Patti Bacchus was elected to the Vancouver School Board in 2008 and 2011 and has been elected Board Chair of each year she's been in office. As a Board Chair and trustee, Patti is recognized province-wide as a strong and articulate advocate for Vancouver’s public schools and for standing up for the needs of all students and schools.
She is proud of the Vision Vancouver School Board team’s commitment to strengthening and vitalizing schools in Vancouver communities by finding innovative and cost-effective uses for surplus space, instead of simply closing down those that experience short-term, low enrolment.
Named as one of BC’s Top 100 Influential Women by the Vancouver Sun, Patti listens to parents, students and communities and has worked to successfully minimize the impact of provincial funding shortfalls on classrooms, and has secured additional provincial funding for Vancouver schools. She has been a key figure in the school seismic upgrade process since its beginnings as a family-driven advocacy movement. She has since led the Board in securing funding to upgrade or rebuild several Vancouver schools and she is committed to seeing the completion of all outstanding seismic upgrade projects.
As a strong supporter of providing a continuum of services to meet diverse learning needs, Patti has worked alongside her colleagues and community members to develop plans for Vancouver’s first Aboriginal-focused school of choice, an Early Mandarin Bilingual program, expanded Montessori programming and Vancouver’s first primary International Baccaulaureate Program.
Patti was born and raised in Vancouver and a graduate of Point Grey Secondary School, the University of Victoria and Langara College. Patti is married to Lee Bacchus and they have three children.
Facebook: facebook.com/patti.bacchus
Twitter: twitter.com/pattibacchus
Website: votevision.ca/patti_bacchus
