2014 Winnipeg Civic Election

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

I was elected in 2010 to represent the former larger Ward 2. For many years, I had been active as a volunteer working in housing and safety issues in my inner city neighbourhood. This work brought me in touch with many families from diverse backgrounds. Many were newcomers to Canada and Aboriginal families. I feel that education is the best way for these families to succeed and I wanted to bring my experience as a inner city resident and volunteer to the Winnipeg School Division. A student beginning school today will graduate in 2030 into a world that is different than today's world and one with rapid changes. It is important to provide children with the skills to adapt to change and the capacity for life-long learning and critical thinking.

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

I have over thirty years of work experience in the not-for-profit heritage and cultural sectors. I currently work as a professional fundraiser. For 4 years, I taught art history at the University of Manitoba. I am also a recognized visual artist and have studied music for the past fifteen years. I live in the inner city and have visited all the schools in the area that I represented since 2010. For twenty years, I have worked as a volunteer board member for various organizations and currently chair the Central Neighbourhoods Development Corporation.

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?

I support providing children with the resources to ensure their success. In additional to excellent classroom instruction and sound buildings, this includes things like the reading recovery program, clinical services for children who need help seeing, hearing, speaking and learning and nutrition programs. I have supported upgrades to technology in high school and alternative programs for teens who attend special programs and trades education. Nothing has made me prouder than to see teens who could not fit into mainstream schools graduate from Argyle Alternative School or see adults receive their high school diplomas surrounded by their grandchildren. I have been pleased to see young children share their science and heritage projects with the public. I support learning in the visual arts and music as this is a way to build skills and creativity that are transferable to learning other subjects. I am looking forward to seeing the results of the pilot program for all day kindergarten that was implemented this year. I also support learning of Aboriginal languages and history because our Aboriginal students need to see their importance to our society. These are all the means to build learners who can adapt to ongoing change and contribute to Manitoba.

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

I appreciate that the Winnipeg School Division serves families from widely diverse cultural and economic circumstances. Many families in our division struggle with poverty and housing issues and this means we have a high student migrancy rate. We also have a higher number of special needs children, Aboriginal children and newcomer children. I have supported the programs that go beyond basic instruction and will continue to do so to ensure student success.

Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

As a trustee at the Winnipeg School Division for the past 4 years, I have worked hard as a member of at least 7 committees each year. For the past 2 years, I served as Chair of the Finance Committee and voting member of the Policy and Program Committee. I have attended countless events at schools where I have enjoyed and appreciated the accomplishments of the students and teachers at the Winnipeg School Division. We also have dedicated administrators and support staff. On my visits to schools, I have viewed many classrooms and seen some of the special programs and clinical services that the Winnipeg School Division provides. I have also attended the annual Manitoba School Boards Association Conferences to learn about education-related issues such as the development of the brain in the early years, the special importance of reading instruction, bullying and gender issues and so on. Ongoing learning about education and governance is critical for trustees too.