Dear Neighbour,
Former Ontario Premier Bill Davis once said, “Show me a good doctor, a good lawyer, a good whatever and I will show you a good kindergarten teacher, a good high school teacher and a good university professor. There is no more important commitment that a government can make than to education.”
Growing up, my family didn’t have a lot, but we had access to great education through our public system, and the opportunities opened up by our schools need to be supported and protected for all our children. As our school board continues to navigate this time of uncertainty in education, I’m here to work together for better for my kids and yours, and the future of our region. I know how much is at stake and I hope to have your support.
As your trustee and a fellow parent of PDSB students, my focus has been on providing safe, welcoming, and well-maintained schools for all students in Wards 6&11 and throughout the board. The time I spend visiting the 28 schools I represent has helped me be a strong representative for our community’s needs, and has enabled me to advocate for policies that have made our schools safer and improved supports for students. I know how important this work is, for your kids and mine. There are a lot of challenges in education right now. Our children all deserve the best start we can offer them and a strong voice to fight for them. I hope I can count on your vote to continue that work.
CURRENT PARENT PERSPECTIVE:
As a parent with two kids currently in PDSB schools (grades seven and eleven), I share many of the same hopes and concerns you speak about with me at your doors, in our community, by phone, and through email. I’ve seen the challenges my kids, their classmates, and families in our neighbourhoods have been facing through these last thirteen years as we’ve faced them together, and I want to strengthen that perspective within our board.
PARENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
One of the things I’m most proud of is connecting with families I’ve been able to support over the last four years. While trustees are not able to solve every problem, it’s been an honour to help families navigate challenges with bussing, EA support, transcripts, boundaries, questions about board policies, support during challenging times, and so much more. This role is unpredictable, and the questions that come our way can be as diverse as the wonderful community we serve. Thank you to all of you who have placed your trust in me. I would be grateful for the opportunity to continue that work over the next term. We can’t fix what we aren’t talking about, and your voice has been vital. Let’s keep going.
STAFFING LEVELS:
Peel schools are currently struggling with staffing shortages across all positions throughout the board. As your trustee, I have advocated each year in the budget process to prioritize staffing for student supports, and in the 2025-26 budget successfully advocated for an additional 121.5 EAs in our staffing complement. Staffing ratios continue to be a challenge across Ontario under the current funding formula. My top priority is continuing to address this issue locally to the best of our ability to ensure our schools are appropriately staffed so our kids will receive the instruction and support they need and deserve in our schools. This is the most important thing we can do to serve student safety and achievement, and I will continue working for further improvements here.
YOUR REPRESENTATIVE:
Let me tell you about just some of the work I’ve done to represent our community this term:
• Mandate for improved response to extreme heat days
• Successfully advocated for 121.5 additional EAs
• Improved illness prevention communications
• Improved emergency preparedness in schools
• Action plan to address targeted bullying and violence
• Advocated for improved transportation support
• Worked with municipal partners to build a new track and field in our community
• Advocated to fix the funding formula
• VOC1 review
• Advocated for improved supports and pathway options for students who would have previously been part of the board’s VOC2 program
• Formed the Trustee Advocacy Network with trustees across the province to ensure trustees would remain on the ballot this October, protecting your local voice, transparency, and accountability
• Live-streaming SEAC meetings to provide public access to parents of children with special needs after the Ministry’s choice to discontinue the practice
• Successfully advocated not to discontinue exams for students in grades 9&10 as board policy
COMMITTEE WORK:
• Budget (public, transparent, and balanced every year)
• Discipline (Chair)
• Physical Planning, Finance, & Building
• Governance & Policy
• Curriculum, Equity, & Student Well-being (Vice-Chair)
• Mississauga Traffic Safety