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?
I first decided to run for school board trustee due to the fact the Lakehead Public School Board was closing my children's Elementary School I wanted to be a voice for students parents and the community and was willing to step forward to run as a trustee for LPS.
2: What is the biggest challenge schools in our community currently face? How do you propose to address it?
I feel the biggest challenge we face is the labour shortage We need bus drivers, Early Childhood Educators, SSP /EA, secretaries, custodians and teachers. I think we are in short supply in all areas at Lakehead Public Schools this is not just a concern in the north this is across Ontario and Canada. Adequate Funding to supports programs students and staff is an other huge concern There is never enough money to support all programs staff and meet the needs of our students
3: What is the single greatest impact you plan to make for students?
Be a good listener to parents staff students and school councils. Have the opportunity to visit schools and see the programs classrooms and have the ability to interact with school councils Principals, Teachers Staff and especially the students seeing where we can better support student learning and success.
4: How can school boards support equity, diversity, inclusion, and human rights initiatives?
We have a Diversity Committee at LPS and we have trustee representation on this commiittee, The student voice is key to listen to students their needs and ensure equity diversity and inclusion for all. We have grad coaches at our secondary schools to encourage student success in improving graduation rates Our staff at Lakehead Public Schools work together in collaboration for the success of all students.
5: What can trustees do concretely to improve graduation rates at board high schools?
There is a lot of work being done to increase graduation rates of our students. We do have staff who specifically work with Human Rights issues at Lakehead Public Schools. Our schools celebrated Pride Month with the raising of the Pride Flag at our schools our secondary schools have GSA which did a presentation at our Thunder Pride Breakfast this past June Our students did a great job.
6: Do you feel the budget process adequately reflects the needs of the classroom?
We strike a Budget Committee at LPS ever year and invite the unions and federations to make deputations to tell us what they would like to see in the budget process We are allowed to ask questions of the deputations presented This is an opportunity to have input of the staff in the budget process. The money does come from the Ministry of Education and we could always use more funding for our support staff teachers and students and their needs to learn successfully. We often lobby the government where we see short falls in educational funding.
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?
We did lobby the Health Unit last year to close schools when we saw large numbers of COVID 19 in Thunder Bay thunder Bay District Health Unit and the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education dictate COVID 19 strategies and how the reporting of COVDI 19 takes place and we do recommend that staff and students continue to wear masks in schools and if sick return to school when they are feeling better. We have Mental Health leads Social Workers and support staff that are supporting the needs of our students. Supports can be brought into the schools to help students with their needs. The past two years have been very difficult on our support staff teachers students and special needs students. returning to the classroom setting is great to see and a return to in person teaching for all students.
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?
We have an Aboriginal Education Advisory Committee made up of many members agencies and elders in our community that will offer advice suggestions to the success of our indigenous students. We have support staff in place in our secondary schools to help our indigenous students succeed and be successful to get their grade 12 graduation diploma. The more funding we have for supporting students the better for student success. We do run summer programs and work with agencies with after school programs for student success as well. Our schools are welcoming for all students with the support of all the staff to ensure student success.
9: Can you comment on what schools need to support students with special needs?
Through the budget process we see short falls in funding for special education. We need more funding in this area and lobby the government for more funding for supports and support staff for our special needs students. Working with our MPP and through Ontario Public School Boards Association helps us with lobbying the MPP's and government for additional funding for our special needs and all students in our system
10: What are your views on the role of technology in teaching and learning?
I think the past two years has taught us there are many gaps to virtual learning and how much better it is to have a teacher at the front of the classroom withstudents in that classroom learning hands on by the teacher day in and day out. Not every student succeeds with on line or virtual learning I feel with the support of the SSP/EA and Teachers to help the special needs in a classroom environment this would be a better learning opportunity for our students
