About Our Board
The Board of Education, in accordance with the School Act, is a policy-making body whose primary function is to establish procedures and guidelines for the operation of public schools. Local boards of education are responsible for producing a budget, administering expenditures, and liaising with individual schools through the School Trustee Liaison Program, as well as for several basic functions including:
- Policy, Planning and Evaluation
- Action on Legal Requirements
- Selection of Senior Personnel
- Public Relations
Members of the Board of Education for New Westminster Schools were elected in November 2022 for a 4-year term. They are Marc Andres, Dee Beattie, Danielle Connelly, Gurveen Dhaliwal, Elliott Slinn, Cheryl Sluis, and Maya Russell. At the November 7, 2022, Inaugural meeting, the Board of Education re-elected Gurveen Dhaliwal Chair, and elected Maya Russell Vice-Chair of the Board.
Contact us
The board welcomes communications, comments and questions from the public. Please email us at boardofeducation@sd40.bc.ca … emails received to this address are also documented for review, as part of the larger working process of the Board of Education.
The Executive Assistant supporting the Board of Education is Laura Goodman (lgoodman@sd40.bc.ca). For questions on process, file access or other such inquiries, please reach out to her.
If you are from a media outlet that is seeking comment from a member of the Board, please contact the District’s Communications Manager, Kristen Keighley-Wight ( kkeighleywight@sd40.bc.ca ) as she can help coordinate time with or get you comment from the appropriate Trustee.
Trustees
Gurveen Dhaliwal, Board Chair
Trustee Gurveen Dhaliwal is serving her fifth year as School Trustee and was re-elected as Chair of the Board of Education for a third year in November of 2022. She is school liaison to École Glenbrook Middle School, and serves on the Joint City and District Working Group Committee.
Email: gdhaliwal@sd40.bc.ca
Maya Russell, Vice-Chair
Trustee Maya Russell is serving her fifth year as School Trustee, and was elected as Vice-Chair of the Board of Education for the first time in November 2022. Trustee Russell is the Chair of the Operations Policy and Planning Committee and school liaison to F.W. Howay Elementary School. She sits on the school District Parent Advisory Council, Memorialization Advisory, and Joint City and District Working Group Committees.
Email: mrussell@sd40.bc.ca
Dee Beattie
Trustee Dee Beattie is serving her fifth year as School Trustee. She is the school liaison for New Westminster Secondary School (NWSS), and Skwo:wech Elementary School. Trustee Beattie is a member of the Aboriginal Education Committee.
Email: dbeattie@sd40.bc.ca
Danielle Connelly
Trustee Danielle Connelly is currently serving her fifth year as School Trustee. She is the school liaison to Connaught Heights Elementary, École Qayqayt Elementary School, and New Westminster Adult and Online Learning. She represents New Westminster Schools on the Memorialization Advisory, SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity), and the Canadian Parents for French Committees.
Email: dconnelly@sd40.bc.ca
Elliott Slinn
Elliott Slinn is serving his first year as School Trustee. He is school liaison for Lord Kelvin Elementary School, Fraser River Middle School, Power Alternate Secondary School and Royal City Alternate Secondary School (RCAP) and serves on the Sanctuary Schools Committee. Trustee Slinn is the Board’s Alternate Representative to the BC School Trustees’ Association (BCSTA), and the Board’s Representative to the BC Public School Employer’s Association.
Email: eslinn@sd40.bc.ca
Cheryl Sluis
Cheryl Sluis is serving her first year as School Trustee. She is school liaison to École Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary School, Queensborough Middle School, and Learners Program at Hume Park. Trustee Sluis is a member of both the Sanctuary Schools, and SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Committees. She also serves on the CUPE Labour/Management and Grievance Management-Step 3 Committees. Trustee Sluis is the Board Representative to the BC School Trustees’ Association (BCSTA) Provincial Council, and the Board’s Alternate Representative to the BC Public School Employers’ Association.
Email: csluis@sd40.bc.ca
Marc Andres
Marc Andres
Marc Andres is serving his first year as School Trustee. He is Chair of the Education Policy and Planning Committee, and school liaison to École Herbert Spencer Elementary School, Queen Elizabeth Elementary School, and SIGMA’s Alternate Program.
Email: mandres@sd40.bc.ca
