Meet your Port Moody school board candidates

There’s fifty/fifty odds in this election.

There are four Port Moody candidates running for two school board seats.

Port Coquitlam voters will elect two trustees for the nine-member school board. Coquitlam voters will elect four trustees, Port Coquitlam will elect two, and one trustee will be elected by Anmore/Belcarra voters.

Emily Cheadle

As a paralegal with experience in labour relations, Emily Cheadle is campaigning to bring her knowledge of contracts to the Coquitlam School Board.

A parent and frequent volunteer, Cheadle’s platform includes five key priorities including protecting the arts and humanities programs.

“Creativity, judgment and human expression matter even more as AI changes how students learn and work,” she stated on her campaign site.

Cheadle also emphasized the need to anticipate growth, advocating for classroom space to match the homes being built.

The former Pleasantside PAC fundraising chair also stated her support for age-appropriate SOGI-inclusive resources and clear anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies.

Tracy Green

For frequent volunteer Tracy Green, a critical part of education is ensuring the educators have what they need.

“Teachers, support staff and families already know what works in the classroom,” she stated. “What they need is a board that listens, plans carefully and puts its resources where they matter most.”

Green’s priorities include expanding career and trades programs and safeguarding alternative programs.

“Port Moody families value programs like French Immersion, Montessori, and [International Baccalaureate],” Green stated. “I’ll work with the board to protect the programs of choice we have and expand access.”

On the issue of school capacity, Green pledged to build strong relationships with the city, developers, and the province, “so new neighbourhoods bring shared amenities for neighbours and families.”

Jessica Morrison

Mother of two Jessica Morrison is running for trustee in part because of her belief the school district isn’t getting a fair share of tax dollars.

“I will fight for Port Moody’s fair share and analyze every budget line like it is your money. Because it is,” she stated.

Morrison, who has worked for B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation, also emphasized the need for better planning.

“Portables should be a last resort, not the plan,” she stated.

Part of Morrison’s platform calls for increased community involvement.

“Consultation has to reach families before the decision, in plain language, while your voice can still change the outcome,” she stated.

Carola Thompson

A CEO is looking for a seat on the school board.

Carola Thompson, who worked as CEO and senior planner at CityState Consulting Group, is campaigning to be a school trustee to advocate for student and staff resources.

Her priorities include: “supporting student wellbeing and belonging, strengthening connections between schools and the communities they serve, and ensuring responsible financial management,” according to her campaign site.

Given her experience working with municipalities as an urban planner, Thompson, “brings a unique perspective on long-term planning, collaboration, and community building,” according to a release announcing her candidacy.

As a trustee, Thompson stated that she would help the district “proactively plan for future enrolment, demographic change, and emerging opportunities.”