SocietyPreview

School board

Board of Education of School District No. 20 (Kootenay-Columbia)

Governs School District 20 (Kootenay-Columbia)

Official website (sd20.bc.ca) Report a problem with this page

Source: bcschoolcontacts.gov.bc.ca, checked

At a glance

What it's for

A board of education runs the public schools in its school district: it sets local policy, makes school rules and provides educational programs free of charge to school-age students who live in BC and enrol in its schools.

School Act, ss. 82 and 85 · Applies to every BC board of education (not the francophone education authority)

What it can't do

It acts subject to the School Act, its regulations and the minister's orders, for example when approving learning materials. It does not set the general school tax rate, which the provincial cabinet sets.

School Act, ss. 85(2) and 119 · Applies to every BC board of education (not the francophone education authority)

Who it answers to

Trustees are elected by local voters every four years, in the same years as general local elections. The provincial cabinet can replace the board with an official trustee, for example if the board is in serious financial jeopardy or is not complying with the Act, and the trustees then leave office.

School Act, ss. 35, 37 and 172 · Applies to every BC board of education (not the francophone education authority)

Where its money comes from

Mostly an operating grant from the province, based largely on the number of students enrolled. School property taxes are set by the province and collected by municipalities for the provincial government.

School Act, ss. 106.2, 106.3, 119 and 124 · Applies to every BC board of education (not the francophone education authority)

Shares responsibility with

Works with the provincial government, which funds schools and sets the rules boards work under, and with municipal councils, which collect school taxes and must approve school traffic patrols.

School Act, ss. 85(2)(e), 106.3 and 124 · Applies to every BC board of education (not the francophone education authority)

Next vote

Who sits on it

Sourced · checked

Sources for who sits on it

  • Chair bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked
  • Catherine Zaitsoff as Chair sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Vice-Chair bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked
  • Darrel Ganzert as Vice-Chair sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Trustee bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked
    sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Birkley Valks as Trustee sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Catherine Zaitsoff as Trustee sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Darilyn Simister as Trustee sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Darrel Ganzert as Trustee sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Gordon Smith as Trustee sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Kristin Ali as Trustee sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Mark Wilson as Trustee sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Stephen Piccolo as Trustee sd20.bc.ca · checked
  • Terry Hanik as Trustee sd20.bc.ca · checked
Report a problem

Contact

What it can do

  • Public schools and educational programs

    Opens, closes and manages the district's public schools and property, sets catchment areas, and provides educational programs to school-age residents of the district (School Act ss.73, 74, 75, 75.1).

  • Local policy, student conduct and suspensions

    Sets local policy for the operation of schools, establishes a code of conduct for students, makes rules on attendance, suspension and school operations, and approves local courses and learning resources (School Act s.85).

  • Annual budget

    Prepares and adopts the district's annual budget by bylaw from provincial grants and other revenue; it may ask voters to approve extra local taxes by referendum. Property tax for schools is set by the Province, not the board (School Act ss.110-113, Part 8 Division 4).

  • Staff and superintendent

    Employs teachers and other staff, and appoints the superintendent of schools and secretary treasurer (School Act ss.15, 20, 22, 23).

  • School land and buildings

    Acquires and disposes of school sites and buildings, subject to the minister's orders, and plans capital projects with provincial approval (School Act ss.96-100, Part 8 Division 6).

  • Child care on school property

    Sets policies for child care programs and may provide them or let others provide them on board property (School Act ss.85.1-85.4).

Sourced · checked

Sources for what it can do

Report a problem

Sources

  • bcschoolcontacts.gov.bc.ca · checked BC Ministry of Education and Child Care K-12 School and District Contact Information (bcschoolcontacts.gov.bc.ca API /api/district/1e0d6894-ba91-81a6-6275-508d763e43de), district 020 "Kootenay-Columbia", status ACTIVE, fetched 2026-10-11. Boards: School Act RSBC 1996 c.412 s.30. For: Board of Education of School District No. 20 (Kootenay-Columbia)
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked School Act, RSBC 1996, c. 412: School Act, ss. 82 and 85. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: What it's for
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked School Act, RSBC 1996, c. 412: School Act, ss. 85(2) and 119. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: What it can't do
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked School Act, RSBC 1996, c. 412: School Act, ss. 35, 37 and 172. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Who it answers to
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked School Act, RSBC 1996, c. 412: School Act, ss. 106.2, 106.3, 119 and 124. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Where its money comes from
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked School Act, RSBC 1996, c. 412: School Act, ss. 85(2)(e), 106.3 and 124. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Shares responsibility with
  • bcschoolcontacts.gov.bc.ca · checked board office address and phone: BC Ministry of Education and Child Care K-12 School and District Contact Information (bcschoolcontacts.gov.bc.ca API /api/district/1e0d6894-ba91-81a6-6275-508d763e43de), district 020 "Kootenay-Columbia", status ACTIVE, fetched 2026-10-11. Boards: School Act RSBC 1996 c.412 s.30. For: Board office
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked power of the board under the provincial education statute For: Public schools and educational programs, Local policy, student conduct and suspensions, Annual budget, Staff and superintendent, School land and buildings, Child care on school property
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked election rules and term of office For: Trustee
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked number of trustees and how they are elected For: Trustee
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked Filled by the body's own members, who choose one of themselves; there is no public vote for this office. The rule is in the law cited under the exact method. For: Chair, Vice-Chair
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked chair and vice-chair elected by the board For: Chair, Vice-Chair
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked Trustee on the 2022–2026 board; the term ends immediately before Monday 2 November 2026 (School Act s.49). TEA 2 City of Castlegar and part of RDCK Area J; listed on the board's website, checked 2026-10-11 For: Birkley Valks as Trustee
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked Trustee on the 2022–2026 board; the term ends immediately before Monday 2 November 2026 (School Act s.49). TEA 2 City of Castlegar and part of RDCK Area J. Board chair; listed on the board's website, checked 2026-10-11 For: Catherine Zaitsoff as Trustee
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked Trustee on the 2022–2026 board; the term ends immediately before Monday 2 November 2026 (School Act s.49). TEA 3 Village of Warfield, part of RDKB Area B, part of RDCK Area J; listed on the board's website, checked 2026-10-11 For: Darilyn Simister as Trustee
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked Trustee on the 2022–2026 board; the term ends immediately before Monday 2 November 2026 (School Act s.49). TEA 6 Village of Fruitvale, Village of Montrose, RDKB Area A. Vice-chair; listed on the board's website, checked 2026-10-11 For: Darrel Ganzert as Trustee
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked Trustee on the 2022–2026 board; the term ends immediately before Monday 2 November 2026 (School Act s.49). TEA 5 City of Rossland and part of RDKB Area B; listed on the board's website, checked 2026-10-11 For: Gordon Smith as Trustee
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked Trustee on the 2022–2026 board; the term ends immediately before Monday 2 November 2026 (School Act s.49). TEA 1 RDCK Area I and part of Area J; listed on the board's website, checked 2026-10-11 For: Kristin Ali as Trustee
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked Trustee on the 2022–2026 board; the term ends immediately before Monday 2 November 2026 (School Act s.49). TEA 4 City of Trail and part of RDKB Area B; listed on the board's website, checked 2026-10-11 For: Mark Wilson as Trustee, Terry Hanik as Trustee
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked Trustee on the 2022–2026 board; the term ends immediately before Monday 2 November 2026 (School Act s.49). TEA 6 Village of Fruitvale, Village of Montrose, RDKB Area A; listed on the board's website, checked 2026-10-11 For: Stephen Piccolo as Trustee
  • sd20.bc.ca · checked Elected by the board from among its trustees; listed on the board's website, checked 2026-10-11 For: Catherine Zaitsoff as Chair, Darrel Ganzert as Vice-Chair
  • elections.bc.ca · checked candidates, Elections BC registered-candidate list 2026-10-10 For: General election, October 17, 2026
  • bclaws.gov.bc.ca · checked election date set by law; candidates not loaded For: General election, October 17, 2026

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