2022 Election

I am married with two adult children. Born and raised in Thunder Bay and educated through Lakehead District School Board. I hold a Master's Degree in Business Administration, Honours Bachelor of Arts in …Political Science-Pre-Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Lakehead University. I am the Executive Director of the North Superior Workforce Planning Board with over 35 years of work experience as a Community Development Officer with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Colleges and Universities and Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development of Ontario. I served with the Royal Canadian Navy for over 17 years in Thunder Bay, Toronto, Halifax and Victoria. I am a recipient of the City of Thunder Bay Citizens of Exceptional Achievement Award for volunteering to support the Dew Drop Inn and the Canadian Armed Forces medal of service.

Education is "power." As parents and guardians, we want our children to succeed in life. Students need the best possible education so they will have the power to make crucial decisions that will affect their health, prosperity and life. Board Trustees must implement policies to ensure students will have the power to succeed in life. More

Kelly believes she is able to offer a fresh perspective of a community-minded parent who will actively advocate for students and prepare them as they thrive and grow in the Thunder Bay District. Her perspective …is an important one in the quest to improve the school experience, making it work for all students, parents, teachers, and partners alike.

Kelly arrived in Northern Ontario in 1988 to attend Lakehead University, and since that time she has called Thunder Bay home. After graduating Lakehead University, Kelly continued her education at Confederation College. She began her career in June of 1994 and has worked in the local travel industry, event coordination and office management. She is very passionate and supportive of local small businesses and the economic growth of the city and region. Kelly believes in giving back to her community, growing healthy teams and lifting up those around her to reach their goals. She has sat on a variety of volunteer boards and committees. As a committed community volunteer and parent, Kelly strives to model leadership and community values for her son. More

My name is Donica LeBlanc. I had a fulfilling career as an educator and had various leadership roles with Lakehead District School Board for numerous years, many of which had a Special Education focus. …In earlier years, I also worked in outlying Indigenous communities as an educator. I am now retired and ready to contribute to education in an alternative way by representing the voice of the public. I believe we need to work together as a community, to support children in achieving success and provide a safe learning environment. This means providing various opportunities so that all students are able to access their career/life choices. It also means providing staff with the necessary tools and training with which to work. With this diverse background in education, along with my time on a board focused on early childhood, working at the university level and as a parent of Lakehead DSB graduates, I feel I can provide a meaningful voice to influence the necessary supports for students from preschool to graduation so that they can achieve success. Follow me on Instagram @donica_leblanc. I value this opportunity and I wish all candidates the best of luck! More

I have had the honour to be elected and re-elected as a Trustee with Lakehead District School Board since 2006.

I was involved with Parent Teacher Associations then was a trainer for School Councils …when this came in mid 90's I was school council Chair at McKellar Park Central School and on the School Council at Sir Winston Churchill I had the pleasure to be Chair of School Council Chairs for three years around 2000.

I am very passionate about Public Education and as Development Service Worker DSW worked with developmental disabilities for over 30 years

We need to ensure we have financial supports to meet the needs of our special needs students and all student so they can graduate from Grade 12

I have been Budge Chair at LPS over the years and we trustees work very hard on the budget to ensure adequate funding for teachers staff supports and all student to get the best possible education at LPS We need to listen to parents and students and work on their behalf We need sustainable and continued funding for all the educational programs to ensure student success I would appreciate our Vote on October 24th Vote for George Saarinen Trustee Lakehead District School Board More

Our children are the future and we have to put them first.

My name is Paul D. Sequeira and I am pleased to introduce myself as a candidate for Lakehead Public School Board Trustee.

As a parent …of 4 kids, 3 of which attend public elementary school in Thunder Bay, and the youngest joining them in a couple years, I have a vested interest in the future of my kids as well as yours.

Currently, I work full-time in Thunder Bay, and will concurrently complete a Masters of Economics degree at Lakehead University this year. Being a parent, student, and employed adult gives me a relevant and broad perspective of the future our children will be experiencing; the world has changed dramatically in the past 10 years and I am prepared to advocate for the real challenges facing our kids and to provide a fresh and relevant perspective on the Board of Trustees.

I am actively involved in the community, have served on a number of boards, and currently sit on three. This involvement allows me to work collaboratively with a wide range of individuals of varying perspectives all trying to better serve diverse groups of people; I strive to achieve fair and equitable outcomes in all parts of my life.

It is important for me to advocate for what parents want and what children need. I believe in putting our childrens’ interests first because supporting them IS supporting our collective future. More

Born and raised in Thunder Bay, I am a proud supporter of Lakehead Public Schools. I have been a student, teacher, principal, and a parent of this board and as of September 2023, a grandparent as my first …grandchild attends Junior Kindergarten at Lakehead Public Schools.

As a member of the board of trustees for Lakehead Public Schools, our decisions must be centered around student achievement, well being, and equity. We must ensure that all students who attend our schools, no matter where they are or their circumstances, are given what they need to succeed and our staff are supported to make that happen. This focus will support the parents/guardians of our students and the community at large.

Lakehead Public Schools is a system that faces many of the challenges of Northwestern Ontario: isolated schools, rural schools, and urban schools. I believe my work experience in education will bring a renewed perspective to the Board of Trustees at Lakehead Public Schools. I have worked for Lakehead Public Schools and three regional school boards as well as the Ministry of Education in a variety of roles including teacher, principal, Superintendent, Student Achievement Officer, and Thunder Bay regional manager for Field Services. Those work opportunities provided me with not only a local perspective, but a regional and provincial one as well. As a Trustee, I can bring that breadth of knowledge as we, the elected board of trustees, participate in making decisions that would benefit all schools and their communities.

Lakehead Public Schools has worked hard to develop extensive local business, community, and education partnerships to support student success. We need to continue to build and enhance these relationships to provide the best opportunities for all our students and communities.

As we emerge from a global pandemic, we need to continue our focus on Indigenous Education, Special Education, Mental Health supports, and Academic Achievement for all. Together, we can put in place supports so our students and staff can return to a "normal" school year. This can bring stability to our parents/guardians and to their communities.

As an elected official, using the knowledge and communication skills gained in my prior roles in education, I look forward to advocating for Lakehead Public Schools so that all students have equitable opportunities for success in life.

I, Leah Vanderwey, would be honoured to receive your vote as Trustee for Lakehead Public Schools. More