DPAC Executive Nomination: Alan Patola Moosman

Alan Patola Moosmann has been nominated to the DPAC Executive by the Kitsilano PAC. His nomination will be voted on at our AGM on June 23, 2022.

In his own words: Hello, my name is Alan Patola Moosmann and I am asking your PAC to please consider supporting me as a candidate for a second term on the Vancouver DPAC executive. I have served on the DPAC executive for the past three years, the last two as treasurer, and if elected would stand for treasurer again. Our youngest child is going into grade 12 at Kitsilano Secondary, so if elected I would serve for one year of the three year executive term, then lay down the position as she graduates.

Although I was elected to the DPAC executive after serving as the DPAC rep for Henry Hudson Elementary and then for Kitsilano Secondary over a number of years, the past three years have nonetheless been a steep learning curve. This was particularly true as we worked through the many changes arising from the pandemic to continue to effectively support PACs in both governance and advocacy work, and to bring parent perspectives on a multitude of issues to the attention of district staff and trustees. I am running again in part because I still have a lot to learn, and in part because I would like to contribute further to several pieces of work in progress, including advocacy re area standards, exploring ways to address the shortage of before and after school childcare spaces, helping the extracurricular choral program start on a sound footing, and in general contributing to DPAC’s efforts to increase the capacity of PACs to advocate effectively for quality public education.

One of the challenges of executive service is managing time and balancing multiple priorities - much of the work demands an ability to be responsive in a timely way to whatever comes up. Over the past three years I have been much more effective at meeting this challenge at some times than at others (I’ve given the Childcare Committee, for example, less time and attention than needed to make it effective this year and would like to focus more energy there.) At the end of this summer I will be retiring from 13 years of work as a licensed family childcare provider and closing the small daycare I run from our family home. So I anticipate having significantly more time to keep up with the work in the coming year!

I have enjoyed working with my frequently inspiring colleagues on the DPAC executive and getting to know dedicated volunteers from a number of PACs, and look forward to an opportunity to continue this service for another year. I have solid family support for taking on this work. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at apatola@telus.net.