2014 Winnipeg Civic Election

Why did you decide to run in the 2014 School Board Election?

There were many things that compelled me to run for School Trustee, not the least of which was encouragement from several teachers, division staff, former Trustees, and neighbours to get more involved. I have a breadth of education and experience in governance and Board work, spend significant amount of time in classrooms as a volunteer presenter, and have a Master's Degree in non-profit management and public administration, which I feel would make me an ideal candidate on the Board at any time, but especially now when a full two-thirds of incumbents have chosen not to run again. The Winnipeg School Division suffers from a very poor graduation rate, and while there are very complicated reasons behind this, I have the ability to relate to this as I was a high school dropout myself, after attending public school for most of my education and two years at a private school. I later entered university as a mature student, earning two degrees and rekindling my passion for education. Finally, beyond my qualifications for the role, I feel I could really help my community as a Trustee. I have built up a level of expertise and want to put it to good use!

What experience will you bring to compliment your role as School Trustee?

Experience is among the most important attributes a candidate in this election must have, and believe that not only do I have by far the most experience, I also have the most relevant. Over the past 14 years I have sat on many committees and volunteer Boards including the Manitoba Eco-Network, the General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres, and the Manitoba Water Polo Association, among others. Currently I am on the Board of Assiniboine Credit Union, the largest credit union in Manitoba, the Sexuality Education Resource Centre, and the University of Winnipeg Alumni Council where I am President. I also have significant experience in classrooms. For nearly ten years I have been giving volunteer presentations to nearly every age group in schools around southern Manitoba on topics as diverse as blood donation on behalf of Canadian Blood Services, environmental stewardship and water conservation as part of my project the Water Conservation Challenge, and on human rights, volunteerism, and travel. I have visited hundreds of classrooms and spoken to more than 10,000 students. This front-line experience has helped me to be more aware of the evolving needs in classrooms and a better understanding of our school facilities.

What are some issues that you would like to stand for in your role as School Trustee, and why are these issues important to you?

My biggest priority as a School Trustee is to work with the Board to come up with and implement better ways to engage with the community and include them in the decision making process when feasible. Last year the Board voted to change the ward boundaries for the Winnipeg School Division but then did very little to inform the 150,000+ voters in the division of this substantial change to their democratic rights. The previous Board could have done a better job of reaching out to the public and they must in the future. I would also like t investigate how capital projects are prioritized and do a full fledged capital audit on all division buildings to give the Board an idea of rough life-spans for each school and administration building. Our capital funding should take the long view in terms of priorities. The division must also be more flexible in its approach to capital funding when opportunities arise. The Gordon Bell field is a good example of a time when the school board fought against a project that was a one-time opportunity for an inner-city school to have an outdoor field, merely because it wasn't in their capital plan.

What is one thing in particular that you appreciate about the school ward or school division you wish to represent?

The Winnipeg School Division has exceptional teachers and has been a national leader in special needs education. Being both the largest division in the province, and providing schooling in one of the lowest-income areas in Canada and what may be the most ethnically diverse (certainly Ward 5 is one of the most diverse int he country) poses significant barriers and the division has been able to adapt to changes in student body quite effectively. I also think the Winnipeg School Division has made great strides in offering independence and autonomy to teachers to use alternative methods in the classrooms to support the students. My area is awesome. While i did not grow up in Ward 5, i made the decision to purchase my first house at age 22 on Burnell St to be close to school (U of W) and to work. The area is amazingly diverse, with at least eight different languages spoken at home just on my block! It is close to everything and contains some of the best schools in Winnipeg.

Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

I am not a teacher, nor am I in any way an expert on education. But I am an expert on Board processes, consensus-building, and active listening, three skills that I feel are absolutely essential to being an effective Trustee. I know how to get things done from a Board level, know how to read complicated financial statements, excel at critical thinking, and have lots of energy. And I am actively reaching out to the community in a way that no other candidate in the ward, and maybe the entire city is. By the end of the campaign I will personally have knocked on more than 4,000 doors, not just to drop off a flyer or to ask to put up a sign, but to actually listen to each person's concerns and needs. A School Trustee is both an elected representative and a Board member who must try and balance what is best for their constituents, what is best for the school division, and what is best for the students. I have the skills and experience needed, but also the youth and energy required to relate better to students and teachers and to follow through on my goals.