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My Story

I’m grateful to know Chilliwack as my home. My wife and I set our roots in this community and we’re raising a family here. We both sought to learn about and invest ourselves in Chilliwack through public service and volunteer work, and with every passing year, we’ve experienced both the challenges that Chilliwack has faced and the successes that our community shares.

Over two terms now, I’ve had the incredible privilege of being elected to the Chilliwack Board of Education, a responsibility I am both humbled by and grateful for. I remain steadfast in the belief that a robust, inclusive, and locally accountable public education system is essential to the health of our community; it is the best opportunity to offer every child a brighter future. 

Over this past term, I have worked thoughtfully and diligently, embracing the learning and listening necessary to serve in the position, and fostering leadership skills that have served the district and the broader community. 

I’ve also actively participated in crucial dialogues addressing the priorities of public education, public infrastructure, early learning, and child development across the province. I’m proud of the work I’ve contributed to but recognize there is so much more to be done.

As your trustee, I continue to approach every discussion with respect.

My commitment through the next term is to maintain that approach, supporting the integrity of the board and public trust in its decisions. 

I bring board governance experience and understanding from both public education and child development sector which will be essential to support a renewed board through the challenges of the next term.

David Swankey

Experience

Chair
Chilliwack Board of Education
2024 – present

Chair
District Audit Working Committee
2024 – present

Chair
District Budget Advisory Committee
2022 – 2024

Chair
District Accessibility Advisory Committee
2023 – 2025

Board Director
BC School Trustee Association
2025 – present

Chair
BCSTA Finance & Audit Committee
2025 – present

Chair
BCSTA Legislative Committee
2022 – 2025

Chair
BCSTA Bylaw Working Group
2023 – 2025

Vice Chair
Fraser Valley Child Development Centre 
2021 – present

Board Director
BC Association of Child Development & Intervention
2024 – present

My Platform

Supporting Safe
& Inclusive Schools

School should be a place where students feel safe to be themselves, to build relationships with their peers, and to learn. 

For some students, that sense of belonging comes easily. For others, it takes intentional work and the right supports.

We need to keep building school communities where every student is treated with dignity and respect. 

This requires support for student and staff well-being, ensuring schools have the resources to respond to local need, and working alongside families, Rightsholders and community partners. 

When students feel seen, supported, and included, they are better able to thrive.

Prioritizing Student Achievement & Success

Success looks different for every student.

Strong literacy and numeracy skills are essential, but they are only part of a student’s journey.

A strong public education opens doors. For one student, that might mean pursuing university. For another, it could be a career in trades, technology, the arts or any number of emerging fields. As a district, we must provide students with the opportunities to explore their interests, discover their strengths and develop the attributes and skills to support lifelong learning.

The goal is not to have every student follow the same path. It is to make sure every student has the opportunity to find a path that works for them and to foster the confidence they need to pursue it.

Investing in Targeted & Timely Intervention

The Chilliwack School District serves an increasingly diverse community, and a one-size-fits-all approach does not reflect the complexity of our schools or the different needs of students and families.

Good stewardship means asking where our resources can have the greatest impact. 

We should identify challenges early, direct additional support to students who need it most, and make sure interventions are timely, practical and effective.

We also need to prepare for changes to MCFD’s Child and Youth with Support Needs Framework being implemented over the next term. 

This requires us to work with families, Rightsholders, and community partners, anticipating the impact on the supports relied upon by many district students.

Maintaining a Fiscally Responsible Approach

Sound fiscal management is essential to confidence in public education right now. But being financially responsible is about more than balancing a budget. It’s about making thoughtful choices with limited resources and keeping students at the centre of those decisions.

Families and communities are already experiencing financial hardship arising from economic instability and cost of living pressures. It is essential that the district maintain a position that doesn’t download further financial burdens on families as a barrier to access.

At the same time, we cannot ask operating budgets to carry the cost of provincial capital responsibilities. Capital cost-sharing agreements can draw funding away from classrooms and other front-line services.

We must keep advocating for the province to fully fund the infrastructure our growing community needs including land acquisition, new school construction, and school additions. Strong advocacy and sound financial management go hand in hand.