THUNDER BAY - Dougall Media reached out to school board trustee candidates in the public and Catholic board races and are publishing the answers to a series of questions posed to them. Not all candidates responded with answers to the questions posed.
1: Why did you decide to run for school board trustee?
Education is very important and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to attend school is even more important. Trustees are the only group responsible for the student’s best interests.
2: What is the biggest challenge schools in our community currently face? How do you propose to address it?
Provincial funding is the biggest challenge and the decrease to school funding by this government. (This won’t happen but I would look to see one publicly funded system, I get very upset every time I see an advertisement for a school system. The curriculum is directed by the Province, so it is the same through the province. The money spent on Advertising would be better spent on students.) Trustee through the budget process can hope to increase provincial funding.
3: What is the single greatest impact you plan to make for students?
Through policy to ensure equity and safety for all students. Focus on mental health issues.
4: How can school boards support equity, diversity, and inclusion and human rights initiatives?
Trustees through good policies and working with the whole community to ensure that initiatives are working. We must listen. What can trustees do concretely to improve graduation rates at board high schools? We need to be listening to students and their needs. I feel they are under too much pressure
5: Do you feel the budget process adequately reflects the needs of the classroom?
Through the budge process Trustees do what it can with the funding it receives from the Province which has been decrease with this Government.
6: As schools transition from COVID-19, what do you think needs to be done to address the effects of the pandemic on mental health and well-being, student engagement and learning recovery?
Having had the opportunity to see firsthand students learning and the pandemic. We listen to them focus on their future and let them know there is a future for them and take the pressure off of them.
7: Knowing and acknowledging that many Indigenous students already face significant gaps in learning outcomes and achievement, what would you propose to do to mitigate learning loss specific to the unique challenges and needs faced by many Indigenous students across many Indigenous communities in the province particularly those in remote areas?
The Lakedhead District School Board, a number of years ago started to establish curriculum around Indigenous students I continue to support and encourage this path of learning.
8: Can you comment on what schools need to support students with special needs?
Funding from the Province and understanding that one size does not fit all.
9: What are your views on the role of technology in teaching and learning?
Technology has a place in the class room but not for all. Having firsthand experience with online learning through the pandemic in person works best for the majority. Out of my five only one was truly successful.
