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Kat Hawksby running for re-election as Comox Valley Regional District Area A school trustee

Kathleen (Kat) Hawksby is looking to serve a second term as school trustee for Comox Valley Schools (SD 71).
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Kat Hawksby is running for re-election as school trustee for Comox Valley regional District Area A.

Kathleen (Kat) Hawksby is looking to serve a second term as school trustee for Comox Valley Schools (SD 71).

Hawksby has resided in the Comox Valley for over 30 years, spending the majority of her formative years growing up in Cumberland and completing her education from K-12 in SD 71, graduating from G.P.Vanier Secondary. The proud mother of two children attending school here in this district, it is because of them she is committed to public education for the Comox Valley.

Prior to becoming a school board trustee for SD 71 Hawksby was an active parent volunteer, starting with executive PAC for the Comox Valley Aboriginal Headstart Preschool in 2010.

She joined SD71 Parent Advisory Council (PAC) in 2012 as her children transitioned into kindergarten; sat on the SD71 Indigenous Education Council (IEC) in 2012 and for several years following as a parent representative, and represented the IEC at the District Parents Advisory Council (DPAC) meetings. She as a member of the DPAC Executive for a couple of years and one of the lead parents in establishing the Indigenous Parents Advocacy Club in SD71 in 2016.

As a trustee. Hawksby has taken on the role of chair of the policy committee, sits as the standing trustee representative on the Indigenous Education Council, and attends PAC and DPAC meetings as invited. This past year Hawksby brought forward the motion to declare the last week of September as Truth and Reconciliation Week in honour of residential school survivors and in memory of those who did not, serving as a challenge to all SD 71 schools to do their part in tearing down barriers for Indigenous students and their families, and to recommit to their part in Reconcili-Action throughout the year.

Over the last four years, Hawksby has participated in many community consultations and engagement processes, regarding strategic planning, boundary and catchment alignments, Indigenous Education Enhancement Agreement, community school designations, and Equity In Action.

She also attended First Nations Education Steering Committee, VISTA, and BCSTA Conferences, Grad and Award Ceremonies, and bursary teas.

As the executive director of Upper Island Women of Native Ancestry (UIWONA) Hawksby has worked alongside SD 71 Indigenous Education to provide communication and clarification to families entering the school system through the Comox Valley Aboriginal Head Start Preschool and other UIWONA programs including the Early Intervention Services Team as a point of contact with the Indigenous Parents Advocacy Club continuing to break down barriers for some of the most vulnerable students and their families.

Hawksby believes that advocating for public education to provide inclusive, and welcoming safe spaces for all students, families and staff is of the utmost importance, including providing the tools and resources to have equitable opportunities for all students.

Her role as executive director of the Upper Island Women of Native Ancestry has given her firsthand experience in early intervention services, showing how important the early years are and as the gap is bridged from K-12 to birth-12 in the new Ministry of Education and Child Development these partnerships are becoming more and more vital as it moves forward. Connecting with Early Years Collaborative, council for Indigenous Early Child Development, Children and Youth Matter, Foundry, Transition Society, Lush Valley, Comox Valley Farmers’ Market are but a few of the key partners collaborating to support students and families.

For more information Kat Hawksby can be reached by email at kathawksby@hotmail.com or by phone at 250-207-6375