponsoring yesterday's networking and social reception at the Canadian School Boards Association Trustee Gathering 2026, hosted by the BCSTA.

HUB's commitment to the public education sector is demonstrated through partnerships like this, and we are grateful for their support.

Thank you to CUPE BC, our Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre Reception Partner; HUB International, our Networking and Social Reception Partner; Allegion, our Legacy Partner, and Brightraiser, Education, Osvyn & Co. Cybersecurity and Signal Hill, Navigator Ltd. our Silver Partners of the Canadian School Boards Association Trustee Gathering 2026!

Your support for public education across this country is truly, deeply appreciated.

There are artists, and then there are storytellers, and then there are those rare individuals whose work does something more: it heals.

Inuk singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark is one of Canada's most unique artists and a leading voice in Canadian music. She blends Inuktitut, Indigenous languages, and English with contemporary pop arrangements to tell the stories of her fellow Inuit of Arctic Canada and other Indigenous communities.

Susan opened Day 3 of the Canadian School Boards Association Trustee Gathering with a truly captivating and inspiring plenary, sharing her journey from survival mode to asking "what if there's more?"—and what followed: discovering who she could become, rewriting her narrative, and healing from past trauma.

"I didn't know I could be an artist. I didn't know I could heal."

She spoke on the power of equal opportunity, on reconciliation as something layered and complex, and on cultural conscience: "We leave trauma at the door, and we explore."

She spoke on the power of equal opportunity, on reconciliation as something layered and complex, and on cultural conscience: "We leave trauma at the door, and we explore."

Woven throughout her session were her songs—beautiful reflections of her life and story that left the room moved and uplifted.

Thank you, Susan, for sharing your story and your songs with us this morning. It was truly inspirational.

Tracy Loffler addresses the gathering as BCSTA President and opens Tuesday morning of the Canadian School Boards Association Trustee Gathering with her President’s address.

On trustee stewardship, she said: "We are not administrators, or delegates of the province. We are stewards—elected by our neighbours, accountable to them, and entrusted with something that belongs to all of us: a public education system that accepts every child for who they are and works to give them a brighter future."

On truth and reconciliation, following last night's reception at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre, she reflected: "It was a powerful reminder that reconciliation is not a line item, but a relationship, tended with humility, in partnership with local First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples."

She spoke candidly about the challenges trustees face: "Being a trustee can be incredibly hard... We are leading these deeply meaningful discussions in full public view, navigating the noise with a steady focus on what matters most: our students."

And to trustees not running for another term and to those stepping up again this up coming election: “The landscape of public education has changed and grown more complex. And the conversations we are asked to lead—about identity, belonging, and how we keep every student safe—require immense courage. It is leadership driven by deep empathy and purpose, and it deserves our deepest respect and profound gratitude. So thank you, trustees, for all you do."