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About
Vision: a healthy, vibrant, inclusive community on Hornby Island, where a love of learning is supported throughout people‘s lives.
Mission: to further education and community development on Hornby Island by: developing, providing, or facilitating programs, services and activities in support of the Vision; by advocating, encouraging, coordinating and partnering in support of this Mission.
History: The Hornby Island Educatonal Society (HIES) is a non-profit organization with charitable tax status that was incorporated as Society in June 1980. It is run by a Board of 11 volunteers, and for 14 years, employed a full time Coordinator to manage its many programs and services. Due to core funding cutbacks from School District 71, the Coordinator position has been eliminated. There is now a Society Executive Director that fulfills the responsibilities of the Society. The daily management of the programs has been “fostered out” to other groups or agencies wherever possible.
1980
Hornby Island Educational Society formed to hold as an asset for the community, the Room to Grow building
The Parent Advisory Council Executive became the Hornby Island Educational Society Executive.
Room to Grow building built by the community using donated materials, labor and fundraising.
The School Board leased the Room to Grow building as a classroom until the new addition to the Hornby School was built. The Hornby Island Educational Society/PAC were a very wealthy group and for many years held the lease income in GIC‘s to be used for maintaining the building or moving it if ever necessary.
1992
A group of parents working with the HIES/PAC executive were interested in pursuing Community School status for the Hornby Island Elementary School primarily to increase community access to the building. A proposal was submitted to the School District and the group were successful in obtaining Community School status.
1994
In August 1993, The School District officially designated the Hornby Island Elementary School as a Community School.
September 1993
The HIES/PAC Executive hired April Lewis as the interim coordinator with the task of securing funding for a full time staff.
December 1993
Human Resources Development Canada provided a $25000 Stay in Schools grant to HIES to support students who were at risk of not graduating. An additional $15,000 Employment Needs grant was also secured to identify barriers to employment and community skills and mentor base.
1994
Upon the suggestion of Joy Jeffries, the Hornby Island Community School became a member of the Association for Community Education in BC (ACEbc), an organization that supports the development of new community schools and the improvement of existing community schools.
1994
Grants from the Ministry of Education specifically targeting Community Schools were given. The Hornby School applied and received $75,000 to create and manage programs and services for its youth and families and community at large. The School District agrees with HIES to jointly employ the Community Programs Coordinator.
1994
The School Board stipulates that a Community School Committee must be formed to oversee the programs and services that are offered through HIES/PAC. They also stipulate that a representative from the teacher‘s union (CDTA), the school support staff union (CUPE) and the School Administrator must sit on this committee in order to ensure that their interests are represented.
1994 to 2003
HIES continues to receive $75000 annually from the Social Equity budget of School District 71 to coordinate and operate its programs and services.
2000
The Executive of HIES/PAC raise concerns about being responsible for such a large budget and the two entities agree to separate. Each group will have its own Executive. PAC will now be a regular Parent Advisory Council and HIES will oversee the many community programs that have been created under its Community School focus and will also manage all the assets of the Society.
2001
An Assistant Coordinator was hired to share the workload and shadow the Coordinator position.
2004
HIES receives $46,0000 from the Social Equity budget of School District 71 after extensive lobbying to maintain funding. The challenge is convincing the School District Board members that our youth meet the criteria for “youth at risk” as laid out in the Social Equity budget guidelines.
2004
Clyde Woolman, Superintendant of School District 71, ends the District agreement with HIES to jointly employ the Community School Coordinator.
2005
HIES receives $46,000 from the LINKS budget of School District 71 after extensive lobbying to maintain funding. The position of Assistant is eliminated and the duties that were carried out by that position, returned to the Community School Coordinator.
2006
HIES receives $29,000 from the LINKS budget of School District 71 after extensive lobbying to maintain funding.
2007
HIES receives $20,000 from the LINKS budget of School District 71 after extensive lobbying to maintain funding.
2008
HIES receives $20,000 from the operating budget of School District 71 after extensive lobbying to maintain funding. The position of Community School Coordinator is eliminated, The School Board ceases to administrate the salary of the Coordinator. HIES creates a part time Executive Director position to oversee the business of the Society, including the funding and monitoring of existing Community School programs. Community Education classes for adults are eliminated. The coordination and daily management of the remaining programs and services are fostered out to various agencies and staff.
2009
HIES receives an additional $10,000 from the LINKS budget of School District 71 to support programs for the Hornby youth.
The Board responds to the direction of the Community and under its Community Programs aspect, initiates, facilitates, coordinates and sustains programs in a variety of areas that meet community needs. The Community Programs aspect of HIES operates with many local partners and links with off island agencies as well to provide as complete a service as possible. The Board‘s main tasks are to oversee the Community Programs and manage the buildings that it owns – Room to Grow, the Teen Trailer and The Kitchen building. HIES manages the Hornby Island Community Fund, the Bruce Fairbairn Memorial Bursary, the Hornby Island Memorial Scholarship, The Seabreeze/Bishop Family Scholarship and partners with the Denman Community School and Denman Church to manage the Denman Island United Church Memorial Fund.
Since the primary mandate of HIES is to provide services and programs that are accessible to all who wish to participate, subsidies are available to all who request them. Funding for the various programs and services comes from user fees, fundraising, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Hornby Island Recreation tax dollars and the Gaming Commission. Other program and/or project specific grants are obtained whenever possible.
