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?
My daughter was in university when the pandemic hit. She managed to finish the year with the support of services provided by the university. However, years three and four were a different story. The support services were not even near what she needed to make it through the pandemic. Fortunately, we found other support services, and she completed her degree. After seeing what my daughter went through, I could see why parents of young children struggled to support their children’s education. Virtual learning was far from perfect, and students were stressed about learning. Families became frustrated with what was happening, and many were concerned with the well-being of their children. School Boards failed to keep an open line of communication with parents. They were slow to implement COVID directives and expected parents and teachers to be mental health workers. The current structure of the Board office is not conducive to the needs of students, parents, or teachers. Changes are needed to improve the efficiency and accountability of the Board office. They must be more responsive to the ongoing changes caused by the pandemic.
2: What is the biggest challenge schools in our community currently face? How do you propose to address it?
Trying to return to normal. There need to be more collaborative efforts between parents, teachers, and the Board. Parents should have a more significant say in how their children are educated. The day of classroom learning has changed. There need to be more learning options available to parents. Some kids learn better in large classrooms, some in smaller classrooms and some online. The Board must put policies in place that support the mental health of students and teachers. Hiring trained Mental Health workers will go a long way in addressing this critical issue. The Board must be more transparent and accessible to parents. A parent advisory committee (elementary and high school) needs to be established to support Trustees in policy making while giving them a more significant say in student education. The advisory committee would have representation for each elementary and high school. There must be more cooperation between school boards to see if they can realize savings through joint purchases. They can then reinvest the savings into mental health services for students.
3: What is the single greatest impact you plan to make for students?
Boards must begin to listen to what students need to succeed in their education. Students are more intelligent than we think. Many have already created solutions that we can use to create a better learning environment. It’s time we begin to listen to what they have to say.
4: How can school boards support equity, diversity, inclusion, and human rights initiatives?
School Boards are obligated under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to represent students from all backgrounds, including, but not limited to, race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability. Board must write school policies and procedures to be inclusive. Boards should implement programs and services that meet the needs of all students and provide inclusive training to teachers and support workers employed by the Board. In cooperation with parents and teachers, Boards should implement awareness programs to instruct students about inclusion and the harmful effects of discrimination.
5: What can trustees do concretely to improve graduation rates at board high schools?
Graduating students to achieve a high graduation rate is not a good policy. Though graduation rates are an important reflection of the success of a Boards education system, it is more important that graduate students have the necessary education to succeed in university, college, trade, or another career of their choice. According to Stats Canada, an average of 60 percent of the students who graduate from high school do not go to college or university. In a statement published in September 2019 (published in the Toronto Star), Ontario says that the overall graduation has increased to 81 percent. However, many students fail to graduate because the Boards don’t offer alternative programming that would better suit their needs (this goes back to my comment about how we must start listening to the students). I would propose the establishment of a “Center of Excellence for the Trades.” It would give students with limited interest in academics the opportunity to continue their education and complete their high school diploma. The center would partner with all local Boards of Education (English and French), including Denis Franklin Cromarty. Board must train teachers and support workers to identify high-risk students. Support programs should be in place to help high-risk students to stay in high school or continue their education using an alternative format.
6: Do you feel the budget process adequately reflects the needs of the classroom?
No! Before the budget process even begins, Boards should review their strategic plans to see what has worked and what has not. Pre-budget meetings should be held with parents, teachers, and support workers to determine what resources are needed to improve the classroom environment. The Board must conduct semi-annual and annual reviews to determine if enough staff and resources are available to support classroom education. The Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) only has two chances to make any recommendations/suggestions for the budget – March and April. The PIC should have more say/input in the preliminary stages of the budget. Student Councils have only one (April) chance to present their views. Because of the number of groups submitting reports/attending the April meeting, each group will be limited to how much time they have to make their presentations. Student Councils should play a more active role in the preliminary stages of the budget. The PIC and student councils should review the final budget and should be allowed to bring forward suggestions for final review.
7: 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 wellbeing, student engagement and learning recovery?
The “Return to School” kit given to teachers did nothing to address the issues of the mental health and well-being of students. The Board needs to hire professional Mental Health Workers who can be assigned to the schools to help students cope with their mental health needs. Students should be taught what mental health and well-being are. The Board must dedicate class time to allow professionals to speak directly with students. Professionals and parents must address the stigma around an individual’s mental health and well-being to avoid critical situations. The Board should organize meetings between parents and health professionals to teach parents what to look out for when it comes to the well-being of their children. Outside resources should be available to parents struggling to care for their children’s mental health and well-being.
8: 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 province and the federal government must address the lack of high-speed internet in remote Indigenous communities. Where possible, Boards should partner with Indigenous educational institutions in these communities. The Board can develop individual work plans to address the student's needs. Boards must recognize that the concept of learning for Indigenous students does not fit the cookie-cutter approach taken by School Boards in Ontario. We must recognize that many of these students will need support in and outside their school environment. The use of Elders and Councilors can effectively support the physical and mental needs of Indigenous students. Curriculums should be rewritten to include alternative methods of learning and subject matter that is conducive to the needs of Indigenous students.
9: Can you comment on what schools need to support students with special needs?
First, the Board must define and identify the learning outcomes for the student. The Board must use professional assessors to determine the resources needed to ensure the student reaches their outcomes. Considerations such as transportation, building accessibility, educational assistance and learning tools must be provided where needed. Parent engagement is needed to avoid confusion regarding what is expected from the Board, the education assistant, the student, and the parents.
10: What are your views on the role of technology in teaching and learning?
Technology can play a critical role in teaching and learning. The ongoing technological changes only amplify the need for Boards to upgrade their classroom technologies continuously so students receive the maximum benefit from their use. A student should regularly learn to use tablets, smart boards, and interactive whiteboards. School Boards could teach similar classes to students in the same city but different schools, in smaller communities and the far north. Technology should not replace textbooks, writing pads or notebooks. However, teachers could still use technology to assist students in learning the three Rs. Students who excel in learning technology should be allowed to progress further. School Boards could collaborate and create a Technology Centre explicitly designed for students wanting to advance their technological skills. Students can apply their advanced learning toward their high school diploma.
