• Fiscal responsibility is a cornerstone of any sustainable project and is something I will bring from my experience as a father and husband and as project manager of both large and small infrastructure projects.
• Customer service and stakeholder engagement are as important as the project itself. How else can you know what is really needed, what needs changing and what new restrictions need to be respected than by having quality relationships with those who will be have to finance or to live with the project? Clear, respectful, open, two-way communication is key. Timely follow-up is another essential ingredient.
• Skilled trades and new industries are under-represented in career choice and post-secondary planning yet represent by far the most profitable stream for students today. Many students struggling in an inappropriate track would excel and feel accomplished tackling an appropriate skilled trade. In addition, that inappropriate track can be very expensive after high school, whereas skilled trade training can happen while students get paid. I believe these opportunities need to be highlighted more thoroughly to both parents and teachers.

If elected Trustee Board # 8 Ottawa Carleton District School Board, I am committed to the following preliminary action plan:

School Safety

Make schools welcoming and safe for every student and community members.

Accessibility

Schools must be accessible, barrier-free and inclusive places.

Meet with each school administration in the district on site to ensure the schools are accessible and barrier-free for the students, staff, administration and parents. If schools are not accessible meet with the administration and assist in providing solutions to ensure schools become accessible to meet the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act by 2025.

Top priority Improving the Mathematics Passing Rate

The OCDSB board and stakeholders to monitor and modify as required the student mathematics grade improvement plan to substantially improve the student passing percentage of this core subject from 49% to a more acceptable level.

Partnership (Better lines of Communication)

Build a stronger alliance between the board, teachers, community, student councils and parents by communicating through regular meetings, workshops, and information sessions and a regular newsletter. Be responsive and accountable to the stakeholders for their concerns in a timely fashion. Build and maintain relationships with the entire community to ensure that all students within the Board’s jurisdiction have equal opportunities to reach their full potential. My role as trustee is to maintain a focus on student achievement, well being and equity and to participate in making decisions that benefits the Board’s entire jurisdiction while representing the interests of their constituents. As a trustee my role is to be responsible for identifying the needs and priorities of their community and for ensuring these are considered in the decisions that results in practical educational opportunities for students

Promote a strong public education system

Provide excellent customer service to all district stakeholders on a timely basis to reinforce the values of the Public-School system. Review research as to why students are leaving the public-school system for private school and discuss solutions at board meetings and with stakeholders to stem/reverse the flow.

Network

Establish working partnerships with skilled trades, universities and colleges to advise students of future career options. Work together as a team with all Ontario district school board trustees, and municipal and provincial representatives.

Strategic Plan

Assist with upgrading the boards 2015-2019 strategic multi year plan and preparing a new strategic plan for 2020-2024 by improving/supplementing the plan through personal recommendations and stakeholder feedback.

Fiscal Responsibility

Review income statements/auditors’ reports/budget to identify and verify each individual expense and advise the board of any discrepancies or recommendations.

Asset Management Plan

Building Environmental Services (Utility Energy Savings Projects)

Upgrade the District’s schools mechanical/electrical systems if applicable to provide long term energy savings by securing grants for energy savings projects and benefiting from the monthly savings of reduced utility bills in HVAC, & indoor/ outdoor lighting.

Utilize the substantial utility energy savings project money to assist in completing the outstanding district schools’ repairs and upgrades.

Repairs

Prioritize the school district facility repairs whose projects have been competitively tendered and ensure the repairs are completed per contract terms and conditions including price, schedule and quality standards

Promote the 200 Skilled Trades in Canada as desirable student career exit Options

Introduce and promote skilled trades to the students as a meaningful career exit option as there are over 85,000 construction tradespeople alone retiring (baby boomers) in Canada over the next decade whose positions need to be filled immediately. The students need to secure their grade 12 high school diploma and then are eligible to work in the skilled trades for e.g. the elevator and the HVAC trades. The elevator and HVAC companies may co-pay their apprentice’s night school education while the apprentices are learning the skilled trade on the job from certified mechanics while being paid. The apprenticeship term is 4 years and after 4 years the apprentices can write their exam and become TSSA certified qualified mechanics who receive a great wage package.4

New Programs / course required for new Industry Job skills

Introduce new school programs/courses to address the new emerging industries job requirements for e.g. such as Nanotechnology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence. The OCDSB has already addressed introducing some new employment industry subjects such as computer coding, financial literacy and apprenticeships.

Continuing Education

Utilize the district high schools if applicable for Continuing Education, career, hobby & sports courses for adults and children which allow the community to become more invested in the schools and supplement the revenue stream.