As a group, board members are involved in attending regular board meetings and other meetings to work on the pillars they are responsible for. They earnestly review reports to ensure the school is being faithful to its mission statement.
Their activity may necessitate that directors attend some additional committee meetings. The role of a director is to work, meaning that they are actively undertaking many responsibilities.
Directors also work in the role of advisors. They support, review and advise during any planning process and when considering potential decisions. In effect, they give counsel on many topics as decisions are worked through. In order to be effective advisors, the directors seek information, by gathering research and outside opinions to ensure that the best decisions are made.
The goal of being active, being advisors, and taking time to reflect is to function better as a board and serve the BC Christian Academy Society in the best manner possible.
Please feel free to reach out to the Board at boardsecretary@bccaschool.ca
Noel Asirvatham
Capt. Noel Asirvatham with his wife Esther enjoyed the privilege of educating their daughters at BCCA since 1998 on relocating to Vancouver from Toronto. Capt. Noel Asirvatham has been in the shipping industry for over 40 years. He has worked both at sea and ashore, currently serving as Regional Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Canada for Westwood Shipping Lines. They believe the values taught to their children at home and church were reinforced at the academy, and were thankful to the Lord for directing them to BCCA. Noel shares a burden for the work with children and is actively involved both in Sunday school and youth ministries in the church. He has been serving on the CBS BC District Board since 2012 and joined the CBS Board of Governors in 2017, where he served as Board Chair till 2022 He counts it a privilege to partake in the call of God upon BCCA and wants to see the school grow and accomplish the role in furthering the Kingdom of God.
Liz Page
My name is Liz Page. I had the privilege of teaching for sixteen years at BCCA: eleven years of Kindergarten and five years of primary music. I now have the offer and honour of being on the Board.
My daughter teaches at the elementary school. My two grandchildren attend BCCA as well. How exciting to see the continued legacy at God’s school! God is good all the time!
I look forward to serving on the School Board. I am continuing to pray for God’s blessings on BCCA!
“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
Whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, -if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Philippians 4:8
Natalie Yu
Natalie Yu’s Daughter, Jessy, graduated from BCCA in 2017. Natalie and her family immigrated to Canada in 2013 and was in search of a suitable secondary school for Jessy. She was introduced to BCCA by Natalie’s ESL classmate at Douglas College and attended the C our story tour at BCCA. The 3 C’s (Christ, Community, Compassion) attracted Natalie and her family as well as the family-like atmosphere in the school. Natalie got connected to BCCA and started volunteering as a Parent Volunteer and gotten to know more about Christ and has accepted Jesus as her personal Savior. BCCA has changed her personal and family life.
Calvin Gray
Calvin Gray lives in Port Coquitlam with his wife Bruna and daughters Savannah and Summer. BCCA is a big pillar in his family and it was an answer to prayer that his two children could attend a school that represents and protects their faith and family values. Calvin has worked in the construction industry for nearly 2 decades. He currently serves as the VP of Construction for Houston Landscapes. Calvin came to Christ more than a decade ago, he currently serves as an elder at Grace Community Church in Pitt Meadows where he attends with his family.
Pastor Joel Conti
Pastor Joel is the Lead Pastor of Northside Foursquare Church. He has been married to his wife Sonja since 2005 and has 5 children (all who currently attend BCCA). Joel lives on a small farm, home to about 80 farm animals (depending on the day). During his days away from the church, he can be found hanging out with family, running along the dyke, or driving his tractor. Joel completed his undergraduate degree from Trinity Western University in 2004 and received a Master of Christian Ministry Degree from Oral Roberts University in 2022. He has been a licensed pastor since 2013 and has been in full time ministry since 2015. Joel has also worked in Construction Management for 10 years, building multi-family residential projects in the lower mainland. Joel’s passion for ministry is to see a church that is presence-focused, faith-filled, and servant-hearted.
Don Knodel
Our family has been attending BC Christian Academy since January 2022. I am married to Veturia and have 3 wonderful children. My oldest child is Sofia in grade one, Louis, our youngest, is ten months old and Josef is four. I’ve worked as a film producer, location manager and actor for over 30 years in the film industry. I’ve been on two short term mission trips (the Maritimes where we planted a church & Nicaragua where we helped to build 2 churches, showed the Jesus Film in a few villages and did services in a women’s prison & orphanage); I was a small group leader at Willingdon Church for 24 years (4 years in the College & Career group, where I was also a deacon, and 20 years with an adult small group); I served with the Willingdon Choir for 31 years; I’ve sung on various worship teams for 6 years; I led & sang in a mixed double quartet group for 3 years; wrote (for 12 years) & directed our Church Christmas & Easter productions, which I also acted, sang & danced in for 33 years; I directed, acted in and wrote skits for an outreach drama troupe for 3 years; coached & managed a Christian Men’s Ice Hockey team for 4 years; I’ve served in women’s prison ministry and youth detention ministry in Burnaby; I provided (wrote & acted in) skits and entertainment for the College & Career Group and Young Adult Group including retreats for over 16 years; I led a Discovery Sunday School class for new members at Willingdon for several years; I performed in our touring College & Career musicals for 5 years; I did prayer ministry at the front of the church every Sunday for about 20 years; working in ministry for many years, I can say that I’ve had great experiences serving together with God’s children but there have also been some who were very difficult, yet through prayer and perseverance I have pursued because it is the Lord who I serve. I have been attending TriCity Church in Port Coquitlam since it started six years ago and am actively involved in the church, including teaching Sunday School, serving as a Community Group Leader, and acting in the plays and skits for Kids Camps and Ministry Appreciation Night.
John Cota
Ian Jarvie (Ex-Officio)
I have had the privilege of serving in the educational field since 1986. My wife and I first started our teaching careers in Tokyo. Our plan was to teach there for one year but God had other plans for us and we ended teaching in Japan for 5 years. Upon returning to the Vancouver lower mainland area (my birthplace) in the early 1990s, God led me to this small, upstart school called British Columbia Academy in September 1993. It was the school’s second year of operation and I had the privilege of teaching biblical truths to a grade 4-7 class (yes, one class with 4 grades in it!). Over my years at BCCA, I have taught multiple grades and courses from grades 4-12. In 1995-96, I was honoured to have been asked to be the interim principal of the school, and the following year, principal. It has been an amazing journey, where God has allowed me to be part of a wonderful Christian staff that has been able to impact the lives of our students and families for the sake of Christ. A highlight in my career took place when BC Christian Academy was finally able to purchase a school property of their own (the 1019 Fernwood Campus, PoCo) in June 2020. After 28 years, God has given us the opportunity to provide an excellent education for many generations to come. I cannot think of a more rewarding career where we can open the eyes of our students to God’s amazing creation!
