EFMA MEMBER PROFILE
Allan Van Tassel
Chilliwack School District
Clockwise: Allan’s son Liam, Allan, son Ethan, and wife Lisa.
I
t was the lure of warmer weather that brought Allan Van Tassel and his family from their home in Peace River, British Columbia to the sweeping valleys of Chilliwack. Although he, his wife, and two teenaged sons are avid downhill skiers, they sought the opportunity to take part in more year-round activities. Leaving his position as the director of operations at Peace River South School District (SD#59) also gave him the opportunity to take on some new challenges. As the director of facilities and transportation at the Chilliwack School District (SD #33), Van Tassel oversees custodial, transportation, and facilities for 34 schools with approximately 15,000 students. The district’s fleet of 54 buses transports 4,000 students twice a day.
Van Tassel says that when he arrived at the Chilliwack School District in 2016, the town’s population was increasing at such a pace that enrollment was seeing 300 – 400 new students per year. To accommodate this persistent influx of students, his district currently has over 100 portables at the various schools. “We decided to make it our goal to reduce the number of portables in use and increase the number of buildings,” says Van Tassel. “This is a very engaged and hardworking group, so I knew it would be possible.” In the past four years, the Chilliwack School District has received over $100 million in capital funding to upgrade current schools and to build two new facilities. The rate of progress in this district is some-
Enjoying the outdoors with sons Ethan and Liam.
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Ops Talk • Spring 2021
thing that Van Tassel says his team worked very hard for and is pleased with the results taking space. GW Graham Secondary School is receiving a $23.9-million addition which will add capacity for an additional 450 students. The upgrade includes 20 new classrooms, a trades sampler, a computer design and robotics lab, and a covered outdoor space with audio video equipment for all classes to use. Construction is expected to be complete and ready for students by September 2022. Construction is already underway on the upgrades to Vedder Elementary School. The $11.8-million, twostorey addition, which includes 10 new classrooms and a maker space, will allow an additional 240 students into the updated learning environment by September 2022.
