2022 Election

My commitment to Catholic Education began over 14 years ago as a parent volunteer at my children's school. Over the years, I have taken on a number of roles, including CSC Chair, Brampton West Family of …Schools Elementary/Secondary Rep and my current role as Chair of the DPCDSB's Central Committee for Catholic School Councils. I have the privilege of working alongside parents, educators and board members who together, endeavor to strengthen the foundation of our Catholic school community and support student achievement, all within the context of our Catholic faith.

My experience both within the DPCDSB and my 23 years working and advocating in children's mental health, will offer a new perspective to the role of Trustee.

I believe all students deserve equal opportunities to succeed and access to a safe and inclusive school environment. Ensuring this will be in place for our students, will be my priority. More

As a parent and member of our wonderful community who, like many of you, cares about the quality of our schooling system, I want to make meaningful contributions to the board that serve everyone.

My …mission is to drive change that reflects Catholic community values and instills confidence in the ability of the Catholic education to empower our students academically, spiritually and mentally. I want to encourage our community to be inspired by our Catholic education system and support and uplift one another to increase our overall positive impact.

I am a strong advocate for fair funding that serves all. As your school board trustee I will work to preserve the Catholic education, drive additional support for parents, student and teachers, rally for smaller kindergarten class sizes, uphold zero tolerance for bullying, promote equity for a safer environment and so much more.

Visit my website at https://sites.google.com/kathybruney.ca/kathyannbruney/home to learn more.

Tell me how I can serve you! More

My name is Paula Dametto-Giovannozzi and I am running for the position of Catholic School Board Trustee

I have lived here in this wonderful community for over 46 years and I am proud to call Caledon …my home.

I grew up on a farm in Caledon East, My father immigrated from Italy and my family had a local crane business.

I have two amazing adult children ages 25 and 23.

My family and I have owned and operated a successful construction company where I was the bookkeeper and from 1997 we owned and operated the Sandhill Shell Gas Station which was located at the corner of King and Airport Road.

I am an entrepreneur. I design jewellery selling on my website, Amazon and at a few local shops.

I have always enjoyed doing community service, volunteering at the school, church, and aiding fundraising efforts for our local women’s shelter, I also worked with Welcome Wagon welcoming new residents settling in Caledon.

I am a dedicated Catholic. I have participated as Eucharistic minister at St. John the Evangelist Church, I attend weekly online Bible study classes and I also attend a nightly online rosary prayer group.

I am very active with my faith, family and community.

As your school board trustee I will ensure that the parents have the roll as first educators as they are the greatest advocate for their children.

I stand committed to putting the best interests of the children first, ensuring their innocence is protected.

I will work towards getting quality resources & support for students, teachers and the staff of Dufferin/Caledon. I will be the strong voice to get the students back to the fundamental basics of education with special emphasis on traditional catholic teachings of family, respect, love and service.

My Top 3 Concerns:

No masking, No forced injections, No more lockdowns as they are to the detriment of our children.

Reverse the Wyn Sex Education Program as it is not in alignment with traditional Catholic teachings.

Abolish Critical Race Theory. We must encourage all children that they CAN achieve their God given potential.

Thank you

God Bless More

I have been a proud resident of the Caledon Community for over twenty years. As a husband and father of two daughters who are currently secondary school students, I am dedicated to community involvement. …I understand the Catholic school system, its strengths and needs, having volunteered on two separate parent councils for years as the Treasurer as my children attended local catholic schools. In my professional career, I help large organizations become more effective and will bring this expertise to ensure a healthy and viable catholic education system.

I am focused on improving student success with respect to academics and mental health/well-being. I am committed to fiscal responsibility and good governance at the board level. Finally, I am promoting equitable representation and celebrating the diversity and uniqueness of our community. I will be available to all parents, students, and schools to develop helpful solutions to their issues.

I will be present, available, and collaborative with all stakeholders, including developing relationships with board leadership and fellow trustees. My initial focus will be on assessing current budgetary and enrollment issues. Following an understanding of the current situation, I will be developing concrete action plans to enhance student well-being. More

I’m Sheralyn Roman, a resident of the area for over 25 years and a committed community and school volunteer throughout that time. I am a former Teacher and HR Professional, children’s book author and currently …own a small business, write for the Caledon Citizen and work with Headwaters Communities in Action as their Community Engagement Coordinator. I sit on the Caledon Library Board and the Board of Directors at Family Transition Place and spent many years as a Council Chairperson, Secretary and Parish Rep at both the elementary and secondary school levels.

My approach to the role of trustee is simple. Amongst many polarizing views, I believe simply this: that according to our school board - and central, I believe to the tenets of our Catholic faith - we have a responsibility to extend a loving hand to every person - not to divide but to come together in unity and in support. Our faith is about being a living example of kindness, doing good in our communities and being a welcoming and socially responsible person every day, not just at Church on a Sunday.

It’s time for schools to be safe, equitable and inclusive spaces for EVERY student. It’s time to help every child succeed in a manner that reflects their individual skills and abilities and it’s time to eliminate EQAO, a standardized test that wastes money and resources in our non-standardized world. We don’t just need more funding but a better allocation of resources given, to empower teachers and improve student performance. We need schools that better reflect the diversity and lived experiences of the students who attend them.

We need new and innovative thinking like the concept, originally proposed by Charles Pascal, for our schools to become community hubs - using schools and resources all year long for the benefit of all and perhaps even as a source of revenue. Schools can and should be used as safe and familiar places for students with exceptionalities to gather for programs and services - long after their school days are done. We should explore a return to grade 13 - for many students already a necessary and pivotal year. Finally, as a trustee we have a responsibility to our entire community, to fiscal responsibility and to always work together with individual students and families to help advocate on their behalf when and where necessary. More

Hello, my name is Romano Bergic. My family and I are all lifelong residents of Mississauga.

What I wish is this; that our children can celebrate their journey ahead of them as students and take …on all the challenges that the world will come against them. In turn, that they may be strong in faith and be willing in their calling to change the world, always for the better.

My platform includes:

1. Achieve Special Education support required to advance the Ontario Right to Read inquiry report

2. Further mathematical skills as these can be the single determinant for post-secondary success

3. Applying a holistic approach to a child's well-being; cognitive, physical, emotional and social

I graduated from The University of Toronto with a degree in commerce and will use my knowledge to be fiscally responsible and to promote maximum value with the tax dollars collected to fund our education system. More

Advocacy for Catholic education and student success.

My commitment to students and their families is unwavering. Through my professional work experience, academic and life experiences, I bring a …balanced and strong perspective that will support the needs of students, their parents and the Dufferin Peel community. I bring leadership to ensuring that the education budget and funding is allocated prudentently and equitably. The recent completion of my degree in education brings a unique understanding of the importance of developing the "whole child" to support academic success and life-long learning. More

My name is Joanna Maj and with great honour I accepted a nomination to run as a trustee for the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board. I am excited to represent the parents, teachers and children …at our Board Meetings. Becoming a mother has sharpened my acuity with respect to the need and urgency of strategic path in the local schools. With a Catholic belief system, I am a committed mother, business-woman, cultural event coordinator and an active volunteer with some valuable establishments.

My corporate background and ample experience in work with charitable organizations has given me abundant practise in strong leadership roles, working with tight budgets, policy revisions, and looking beyond visible fragments of information to find solutions. My humble introduction to fundraising and charitable events began with Third World Awareness Group, travelling to third world countries to assist those in need. My journey then continued as an organizer of youth and children play zone with Mississauga Polish Day and currently, I am a Volunteer Ambassador for Ontario Heroes Health and Social Services Association. Inspired, I am working with a wonderful group of people on a youth and young professional committee for Polish Canadian Business Association to connect our young minds to mentorship opportunities.

All of these experiences have exposed me to a network of individuals who place emphasis on supporting our communities and it toughed me the value of having a Voice. I hope to be the Voice of confidence in your classrooms. More

I want every student to have a positive experience in their education, as it is indeed the foundation for their future. Similarly, I want teachers and staff to feel and be supported to do their job and …feel proud to be part of such an important path in children’s upbringing. I am grateful for my upbringing in my Catholic faith and traditions that our schools upkept while also being welcoming to different cultures in Mississauga. I am a first-generation immigrant willing to learn from and work together with other cultures fostering inclusivity to bring the best to students and teachers.

I have an academic background with multiple scientific publications, while also volunteering for various community based groups such as the Mississauga Track & Field Club (MTFC) and Athletics Ontario (AO). As a Clinical Research Study Assistant at University Health Network (UHN) in the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, I ensure regulations are being followed to ensure patient safety and enforce accountability. My volunteer, academic, and employment roles are about voicing the needs of others while following regulations and being systematic, and these same skills are imperative for a Trustee to bring to light the needs of others while presenting them in an organized fashion and allowing and facilitating fruitful discussions that, importantly, lead to a course-of-action and real change. It is my priority to bring positive change to our leaders of tomorrow and the dedicated staff and teachers that aid in this process. More

Get to know Oksana Stech!

• An active member of the Dormition of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church

• Attended St. Sofia School, Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School and the …University of Toronto: Mississauga for higher education

• Actively volunteering with children and young adults as a mentor and program coordinator within various youth organizations

• Liasson between the Ukrainian Youth Association of Canada and Blood Services Canada

• Believes in the importance of volunteerism and being an integral part of the community

Oksana Stech’s major focuses:

• More support for mental health programs and integration of all kids back into schools post the COVID-19 pandemic

• Programs for children to peruse active, healthy lifestyles

• Continue to promote Catholic education and Catholic values within the schools

• Continuously work to update the curriculum for our children’s future More

My name is Magdalena Strecker and I am running to be your Catholic School Board Trustee for Wards 2 and 8 in Mississauga.

I live in Mississauga with my husband and my two elementary school-aged …kids, who both attend schools here in Wards 2 and 8.

I immigrated to Canada 33 years ago, and was raised in a Mississauga home built on a strong foundation of Roman Catholic faith and values. After graduating from University, I started a successful career in the corporate and banking sectors.

I decided to run in this election because I am tired of candidates running based on generic promises and empty slogans.

Our children deserve a much better education system and advocating for change has been my highest priority following the pandemic.

As Trustee, I will bring a strong work ethic and understanding of the issues that our diverse community faces.

I am NOT afraid to take a principled stand on important social issues.

I pledge to be your voice at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board by:

1. Strengthening public trust in the Catholic School education system.
2. Introducing financial responsibility education for high school students to help equip them with essential life skills.
3. Preserving and growing the heritage language programs that are offered at our schools.
4. Shaping a vision for the Board that is reflective of the input of students' parents as well as the whole community.
5. Enhancing parent-teacher communication.
6. Investing in more mental health counseling.
7. Hiring teachers based on qualifications, and not seniority.
8. Advocating for in-person learning and smaller class sizes.

Feel free to reach out to me personally to discuss these, or any other issues you may have.

Thank you for your attention, and please remember to vote for Magdalena Strecker for Trustee on October 24th! More

40 years as an educator (10 years as a teacher, 30 years as an administrator)

12 years as a businessman (broker/owner of a real estate firm)

Why have I decided to run?

I have 37 years …experience as a teacher and administrator in culturally diverse schools and communities in Mississauga/Brampton. I wish to give back to the community using this experience to help sustain high educational standards and Catholic faith formation for students in Dufferin-Peel. My prior business background is an added asset.

How will I embrace and champion diversity in this role?

As an educational leader I have promoted and supported within a Catholic context diversity among students and staff in all the schools I have been through numerous cultural programs and activities. As a trustee I will support endeavors to foster and celebrate diversity among students, teachers, staff and administrators.

Top three issues:

1. Student Success: How to support students as they resume their education after over two years of interruptions.

2. Board Finances: Board faces significant and continuing budget deficits

3. Ensuring Equity and Diversity for staff and students More

Immigrated to Canada 33 years ago at the age of 19

High School from London, Ontario

York University Alumnus

Resident of Peel for last 22 years

A family man with strong Christian …beliefs and married for 24 years with 2 children

Entrepreneur of Kokkadens Group of Companies (Coconut Grove

Foods, Taste of Malayalees, Kerala Curry House & Choice Homes Realty Inc)

Owner and Broker of Record of Choice Homes Realty Inc

Active Committee member of Toronto Malayalee Samajam

Board of Trustee of Federation of Kerala Association in North America (FOKANA)

Former President and Secretary of Toronto Malayalee Samajam

Former General Secretary of Federation of Kerala Association in

North America (FOKANA)

Former Trustee (Kaikkaran)of St. Alphonso Syro Malabar Cathedral, Mississauga
Well known personality in the community More

Education: Jennifer has a BA Hons. Degree in History and English with a minor in cultural Studies from McMaster University. She also has a BAA Hons degree in Paralegal Studies from Humber College as well …as a post-graduate certificate in Business Analysis from the University of Toronto.

Why have you decided to run: The Ministry of Education continues to underfund the DPCDSB. Given the history of excluding the concerns of historically marginalized communities; I worry that programs created to ensure equitable, anti-racist, anti-oppressive and inclusive leaning environments will be reduced as the board manages these budgetary constraints. I am running to advocate for the preservation and expansion of programs which benefit all communities.

What issues do you hope to make progress on during your term as Trustee English Separate?

1. Addressing the invisible cost associated with education. To recognize the critical importance of the financial contribution teachers make in order to subsidize their teaching. Teachers see firsthand the economic disparities in their classrooms and often bear the responsibility of providing necessary supplies to their classrooms.

2. Reestablishing a sense of community post pandemic. We need to know if the kids are really alright. How have all students, especially student with disabilities, BIPOC students, ESL learners, LGBT+ students, and students from low income households, been impacted by covid19. We need to plan how schools will develop universal and targeted supports to aid students for their academic and social development.

3. Prioritize capital projects and renewal back logs to address the retrofits and repairs needed to modernize our schools. Investments in school infrastructure can mitigate harm done to students. More