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?
Being a trustee is a call to follow the tradition of local decision-making in the best interests of the constituents who trust in your integrity and leadership. As a former educator, now retired, from Thunder Bay Catholic, my career of valuing every person in the Board community and fostering equity for all students remains a personal goal.
2: What is the biggest challenge schools in our community currently face?
Program skills recovery and closing the gap for all students who are back in classrooms following the pandemic requires greater due diligence and management in fiscal restraints. Every child matters!
2a: How do you propose to address it?
Financial commitments legislated by the provincial government deliver the required funding for all the necessary operational and program supervision of the schools including all human and maintenance resources. Careful budgeting, prudently monitored is the pinnacle of all economic productivity.
3: What is the single greatest impact you plan to make for students?
Every Student Counts is a logo that is a personal mantra for many. This includes ensuring safety, equity, inclusion and diversity in an environment that offers security for each individual. This is a goal for which all people strive and it must begin for the young.
4: How can school boards support equity, diversity, inclusion and human rights initiatives?
Each Board has a Mission and Vision statement that guilds their Strategic Plan. All goals and objectives within their pillars are reflected in their policy which is the backbone of the system.
What can trustees do concretely to improve graduation rates at board high schools?
Be present at all activities within the high school curriculum as invitations allow. Social visibility within a four-year elected tenure can promote a trustee's intent of being involved as someone who cares and is interested the success of each student. Absence does not make the heart grow fonder in this case.
5: Do you feel the budget process adequately reflects the needs of the classroom?
The provincial government is the jurisdiction that controls the distribution of ratepayers' funds. Currently, inflation and other economic variables are dictating constraints. How much is enough and how much is not enough? That is always the debatable topic. The word “deficit” conjures up concerns that only careful budgeting will prompt to erase that word.
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?
We are all in this together. The cliché of, “This is a good question!” sometimes prompts quick answers, partial answers but perhaps no positive/concrete solutions. As social beings, my belief is that we are all equal but different. This is a philosophical statement that needs to be respected so we find, with added hope, that human relationships will develops to result in unity of purpose.
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 a 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?
At present, it has been within my experience of a 4 term trustee, that the 94 tenets of the Truth and Reconciliation legislation have made tremendous progress but surely not to the extent that resolution within the confines of all concerns has been achieved. This is not a fact but in my opinion there are many evidences of social commitment leading to the achievement in or at least proceeding in the right direction to make more gains in this area.
8: Can you comment on what schools need to support students with special needs?
Again, having been involved in Special Education services as a teacher for many years prior to retirement and serving on the External Board Committee, Special Education Advisory Committee(SEAC) as the Board representative for three terms, progress is historically moving in a gainful direction Currently, new projects in program development for high risk students are funded and offered regularly. The numbers of students, however, continues to increase and maintaining service is always a priority.
9: What are your views on the role of technology in teaching and learning?
Well, safe to state, the jury is not totally in on the advantages/disadvantages of these educational tools. They are definitely needed, required and used but is there needs to be balance in the life styles of everyone. Homeostasis creates the necessary options to living a full life within all the other beneficial demands to be able to become a life learner!
