Cowichan Valley School District Trustee Candidate

Q1. Please tell us a bit about yourself and why you are running.

A: My name is Rob Hutchins. I have lived in the valley since 1965 and although retired, I was, for 33 years, a teacher and school counselor. My wife Susan and I have five adult children and four grandchildren. My family owns and operates two businesses in Ladysmith - the Old Town Bakery and the Wild Poppy. 

For 21 years, I have served as the Mayor of Ladysmith and as a director on the Cowichan Valley Regional District. Five of those years were served as CVRD Board Chair and as co-chair of the Cowichan Watershed Board and Our Cowichan Community Health Network for the past 4 1/2 years.

Education is one of the key determinants of health. School District 79 has made great strides in improving the number of students successfully graduating from high school, however we are still below provincial norms. We need to establish a goal, as a region, of not just matching, but exceeding provincial graduation rates. We need to set a goal of reducing the number of students entering our school system with one or more areas of vulnerability. 

Our region is presently served by two school districts. Our communities, and our children may be better served if SD 79 boundaries matched regional district boundaries. If elected school trustee, I will work to facilitate a community discussion on whether SD 79 boundaries should be expanded to include all of our communities.

Q2. What is your vision for the school district, and how would getting elected help achieve it?

A: My vision is to create a school district where every child has the opportunity to graduate from high school, and to live in a region where education is highly valued and supported.

We need a school district where collegial relationships based on respect and trust creates exceptional learning environments for all students. We can create working partnerships between the school district and our local governments to better utilize our public facilities and public funds.

As a school trustee, I bring a wealth of experience in public education, local government, building better communities, developing government-to-government relationships and creating viable partnerships.  I will utilize these skills for the betterment of our education system.

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