Why Join the PAC?

Why should I care about joining the PAC?  My kids are older now so I don’t need to be so involved with their school anymore and certainly not the PAC or I’m an adult student so I don’t think my input is necessary.  Sound like something you’ve thought?  I hope to help you understand the value that you may not have realized.

Each school PAC receives Gaming funding from the government.  The funding is a significant amount and is about $20/student based on enrollment from the past year.  It’s based on the past year because we have the numbers and we receive the funding each September to help us get going.  This funding is to be used directly for the students on items such as field trips, team building exercises, gym equipment, graduation ceremony and scholarships.

If the school does not have a PAC, these funds will be issued to support a school.  Gaming rules are that the funds cannot be administered by the School Administration or Staff, only by parents of students or, in the case of WestShore, it also includes adult students.  Therefore, without a PAC, Gaming will not provide funding or at least the funding cannot be spent without valid signatories and would then have to be given back.

Last year the students went to MakerSpace a couple of times which was a big hit, we bought new basketball hoops for the Colwood Campus, they had a lovely sunny day graduation ceremony on the lawn at the Royal Colwood Golf Club and several students went away with scholarships to help boost their future in education.

We don’t just sign cheques for everything, we have to ensure that the rules of Gaming are followed and that we all agree on each purchase.  This year we have more funds to make decisions on and one of them is Emergency Preparedness supplies.  Without two PAC authorized signatures… these supplies can’t be purchased.

The meetings are 1 hour every month (10 meetings per year), contact the Langford Campus to find out when/where the next meeting is.  So why should you care about joining PAC?  Because the students need you to, even if they don’t realize it!

Westshore Advisory Council President