Incumbent Rhiannon Bennett and running mates Andrea Hilder and Mita Naidu call for a new approach to education in Delta

Mita Naidu
Mita Naidu

Delta: The Delta Voices team has launched its campaign for the 2018 school board election, pledging to build better relationships within the community; provide more support and advocacy to students, staff and teachers; and create greater transparency. The slate is anchored by incumbent Trustee Rhiannon Bennett, who is joined by running mates Andrea Hilder, a Family Support Worker and Education Assistant and who works in schools in Delta and Richmond, and Mita Naidu, the Director of Development and Communications for a large non-profit in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and an arts advocate. All three are mothers whose children are between the ages of 2 and 16.

Rhiannon Bennett made history in 2014, being the first Indigenous person to be elected to the Delta School Board. Building on that success, Mita Naidu is poised to become the first South Asian woman to be elected to the Delta School Board.

The Delta Voices candidates say School District 37 needs fresh, engaged and experienced voices to give our students more opportunities to develop, attract and retain top teachers and staff, and make our schools leaders in educational excellence.

Trustee Rhiannon Bennett was looking for a different team to work with this election. She approached Andrea Hilder and Mita Naidu with hopes of creating something new and powerful for Delta. “I wanted a new team of strong women to bring advocacy and a wider breadth of voices to the table,” she says.

“Families in Delta deserve schools that have engaging, inclusive programs that support each student’s learning,” says Rhiannon Bennett. “They need schools with stimulating and safe playgrounds, and modern sports fields and tracks that are in good repair. With my experience as a Delta School Trustee, I know what the priorities are in our district, and how to accomplish them. As parents, we of the Delta Voices team are committed to providing our schools with everything they need to challenge our students and help them grow.”

Andrea Hilder says connecting families, students and educators is also a priority. “As someone who works in our classrooms, I know how important it is for everyone to have opportunities to talk to each other about how we can help our kids succeed in school and in life. Parents, teachers, other school staff, and kids themselves each have unique perspectives that contribute value to education, and our Delta Voices team is going to create more opportunities for them to come together to identify what matters and how to improve.”

And Mita Naidu says she and the other Delta Voices candidates will also place an emphasis on putting equity into practice. “It’s vital that everyone involved in education, from the school board, to teachers, to families work to ensure that every student is given every opportunity to succeed. From my work with various communities, I understand that students from diverse backgrounds and with different needs and abilities deserve support to ensure they can learn and thrive alongside other kids. We’re going to make sure equity is at the heart of every student’s experience in Delta schools.”

The Delta Voices team is calling on voters in Ladner, North Delta, Tsawwassen and the Tsawwassen First Nation to elect Rhiannon Bennett, Andrea Hilder and Mita Naidu to the school board this October. Vote for fresh voices, engaged voices, and experienced voices!

All three members of Delta Voices have been endorsed by the New Westminster and District Labour Council.

For more information, visit the Delta Voices website: www.deltavoices.ca