My Evaluation

Each year the Board of Trustees for St. Paul Education takes time to evaluate itself in its function as a board. And every three years, the voters have a chance to evaluate their trustees.

With the next municipal and school board elections right around the corner, I thought it would prudent for me to provide you, my electorate, with evidence on what I have accomplished as a trustee in my first term over the past three years.

1. Students are the number one priority

The only employee that is directly hired by the board is the Superintendent. I had the opportunity to take part in the hiring of a new Superintendent in my first term, and I believe our board chose a Superintendent who has been making meaningful changes within our school division for the betterment of all students. Superintendent Glen Brodziak and his administrative team are transforming this division into one that focuses on student achievement at all levels and one that continues to build quality relationships with all education stakeholders.

2. Communications and Community Engagement

As a former journalist and a former assistant to MLA Ray Danyluk, I understand and have taken direct action in strengthening communication at all levels. As part of the trustee Communications Committee, I have been directly involved in the following new initiatives over the past three years:

- -Monthly Ask a School Trustee column in local newspapers, school newsletters and website

- Division picture calendar distributed to each family which highlights all of our schools and relevant reference information

- Numerous Question and Answer documents on “hot topic” items

- Annual Council of School Council meetings where parent councils from across the division met to provide input into board directions

- A Communications Plan which highlights all of the internal and external communication directives within the division

- “How was school today?” document distributed to each family, highlighting the division’s goals

Many of these initiatives are on the division website.

3. St. Paul Solution

The St. Paul Solution involved the building of a new Glen Avon School with renovations to the Regional High School Career and Technology suites (ie. shop, cosmetology, home economics) and complete renovations to St. Paul Elementary and Racette Schools. All of the projects except Racette School have been completed to date and the Racette School modernization was announced in 2008. However, when the economy turned sour, the provincial government put the funding for Racette on hold. As the modernization representative for both St. Paul Elementary and Racette, I have met with the Education Minister and the local MLA a number of times. St. Paul Elementary was completed while I was a trustee and I am still hanging on to my hard hat with the hopes that Racette will be completed within my next term, should I be re-elected.

4. Policy revision

As part of the Policy Committee, I encouraged the board to undertake a complete review of its policies, since many of them were outdated. I can say that our policies have all been revamped and separated into two distinct “sandboxes.” Anything that is the board’s responsibility is now in the Board Policy Handbook and anything that is the Superintendent’s responsibility is in the Administrative Procedures Handbook. Both of these documents can be viewed on our website.

5. Upholding our religious, cultural and linguistic differences under one regionalized school division

We are a unique board in this province, and most likely in all of Canada, in that we have separate and public schools under board. Although this special status has placed us under the microscope a few times, I believe that the majority of our constituents are in support of our current structure and as a member of the board, I will continue to remain in communication with the stakeholders of our Public Catholic Schools.

On a personal note, I was confirmed into the Roman Catholic Church this past Easter and truly believe that it is important to have Catholic representation on this unique board.

I believe in this school division. I believe in our students. And I believe that I can continue to make difference as a trustee for St. Paul Education.

Election day is October 18. Let your voice be heard!