Geoff Bradley (Lumby + Areas D & E)

2026 Election Candidate

What measurable outcomes would define success for you after one term?

I would consider my term successful if at the end of the term the district budget is balanced with a healthy contingency fund. Improvements in Student literacy and numeracy within the district that continue to improve, with a reduced gap between indigenous learners and the district population as a whole and increase in the percentage of students who report feeling a sense of belonging in their school.

What do you see as the top three challenges currently facing the school district?

The top three challenges I see in our district are:

1)Aging infrastructure and over-capacity schools that need substantial upgrades to keep them safe and effective;

2)Ensuring that students have the classroom and education resources and supports they need to succeed within the current funding model especially for rural schools in the district;

3)Building school culture that is inclusive and that fosters a sense of student belonging.

What are your top priorities for improving student achievement?

I think that the top priorities for improving student achievement would be focusing on continuing the trend of improvement in numeracy and literacy in the district as a whole in particular in early grades. Beyond general improvements, working to close the achievement gap between indigenous learners and the general district population should be a particular point of focus.

I would also prioritize identifying any barriers to students in the district accessing post-secondary education and career training and which of those can be addressed by the district.

What are your priorities for school facilities (e.g., aging infrastructure, overcrowding, environmental upgrades)?

Many of the schools in our district have been found to be in poor condition in the most recent infrastructure assessment. Ensuring that the Long Range Facility Plan will bring our schools into good repair is essential to providing a good learning environment. In addressing these upgrades we also have the opportunity to improve efficiency and generate savings every year that can be used elsewhere in the district.

Another priority that I would have as a trustee is supporting the work of the BC School Trustees Association in advocating for specific funding to cover the cost of portables in schools that are over-capacity instead of having this expense coming from the main district operating budget.

How would you like to see climate action prioritized at the governance level so that it guides decisions around infrastructure, operations, and student learning?

Where climate action intersects with policy I think that the board should considered it as an important factor when writing and revising policies. Including climate action directly in policy demonstrates the commitment to action at a Board level and ensures that it is a priority.

The current district policy on Long Range Facility Planning is a good example of policy that incorporates environmentally sustainable practices.

How will you monitor and improve progress toward safe, caring, and inclusive schools?

I will take time to meet with parents and students and teachers directly and to hear from them about what they are experiencing in their daily school lives. I will also work to stay connected to the various PACs and to build open communication with the members of our school communities. In addition, questions surrounding safe caring and inclusive schools make up a major portion of the annual Student Learning Survey and Framework for Enhanced Student Learning report and using these metrics and taking time to dig into the results of these surveys would be the other major way to monitor this topic This combination of these two types of information is particularly important when it comes to questions of school culture which are less easily documented than literacy or numeracy scores.

What specific actions would you prioritize to support Indigenous student success and reconciliation?

The District’s Indigenous Education Enhancement Agreement outlines a number of objectives and strategies for improving the educational experience and improving understanding and knowledge indigenous culture for the broader school community. As this agreement ends in 2028, mid-term for the incoming board, I would prioritize engagement with our local indigenous stakeholders to renew and recommit to this agreement. We need to take time to listen and work collaboratively to identify areas of strength of the agreement, and identify where changes or improvements need to be made to help to continue to build upon the work that has been done so far. I would also prioritize staffing and resource support that helps to support the goals of this agreement.

How would you handle controversial issues and/or competing interests?

When dealing with controversial issues or competing interestsI think that a trustee needs to have a balanced approach that allows for different sides of a disagreement to respectfully voice their thoughts and concerns. Even when I may not agree with someone, I will try to understand where they are coming from and understand their concerns. In dealing with controversial issues it is important that a trustee leads with respect and that the needs of students and the vision and goals of the district should guide their decision making.

How will you engage meaningfully with parents, caregivers, and the broader community?

I will ensure that I am available and open to members of the community to share their thoughts and concerns directly or through their PACs, and that as their representative to the School District I am sharing information in both directions and keeping them informed on the work of the Board of Education. The wonderful thing about being a representative for small communities like Lumby and Cherryville is that every day provides opportunities to hear directly from those you represent. Being involved in the community through other organizations is also an important way that I would engage with parents and others.

Beyond building and maintaining in-person connections I would also use social media as a tool to share information and to be available to members of the community.