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This is HWDSB’s Audit Committee. I sat in as a student trustee. Much of its work happens in camera, so few people ever see it, but it’s where the board takes a hard look at its finances, controls and risks. Seeing that work up close shaped two of my biggest priorities: budgeting responsibly, and making the most of board-owned sites for our students and our community.
These four priorities are on my postcard. Here’s the detail behind them: what I’ll actually do as your HWDSB Ward 1 trustee, and how you’ll be able to hold me to it.
School boards face constant noise: headlines, talking points and pressure from every direction. Clear strategic goals are what cut through it and reach kids on the ground.
Focus on Students
Any decision the board makes should be backed by a precise plan on how it will positively impact students in our schools, and should be evaluated with data afterwards.
How I’ll do it
- Ask the same two questions of every motion and every budget line: how will this help students, and how will we measure it?
- Push for a transparent budget review in my first year: where is the money going, and what is it doing for students?
- Set clear, measurable goals before a program launches, and report publicly on whether it worked.
- Make it easier for staff to go above and beyond. Trips, clubs and extracurriculars are some of the best parts of school. I’ll work with staff to make planning simpler and reuse what already works, so more of these opportunities happen.
Parent Involvement and Voice
Parents should be treated as a part of a student’s educational journey and have ample opportunity for engagement within their child’s school. School councils, volunteering, and constant communication need to be an imperative priority of the board.
How I’ll do it
- Keep a running list of every Ward 1 school council’s issues and take each one to the right board staff. That relay is what a trustee is meant to be.
- Attend Ward 1 school council meetings at least once a quarter, and whenever I’m invited.
- Make it simpler for parents to volunteer and get involved in their child’s school.
- Communicate constantly: plain-language updates on what the board decided, and why.
Transparency & Cohesion
Trustees need to work as a board and share common goals – without the board working as a team, trustees can accomplish nothing. We need to work alongside fellow trustees and create two-way communication channels with those we serve.
How I’ll do it
- Be a level-headed, collaborative member of the board. As a student trustee I went through an election transition and saw first-hand that a board only gets results when it works as one.
- Weigh risks and benefits up front, a habit from the private sector that I’ll bring to the board table.
- Explain major board decisions in plain language, including the trade-offs.
- Be reachable: text me at (905) 818-7110 any time, or call between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Presence in the Community
You can’t learn the impacts of your decisions behind a table. I plan to be present in school communities, engaging school councils and visiting Ward 1 schools and their staff to learn how we can improve the experience and outcomes for our students.
How I’ll do it
- Visit Ward 1 schools consistently (Cootes Paradise, Dalewood, Earl Kitchener, Glenwood, Kanétskare, Strathcona and Westdale), and show up whenever a school or council asks.
- Make it easier for our community organizers to use HWDSB sites for their programming. Schools should be hubs for the neighbourhoods around them.
- Build partnerships with Ward 1’s community members and organizations to support our students and schools.
- Bring what I hear back to the board table, and report back on what happened.
Have an idea I’ve missed?
These priorities will get better with your input. Tell me what matters to you.