My Record

 

Accomplishments as a Trustee

Since 2014

 

Programming

  • Increased resources for math education.
  • Increased resources for science education including hiring of lab technicians for WSD high schools.
  • Advocated to maintain funding for special needs education including the retention of Special Needs Educational Assistants.
  • Expanded full day kindergarten to 11 schools including at Fort Rouge School
  • Established 3 bilingual language programs including Cree, Ojibway, and Spanish
  • Opened a new French milieu school – École Sir William Osler to ameliorate the overcrowding in French language schools in the south end of the WSD.
  • Added a new French immersion school At École Luxton to keep up with growing demand for French language education in the WSD.
  • Supported the establishment of an Indigenous Advisory Council
  • Funded and supported the International Baccalaureate Program at École River Heights School – The first middle school program of its kind in Manitoba.
  • Created an International Education Program– to encourage foreign students to study at WSD and to encourage Students & Staff to expand their international learning opportunities.  A growing and new source of non-taxpayer supported revenue for the WSD.
  • Supported a Swim to Survive Program, which teaches water safety to every grade 4 student in the WSD.  A partnership with the City of Winnipeg and the first of its kind in Manitoba.
  • Brought Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots Program to Manitoba. We have expanded the program to 5 WSD Schools.  This is a student led environmental and community development program that teaches students to become leaders in their community.
  • Established a Food Council for the WSD.  Another first for Manitoba.  Community led committee that reviews all aspects of nutrition programming and food policy at the WSD.

Teacher Support

  • Initiated a review of how WSD was teaching math in its schools and made quality math instruction a priority at the WSD.
  • Created an Early Intervention Program for special education students
  • Increased school based funding for the arts
  • Established a Math Task Force reforming professional education of math instruction at the WSD
  • Supported a review of Student Attendance Policy and initiatives including requiring administration to submit monthly tracking reports to the Board of Trustees.
  • New on-line based correspondence courses for WSD students.
  • Created and implemented a Right to Participate Policy that ensures all students the ability to participate in after-school clubs and enrichment programs regardless of their financial ability to pay.  One of the first such policies in Canada.
  • Supported the Indigenous Land and Treaty Acknowledgment at school and school events.  Again, the first school divisions in Manitoba to do so.

School Facilities/ Environmental Sustainability

  • Invested in green capital infrastructure including energy retrofits that has resulted in significant savings for ratepayers.
  • Invested in our 21st Century classrooms by funding Wi-Fi for all WSD high schools.
  • Ensured all high schools provided healthier food options for students.
  • Initiated an audit of traffic congestion/safety issues at pick up and drop off times at WSD schools.
  • Upgraded the security systems in our schools and established a CCTV camera privacy policy for the WSD.
  • Created a Universal Access Construction Playground Fund to make sure that our new playgrounds are wheelchair accessible – another first for Manitoba.
  • Created an annual division wide Student-led Environmental Sustainability Conference– another first for Manitoba.
  • Advocated and received approval from the Province for the construction of Waterford Green School to reduce over-crowding in the Division’s Northwest.
  • Increased funding for capital repairs and maintenance at the WSD.

Accountability

  • Publically advocated for a change in how public schools are financed and a move away from taxes based on property.
  • Secured changes to WSD meetings to ensure that they were more transparent and open to the public.
  • Advocated for more public meetings and consultations to enhance the public’s accessibility and input into the budge discussion and decision making of the WSD.
  • Initiated the live streaming and video taping of all regular Board meetings
  • Improved Transparency – opened up committee meetings – put more information on internet
  • Restructured our bureaucracy – eliminated a superintendent position and reduced the bureaucratic costs at WSD. We are now tied as the lowest Division in Manitoba for administration costs.
  • Initiated the creation of a division wide Strategic Plan – the first such plan in a generation at the WSD
  • Advocated for School Finance Reform – advocate for the increase in Provincial funding of education and less reliance on property taxes to pay for schools.