School District 36 Surrey

We still need to have students come here, but we've seen that our services have quickly become overwhelmed.

People are no stranger to hearing that the Surrey School District for the last number of years had record numbers of people.

We had to, like my own kids, go to a school that is so overpopulated that they have to go to school in shifts.

You know, since the change to student visas has come in place now, we've had for one of the first times in several years not a decline in the number of students, like kids that are coming here to the Surrey School District.

But I think it's really emblematic of how quickly resources can become overwhelmed.

And given the strain on things like health care, on housing, education, I think that we need to have some input.

And in the two years that I was the critic for education, I rarely heard about SOGI from people that actually had kids in school.

And, you know, I have three children in the Surrey School District.

They don't celebrate pride at school.

In fact, my kid's elementary school and every school might be different.

I'm Christy Blakeway, Director of Instruction, with a focus on building professional capacity.

And I'm Sandeep Chauhan, School Principal in Surrey School District.

Zaretta Hammond is a nationally recognized educator, author, and thought leader in culturally responsive teaching.

She is best known for her influential book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, which connects neuroscience with practical classroom strategies to better support diverse learners.

Listen every Tuesday on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and watch full episodes on YouTube.

Leading Voices in Education is a platform for dialogue and learning.

The perspectives shared by our guests are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views or values of the Surrey School District.

I'm Kristi Blaquiere, Director of Instruction with a focus on building professional capacity.

And I'm Sandeep Chauhan, school principal in Surrey School District.

We are really excited to have our guest, Janice Novakovski, on Leading Voices in Education today.

Janice retired in June 2025 after 34 years with the Richmond School District as a classroom teacher and district teacher consultant and curriculum coordinator.

Listen every Tuesday on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and watch full episodes on YouTube.

Leading Voices in Education is a platform for dialogue and learning.

The perspectives shared by our guests are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views or values of the Surrey School District.

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capacity.

And I'm Sandeep Chauhan, School Principal in Surrey School District.

Dr. Ross Green is a clinical psychologist and the originator of the innovative, evidence-based approach called Collaborative and Proactive Solutions, or CPS.

As described in his influential books, The Explosive Child, Lost at School, Lost and Found, and Raising Human Beings, and the recently released The Kids Who Aren't Okay, The Urgent Case for Reimagining Support, Belonging, and Hope in Schools.

Listen every Tuesday on Spotify or Apple podcasts and watch full episodes on YouTube.

Leading Voices in Education is a platform for dialogue and learning.

The perspectives shared by our guests are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views or values of the Surrey School District.

capacity.

And I'm Sandeep Chauhan, School Principal in Surrey School District.

Jenny Anderson is an award-winning journalist and co-author of The Disengaged Teen, a thought-provoking book that explores why so many young people are feeling disconnected from school and what we can do about it.

With years of experience reporting on education and human development, including work with The New York Times, Jenny brings a thoughtful and relatable lens to the challenges facing today's students.

Listen every Tuesday on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and watch full episodes on YouTube.

Leading Voices in Education is a platform for dialogue and learning.

The perspectives shared by our guests are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views or values of the Surrey School District.