EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Amanda brings a strong academic background in social work and public sector leadership, which supports her approach to governance, community-focused decision-making, and public service.

She holds a Master of Social Work in Leadership in Human Services from the University of Calgary, a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of British Columbia, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Development from the University of Toronto.

Amanda has also completed a Certificate in Public Sector Management at the University of Victoria, with a focus on program evaluation, service delivery, strategic planning, and ethical public management.

Her education reflects a long-standing commitment to understanding complex social systems and contributing to effective, accountable public service.

Amanda works for the BC Public Service as a Director with the Ministry of Children and Family Development and is a Registered Social Worker with the BC College of Social Workers. Through this work, she has developed strong collaborative relationships with community partners across the Sunshine Coast.

She also contributes to broader school board governance and sector leadership through roles such as:

Secretary, South Coast Branch, BC School Trustees Association (2019–2023)
Member, BCSTA Ad Hoc Elections Committee (2022)
Chair, BCSTA Ad Hoc Childcare Committee (2023–2025)

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

Amanda has a long history of community involvement and leadership across the Sunshine Coast, serving on a range of local boards and organizations for nearly 20 years. Her volunteer work reflects a commitment to building strong, inclusive, and connected communities.

Her community service includes roles such as:

Town of Gibsons Board of Variance (2008–present)
Town of Gibsons Parks and Community Services Committee (2008–2011)
Arrowhead Clubhouse Society (Clubhouse International), supporting adults living with mental health challenges — Secretary (2017–2019)
Girl Guides of Canada — Unit Leader (2017–present)
Coast String Fiddlers (2024–present)
Gibsons Community Building Society (Gibsons Public Market) — Director (2014–2015) and Board of Governors (2025–present)
Jack and Jill Parent Participation Preschool — Board Secretary (2011–2015)

Through this work, Amanda has built strong connections across the community and contributed to organizations that support families, inclusion, recreation, and local development.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Amanda has moved important issues forward on School Board and contributed to the success of our community.

Student Transportation
Amanda is committed to student safety and active transportation. Under her leadership, the District has advocated for safer routes to school and raised concerns about safety at the School Road/North Road and Gibsons Way intersection.

Read the article here.

Today, I am announcing that I am seeking re-election as School Trustee for Area 3 (Gibsons and the Lower Coast).

I’m running again because there is still important work ahead for public education. I remain committed to thoughtful leadership, meaningful collaboration, responsible governance, and ensuring every student has the opportunity to graduate with options, purpose, and dignity.

Serving our community over the past eight years, including the past six as Board Chair, has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.

Together, our Board has accomplished a great deal. We expanded access to food in schools, strengthened supports for student well-being and inclusion, advanced Truth and Reconciliation in partnership with the shíshálh Nation and Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw, invested in more sustainable schools, and advocated for the resources our students and schools need.

We have also navigated significant financial pressures while keeping students at the centre of every decision; a responsibility I have not taken lightly.

There is still important work ahead. My priorities for the next term will include advocating for provincial funding that reflects the true cost of delivering public education; securing sustainable per-pupil funding to expand access to publicly funded child care; supporting student achievement, well-being, and inclusive schools where every student feels they belong; and advancing climate leadership to build a stronger future for Sunshine Coast students.

If you believe in strong public education on the Sunshine Coast, I would be grateful if you would follow me, share this post, and invite others to join the conversation. Your support helps me connect with more people in our community and continue the important work ahead!

Thank you for your encouragement, your confidence, and your support over the past eight years. I look forward to earning your trust and your vote this fall.

Another great Canada Day Parade! 🇨🇦

Thank you to the @secheltbc for hosting another wonderful community celebration, and to our amazing @sd46sc staff for promoting the joy of summer reading through the Wonder Wheels.

A special thank you to Syiyaya for your partnership. It was wonderful to have our canoes travelling together today—a meaningful symbol of our shared commitment to community, learning, and Truth and Reconciliation.

Happy Canada Day!

Deeply grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside Syiyaya in the good work of Truth and Reconciliation on the Sunshine Coast. It is a privilege to partner with them on meaningful initiatives, including two from this past school year: the graduation ceremony honouring residential school survivors and the Orange Heart initiative in our schools.

Congratulations to all graduates of the Sunshine Coast School District Classes of 2026!

As you celebrate this achievement, remember: be your own hero. Trust yourself, embrace challenges, learn from setbacks, and celebrate your successes. Your next chapter starts today, and we can’t wait to see where it takes you!

Congratulations on 25 years @sceldercollege

We are so excited about these four new annual bursaries. Research shows that students who receive bursaries are more likely to complete their post-secondary programs, partly because they feel a sense of responsibility to their community—they know their community is supporting them and counting on them.
This donation is going to make such a difference in our community. It creates a sense of belonging and fosters a commitment that will help make the Sunshine Coast stronger, safer, and more connected for generations to come.
On behalf of the Board of Education, thank you for investing in our young people and in the future of our community!

Today we pause to remember, to honour, and to hold space for loss. I commit to creating safer workplaces—for everyone, every day.

BE IT RESOLVED:

That the British Columbia School Trustees Association advocate to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MOTT) for
amendments to provincial transportation policies, standards, and prioritization frameworks to establish a distinct, child centred
approach for schools located outside municipal boundaries, where MOTT is the responsible authority for road
and transportation infrastructure.

CARRIED

So pleased to have brought this motion forward to BCSTA and to have our student trustee Poppy speak alongside me in favour of this motion.

Some of the best traditions in our district start with a simple idea. Back in 2017, student leaders from the DSLT imagined something that could bring our schools together: a North vs. South hockey game.

What started with student voice has grown into a tradition across we all look forward to. Tonight is about community, connection, and belonging- reminding us we are stronger when we come together as one learning community.

Thank you to all the staff supporting the game tonight, and especially the many students whose leadership and hard work made tonight possible.

Congratulations North! Until next year…

Today we celebrate International Women’s Day and this year’s theme, Give to Gain. When we offer our time, our voices, and our compassion, we strengthen one another and our entire learning community.

The spirit of Give to Gain aligns closely with key strands in our Strategic Plan: Authentic Relationships, Authentic Real-World Learning, and the First Peoples Principles of Learning—all grounded in generosity, reciprocity, and respect.

Through these strands, and our value of Belonging, we continue building strong connections across our learning community and create spaces where women’s and girls’ stories are heard, valued, and supported.

#InternationalWomensDay #GiveToGain

Thank you to the organizers of the Sunshine Coast Local Government Campaign School — Betty Baxter, Justine Gabias, and Donna McMahon — for creating such an empowering and informative space for women considering public office.

I also want to recognize the many elected officials and leaders who generously contributed their time and insight through table conversations, panel discussions, and keynote speeches: Brenda Rowe, Kate-Louise Stamford, Maria Hampvent, Sue Girard, Donna Bell, Dianne McLaughlin, Annemarie De Andrade, and Randene Neill.

It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with so many women who are stepping forward — whether to run for office or to actively support female candidates. The energy in the room was inspiring, collaborative, and focused on meaningful civic engagement.

Feeling energized as we head toward Municipal Elections 2026!

With heavy hearts, the Sunshine Coast Board of Education stands alongside the Peace River Board of Education in support of Tumbler Ridge Secondary and the entire community of Tumbler Ridge. We are holding the students, staff, families, and community members in our thoughts as they begin the process of healing and recovery.

Get ready for School Board and Municipal elections- they are just around the corner! Join our info session on February 28, 2026, to find out what it means to run for office and represent your community.

We gathered today for something profoundly important: to recognize and acknowledge Canada’s history, and to pause in honor of the strength, spirit, and endurance of the elders who attended residential schools.
Two years ago, I had the privilege of sitting in elder listening circles and hearing the truth of our survivors. This year, I had the honor of addressing them as a graduating class of 2025 and we celebrated their life experiences as equivalent to graduation.
What I have learned is that, against all odds—and despite systems designed to take so much away—they protected, they preserved, and they shared. They held on to love, to language, to family, and to community. They are our teachers of resilience, the keepers of dignity, and the builders of community.
To all the survivors: we see you, we celebrate you, and we hold you up. Thank you shíshálh Nationa and Syiyaya Reconciliation for bringing us together today.

This week, on September 17, I had the privilege of presenting Certificates of Graduation to the shíshálh Nation Elders who attended residential school.

This was an incredible and historic ceremony, recognizing that the life experiences of those who attended residential school are equivalent to high school graduation.

To our graduates: We see you. We celebrate you. We hold you up.

Your story is not only worthy of being remembered — it will continue to guide us, inspire us, and be carried forward by generations to come.

Thank you to the shíshálh Nation and Syiyaya for your vision and partnership in making this moment possible.

Huge congratulations to Poppy, our new 2025/2026 Student Trustee! We look forward to your contributions and insights this year, amplifying student voices from across the district.

Wishing everyone a happy Labour Day and an amazing start to the 2025/26 school year! A huge thank you to the Sunshine Coast Labour Council for hosting.

Happy Canada Day from @sd46sc Board of Education!

?ul nu msh chxw (Thank you) for all your years of service, and all the Canada Day Parades, District Principal of Indigenous Learning Kerry Mahlman!

At Sunshine Coast Schools, we are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic events that unfolded at the Lapu-Lapu Festival — a cherished celebration that brings together families, culture, and community.

We are holding in our hearts the Filipino-Canadian community and all those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy. Our school counsellors, district staff, and school-based teams are available to offer care and support to our learning community during this difficult time.

At Sunshine Coast Schools, the well-being of our students, staff, and families remains at the forefront of our minds as we offer care, compassion, and support during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Amanda Amaral
Board Chair

Kate Kerr
Superintendent

Today we remember those who were injured or died on the job. On this Day of Mourning let’s recommit to making our workplaces safe for all.

Yesterday we launched our new 2024-2029 strategic plan: Paddling towards irresistible futures. And today we welcome students back into our schools, including four excited kids from my family. Wishing all the students, staff and families in our learning community a fantastic year!

It was an amazing experience to witness the pole raising today. In this we journey together!

Happy Canada Day! It’s always a good time being part of the Sunshine Coast School District float. Thank you to all the staff for making it happen.

Congratulations to all the graduates in the Sunshine Coast School District Class of 2024!
We are so proud of you and all the best in what you choose next.

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day. Today we celebrate, on the summer solstice and longest day of the year, the history, diversity and resilience of Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

I acknowledge with respect the unceded and traditional lands and waters of the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw and the shíshálh Nation where I live.

Congratulations to all the authors published in this year’s Costal Voices!

Great things come from our student forums and this year was extra special as we hosted two of them!

So excited by the possibilities that will come from the Climate Hope Teacher Inquiry project that took place in our district this year. Thank you to all the teachers and district staff that support this important work!

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EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Student Transportation Amanda is committed to student safety and active transportation. Under her leadership, the District has advocated for safer routes to school and raised concerns about safety at the School Road/North Road and Gibsons Way intersection. Read the article here.

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Student Transportation
Amanda is committed to student safety and active transportation. Under her leadership, the District has advocated for safer routes to school and raised concerns about safety at the School Road/North Road and Gibsons Way intersection.

Read the article here.