Zeni Maartman Candidate profile approved

"Experienced, Collaborative Leadership I bring real experience to the trustee table having served as an SD 68 Trustee, on Nanaimo City Council, and on the Regional District. I will listen to families, work respectfully with staff and the community, and make practical, evidence-based decisions that put students first. Fiscal Transparency THE CHALLENGE Budget decisions too often feel opaque to the very families who fund them. Trust erodes when spending can't be traced to outcomes. THE SOLUTION Publish a plain-language annual budget breakdown, host open budget town halls, and tie every major expenditure to a measurable student outcome. THE OUTCOME An open, searchable district budget by the next fiscal cycle."

"Public Schools First Our public schools are being asked to do more with less. I will lead the push for a real increase in provincial funding for SD 68 and prioritize public schools over private school funding. I bring years of trusted relationships across every level of government. I will work with City Council, MLAs, MPs, and regional partners so Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Lantzville, Cedar, and Gabriola Island get heard in Victoria."

"Inclusion & Belonging Every learner deserves to be seen, supported, safe, and genuinely welcomed. I will champion anti-racism, accessibility, and the wrap-around supports that let every child show up ready to learn. I will work with the Board to continue a district-wide push against bullying in every form, so our schools are places of kindness and belonging where each student feels truly at home."

"Respect for Every Worker THE CHALLENGE Teachers, education assistants, custodians and janitors, maintenance crews, and bus drivers are feeling stretched thin, under-consulted, and treated as an afterthought when budgets are set. THE SOLUTION Put the best interests and wellbeing of all employees at the table: genuine consultation before staffing and workload changes, safe and healthy working conditions, mental-health supports for staff, and a real voice for every role — classroom to custodial to transportation. THE OUTCOME Continue the district's annual employee engagement survey and use its learnings and feedback to build better, fairer practices with a real voice for every role, classroom to custodial to transportation."

"Mental Health & Wellbeing THE CHALLENGE Mental health and wellbeing matter for everyone in the district including students, teachers, education assistants, custodians, bus drivers, and every employee. The good news is that SD 68's student counselors already sit above the provincial average and exceed the provincial recommendation. But that doesn't mean every need is being met — we can build on this progress and keep improving outcomes. THE SOLUTION Build on our above-average counselor numbers by adding more capacity where it's needed, supporting every employee group's wellbeing, and partnering with local mental-health providers. THE OUTCOME Counseling capacity grows each budget cycle, and wellbeing support reaches students, teachers, and all district employees."

"Inclusion & Student Support THE CHALLENGE SD 68's learning-support waitlists and staffing gaps mean too many students fall behind before help arrives. Families report navigating a maze to access basic supports, and parents of children who need specialized designations, such as autism, often wait far too long for the assessments and resources their kids are entitled to. THE SOLUTION Advocate directly with the province to fund and streamline redesignations for students who need specialized support including autism. Continue inclusive, SOGI-affirming education so every child is safe and welcome at school; run an equity audit of programs and outcomes; build a single, plain-language family pathway to services; and collaborate alongside the families of students with needs — because they know their children best and belong at the decision-making table. THE OUTCOME An overall reduction in learning-support wait times and a clear, family-centred pathway to services with families of students with needs at the table."

"Reconciliation & Indigenous Education THE CHALLENGE True reconciliation requires more than acknowledgement, it demands embedding Indigenous knowledge, language, and partnership across the curriculum and governance. THE SOLUTION Deepen partnership with the Snuneymuxw, Snaw-naw-as, and Stz'uminus First Nations whose traditional territories the district resides within and with community partners including the Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre and the Mid Island Métis Nation; expand Indigenous language programs, and ensure board decisions are informed by Indigenous voice. THE OUTCOME Authentic, ongoing partnership embedded in district policy."

"The Province has announced funding for new K to 7 elementary school in Ladysmith as well as expansion of Ladysmith Primary. The top capital priority will continue to be the replacement of NDSS which is long overdue. Long term facility planning requires consultation with all stakeholders, engaging with families and good communication. "

"Academic Outcomes & Literacy THE CHALLENGE Provincial literacy and numeracy scores lag behind the provincial average in several cohorts. Too many students reach high school without confident reading foundations. THE SOLUTION Adopt evidence-based early reading instruction, invest in teacher professional development, and set transparent district-wide reading benchmarks from K–3. THE OUTCOME 90% of Grade 3 students reading at grade level by 2030. Trades, Tech & Career Pathways THE CHALLENGE Not every student is headed to university, yet trades and technology programs remain under-resourced and hard to access equitably. SD 68 already has a strong foundation: the Career Technical Centre, established when I served as trustee from 1996 to 1999, partners with Vancouver Island University to give students hands-on, dual-credit pathways into trades and technology. THE SOLUTION Keep the Career Technical Centre a central focus of the district, strengthen the VIU partnership, and make sure every secondary student knows it's an option so applied pathways are visible, accessible, and supported across all schools. THE OUTCOME Every secondary student is aware of and has access to a Career Technical Centre pathway."

"The great news here is the Province just announced in June it is expanding the school based childcare in SD 68 was going from five to twelve programs creating almost 500 childcare spaces. Even better news is that positions will be filled by district EAs increasing their hours of work for more stability. School property is also used for infant and toddler childcare. "