My Priorities
My priorities as a school trustee would be grounded in practical, student-focused decision-making and informed by both personal and professional experience. I am a parent and a community member here in Victoria and I have a personal connection to public education, including my lived experience with a disability together with my daughter, along with relevant education and work experience. I understand the importance of thoughtful governance, long-term planning, and decisions that work in practice for students, staff, and families.
Below are the priorities which I have developed from discussions with parents, teachers and the community, and my personal experience. I hope you can help me further develop and streamline these priorities.
Student Success, Safety and Belonging
Every student deserves to learn in an environment where they feel safe, respected, included, and valued. Strong schools in the GVSD are places where students can develop academically, socially, and emotionally, and where every student has the opportunity to succeed. As a trustee, I would support policies and decisions that promote positive learning environments, student achievement, a strong sense of belonging and keep students safe. We need to ensure policies and initiatives are in place to reduce bullying and address incidents between students.
This includes all students, including Indigenous students, LGBTQ+ students and students who are new to Canada. Each of these students should feel welcomed, respected, and supported in our schools in SD61. Creating positive school environments benefits not only students but also teachers, staff and families.
Supporting Teachers, EAs and Staff
Teachers, EAs, and other school staff at schools are essential to creating successful learning environments for students in SD61. They work every day to support students, manage complex needs, and build positive learning environments. With my own personal experience, and as a trustee, I will listen to the experiences of staff and advocate for decisions that provide them with the resources, support, and working conditions they need to do their jobs effectively.
I want to push for GVSD staff to have the resources in place they require, recognizing the realities they faces in the classroom. This includes pushing to avoid or reduce student-teacher conflicts. Supporting staff is one of the most important ways we can support students.
Responsible and Transparent Use of Public Resources, including Before and After-School Care
Trustees have a responsibility to ensure public resources are managed carefully, effectively and with students at the centre of their decisions. I believe that decisions about budgets, programs and before and after-school care need to be guided by long-term planning, with a clear understanding of how they impact student learning and well-being and families in Victoria. Public funds must be used responsibly, and be transparent around the priorities the Board have chosen, the trade-offs that will result and the outcomes they hope to see. We are lucky enough that our SD61 elementary schools offer before and after-school care; however, availability does not mean all families can get a space.
While all school districts, including SD61, face complex financial pressures and difficult choices, we must push to find ways to improve the use of public resources, while protecting the supports and services that have the greatest impact on students. As I trustee I would push for increasing the spaces available in before and after-school care and advocate for further expansion of childcare support in our public school. I would also ensure the Board of Education carefully considers financial stewardship, accountability and decisions that ensure resources are directed to where they can make the biggest difference for students, staff and school communities.
Protecting Student Opportunities and Supporting Every Learner
All students benefit from being supported in our schools with the opportunities they deserve available in their education. Supporting every learner means recognizing that students have their own strengths, interests, learning needs, identities and pathways to success. As a trustee, I plan to advocate for evidence-informed approaches, strong inclusive education, mental health support, and decisions that consider the needs of all learners in SD61. This includes supporting students with learning challenges, disabilities, accessibility needs, and providing mental health support.
Programs such as music, arts, and exploratory education are an important part for students to have opportunities to develop creativity and unique skills and abilities in the classroom.
I hope to have the opportunity as a trustee to push the GVSD to ensure students have access to EAs, Inclusive Education Teachers, Indigenous Education Teachers, English Language Learner Teachers, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teachers, Counsellors and Speech-Language Pathologists. I am concerned by recent decisions which will reduce access to specific student supports in the upcoming school year, a Board of Education needs to carefully consider the impacts the choices they make will have on students, families, educators and staff.
Communication and Community Engagement
Public education when strong schools are built through meaningful partnerships with students, families, staff, Indigenous communities and the broader community here in Victoria. I will prioritize open, respectful and accessible communication so that people understand the challenges schools and SD61 face, the decisions being made and the reasons behind them.
I want to ensure that the Board of Education not only listens and seeks diverse perspective, but actually takes action and makes decisions based on community engagement. Recent decisions around school programs, budget priorities and district changes have highlighted the importance of stronger communication and the need for Victoria's community to have a stronger voice.
I believe effective trusteeship requires listening carefully, thinking long-term, and making balanced decisions that support both today’s students and the future of public education in our community