2018 Election

I was with the Primary School Council for more than 5 years where I served as treasurer to the school council. I also volunteered with a private secondary school in an advisory capacity where I have interacted …with the school's administrators, parents and students.

I have more than 11 years of professional experience working for a large Ontario University in Finance & strategic planning at an Executive Level.

My volunteer and professional experience has given me exposure to solve problems facing students and parents at all levels and I therefore am sure I can represent them well at the school board.

I am an accountant as well an industrial engineer – holding positions with fiscal responsibilities demanding innovation and an awareness of stakeholders' needs. I believe I can bring new ideas to the Durham District School Board that will benefit students, parents and taxpayers.

Together, we could bring meaningful change to our public schools in Ajax.

To do this, I need your support in the coming election. On Oct. 22nd, please vote for me as your Trustee.

Thank you.

Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/Seladurai-Jeyakumaran-as-the-DDSB-Trustee-for-Ward-1-2-in-Ajax-264057581022476/?modal=admin_todo_tour More

Education has been my life. I am a retired Durham educator, having taught more than 36 years in the elementary panel. In 2010, I was first elected Trustee for Scugog and have served in that capacity since …then. I have thoroughly enjoyed my roles in the field of education and would love the opportunity to continue serving.

I have contributed in many capacities to the DDSB , having chaired the Finance Committee for 5 years and serving as Vice Chair of the board. A top priority of mine has always been the well-being of our students and our staff. I am extremely proud of the Mental Health Strategic Plan that we created prior to our Board hiring a Mental Health Lead. Probably, my greatest satisfaction comes from working on the Supervised Alternative Learning (SAL) committee. I have served on this team for the last eight years and thoroughly enjoy working with our staff, our students, and their families to ensure student success.

I love working with youth, I relate well to parents, and I work well with all staff. Those good communication skills are required of a trustee because trustees are the critical link, the bridge between communities and the school board.

My family instilled in me, a strong work ethic, a positive approach to life, and a sense of dedication and responsibility. Because of my upbringing, I have developed a practical, down-to-earth approach to life which has served me well as an educator and as a trustee.

I was first elected in 2010, acclaimed in 2014, and would very much like to continue in the role of trustee. My goal would be to represent all elements of our communities in order to provide the best possible experiences and the best possible opportunities for our students. More

I strongly support public education. As a parent, grandparent, as an education professional and as a business leader, I recognize that public education is a gift that needs to be supported. Public Education …gives voice to those who are silent; opportunity to those without hope and reflects our aspiration of our society for our children. As a four term Trustee I seek re-election because experience will be critical as we face change; vision will be crucial as we seek to adapt, and leadership is necessary to insure our collective voice is heard. I bring forward experience as Chair, Vice Chair, ex-President of OPSBA and currently Vice-President of OPSBA. More

As a father of 5 I have seen first hand that bullying is on the rise in our schools, and watched how the issue is juggled back and forth between the administration and parents. I have also seen the challenges …our educators have with maintaining a safe environment for our children due to vague policies that seldomly become enforced, and a lack of progressive discipline.

I have spent the last 15 years working with the general public, and the last 10 years as a General Manager for Best Buy Canada helping develop associates to reach their full potential. I am currently a mentor with the Durham Children's Aid Society and the Treasurer for our School Community Council. I have also been the Co-Chair of the Safe & Healthy Community Advisory Committee for the City of Kitchener.

I am running for two core reasons. Because I feel we can create a better policy to protect our students and staff, while fostering a diverse, safe and successful education system. In addition I have seen first hand that we are faced with a provincial government that has every intention of changing the way our governance and curriculum works, without any long-term foresight. I feel it is imperative we have people at the helm of our board that have the experience, passion and resolve to advocate for a educational system that sets the foundation of success for our students both present and future. I am excited to utilize my experience to bring productive change to the lives of our students, and create a education system we can all be proud of. More

My child started first grade in the DDSB 8 years ago and faced challenges early on. As many parents have, I struggled to navigate outside agencies and the complexities of the DDSB when advocating for her. …Eventually drawing upon the assistance of the Ontario Ombudsman and the Ontario Child and Youth Advocate, we successfully found her the right placement and supports.

Over her career as a student I have lobbied the DDSB Board of Trustees, the Superintendent of Special Education and the DDSB Budget Committee around class closures, and learned much about how students with different learning needs are supported in the board. Through this advocacy work, I decided to join the DDSB’s Special Education Advisory Committee in April 2016, where I have served as chair since December of that year. I advocate on behalf of students with Special Education needs and their families, and through this work have come to see that my family’s struggle was not unique.

It is for this reason that I’m putting my name forward to represent the people of Oshawa as a Durham District School Board trustee. We need trustees who understand the education system, are responsive to parents, and are principled in their advocacy for student well-being and success. I will be a strong voice for Oshawa students and their families. I am committed to having open dialogue with parents and other stakeholders in our public education system so that we can create safe and effective learning environments across our city. More

I'm a strong advocate for keeping arts education in our schools. In my professional life, I work in the theatre industry as a technician and promoter (with such companies as the Elgin and Winter Garden …Theatre Centre, Opera Atelier, Canadian Stage, Native Earth Performing Arts, and currently at Soulpepper Theatre Company). I am a former DDSB student (graduating in 2015), so I feel like I can connect with today's students - I know what students need to succeed in the classroom and in life - and that's what I'm all about: student success. We need to make sure our students are well prepared for life beyond the hallowed halls of public school - because I wasn't. As a younger candidate, I bring a youthful outlook to everything I do and know that 21st Century Students need a 21st Century Education. I will be an open, honest, and transparent voice for the parents, the community, and, especially, the students. More

Ashley Noble is a strong community activist, volunteer and youth organizer who has been vital in many successful progressive campaigns in Oshawa. From community town hall events to canvassing, Ashley is …passionate about changing our world for the better. Ashley is a former student of the DDSB in Oshawa from junior kindergarten right through Grade 12 and has seen first hand how cuts can impact education and is looking forward to using that lived experience to represent Oshawa. Ashley believes strong schools build strong communities. The foundation of a healthy educational system should be a safe, structural, accessible environment for our teachers and all school staff to conduct their work in and for our children to thrive in. Ashley believes all students should have equitable access to everything our education system has to offer. While the DDSB has been making strides towards some notable achievements in equity, she understands that there is always room for improvement and wants more diverse voices at the table.

www.facebook.com/ashleynobleoshawa

www.twitter.com/_AshleyNoble

www.instagram.com/ashleynoble More

As a Trustee for the past four years I have been a strong, passionate voice for parents and our community and an effective liaison between communities and the school board. I am focused on student success, …well-being and equal opportunity for all students to reach their full potential and I am dedicated to inclusion of all students, fiscal responsibility, and transparency. I have a degree in education, I'm a mother of two and a volunteer at WindReach Farm. As a Trustee I've been a member of the Special Education Advisory Committee, board member for the Ontario Public School Board Association, Supervised Alternative Learning committee member and chair of the audit committee. More

I believe strongly that all our students can succeed no matter what path they choose when provided with quality, public education. Public education is vital for preparing our students – our future leaders …with productive and fulfilling lives; living in and giving back to our community. As a two term Trustee and a parent of two children with special needs, I seek re-election to continue to advocate for quality education for all students. I bring forward experience as an advocate, leader and coach from being a long-time member of the Special Education Advisory Committee; member of the Durham Down Syndrome Association, Community Living – Ajax, Pickering & Whitby, coach for Special Olympics at Provincial, National and International levels; and as Vice-Chair, Director and Vice President Central East of OPSBA. I currently serve as the Vice-Chair of SEAC. More

A tireless homemaker, supportive wife and devoted mother of two grown-up sons both of whom were born in Canada but received education in the schooling system of both India and Canada. A master's degree …holder herself and being witness to the learning path of her children in both the systems has helped her to develop strong insight and views towards a balanced education system.

She always strives to bring the best out of her children and four grandchildren and ensure that they not only have good educational foundation but also carry the cultural values of own and respect other cultures. She has strong belief in diversity and learning from variety of cultures. She advocates smart balancing between personal human and cultural interaction while keeping pace with ever evolving digital world.

Her mantra is John Dewey saying 'Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.'

She is a strong believer that a society can truly progress only when its citizens are educated. With this in mind, she always helped less privileged kids and motivated them to get the basic education.

Being a first time runner for Trustee office, she will bring a fresh prospective to DDSB from her international and Canadian experiences. More

Whitby parent, grandparent, and retired Durham educator with over 39 years experience

Classroom Teacher: mainstream and special education in many schools across the region

System Leader: …Principal of four schools, opened Ormiston Public School, Education Officer, Superintendent of Schools/Programs/Staff Development K-12

Community Committee Work: Community Development Council Durham, Conservation Authorities, Indigenous and First Nations Organizations, Durham Regional Police Services, Metis Council of Oshawa, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, PFLAG Canada Durham Region, Durham College, Children's Aid Society Durham Region, Durham Hindu Association, Durham Tamil Association, Tamil Cultural and Academic Society, Durham Baha'i, Islamic Centre Oshawa

Programs Department K-12 portfolio: developing, implementing and supporting all initiatives related to: Literacy and Numeracy; Student Success; Ontario Focused Intervention Program, Equity and Inclusive Education; Indigenous Education; Accountability and Assessment, Staff Development and Media Technology. More

I'm Jim Barclay and I'm running for trustee for the Durham District School Board in Whitby.

I have lived in Whitby for the better part of 30 years, and my 3 kids all attended Whitby schools.

I …taught high school for 32 years in the DDSB. I was active in community teams, in elementary school and in high school.

As well, I was involved as part or the LOSSA executive for a number of years.

I'm looking forward to working with the community to provise safe progressive schools for both students and staff.

email - jambarc@yahoo.ca

facebook - Jim Barclay for DDSB Trustee More

Niki Lundquist has lived in Whitby for over 10 years. She is a mother of two, one in elementary school and one in post-secondary. Niki is a well respected human rights and labour lawyer and an active volunteer …in Whitby and Brooklin. She has won precedent setting cases and fought for workers and marginalized people in Canada and internationally. She is also a trained mediator having completed executive training on mediating complex disputes at Harvard University. Her commitment to inclusion and equity are reflected in the work she does every single day.

Niki is a member of the Brooklin Optimists and the Town of Whitby Accessibility Advisory Committee. She acts as pro bono counsel to a local youth shelter for street involved youth and is both an active volunteer with, and Board member of, the Durham Region Challengers, a baseball league for children of all abilities.

Her understanding of the importance of quality, public education, that engages every child and sets them up for success is directly informed by her own lived experiences. As a single, teen mother, she worked her way through post-secondary education and law school. Education changed the trajectory of her life Niki would bring to the Board a wealth of experience, an understanding of legal and financial instruments, a commitment to excellence and the capacity to welcome diverse voices in decision-making. More

Sherri Simzer offers thirty years of success in public education wth a focus on teaching life and job skills to help youth secure gainful employment. "I look forward to once again supporting all students …to achieve to their potential."

Sherri created the Employment & Education Centre (EEC) and served as its Executive Director for 30 years. The EEC became the hub of training and job opportunities for youth throughout Leeds-Grenville in partnership with employers. Sherri has successfully managed multi-million dollar budgets and has served on several local and provincial boards of directors. More

Public Education depends on open communication and action. I believe that my experience with my own children, my work as a teacher, coach, and the many years I worked in the corporate sector have given …me the skills, knowledge, work ethic and empathy needed to be your voice on the Durham District School Board. We need to elect trustees who understand and are committed to the issues we will be facing over the next four years: safety and wellness of staff and students, bullying, bussing issues, school closings, curriculum concerns, and lack of adequate resources. As a trustee I will be that needed link between you and the School Board. As a Whitby/Brooklin resident for more than 30 years I know the needs of this community. On October 22nd I would appreciate your confidence and vote for me, Christine Thatcher, as your voice as Trustee on the Durham District School Board. More

Tom is a retired teacher with 32 years classroom experience in the Durham District School Board.

He is devoted to his wife Rebecca and 4 children, all of whom attended Durham schools.

Tom …has dedicated thousands of volunteer hours towards DEAA extracurricular sports ensuring that students are given the opportunities they need to thrive.

Tom has been recognized for his dedication to public education with the Premier's Certificate of Excellence.

He also earned a special Certificate of Merit for 6 years service on the Executive Board of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.

Thomas has led workshops with the Durham District School Board Equity Institute, and is a longtime Terry Fox run school organizer.

He has been a counsellor with both the PAR program for spousal abuse prevention & The Rainbows program for grieving children.

Tom has earned a Master's Degree in Education Administration from Queen's University and is ready to serve.

He believes our kids deserve the best. More

Dianne Barham has lived and volunteered in Pickering for over 17 years.

Her passion for her community has led her to hold several voluntary roles such as Vice President in Toastmasters and Co-chair …of the Education Committee for the Congress of Black Women in Pickering/Ajax. She has also been involved in School Councils and managed a fitness business in Pickering for over 10 years. More

Chris has had the privilege of serving with two school boards as a Trustee and Vice-Chair.

First elected as a Trustee from 1994–1997 with the Scarborough Board of Education, Chris served as Vice-Chair. …With a young family started in 1998, and a move to Pickering, Chris was elected again as a Trustee representing Pickering in 2006. Chris also served as the Durham District School Board's Vice-Chair from 2011-2014, and is now in his third term as a Trustee with the DDSB.

Chris is well known for his successful track record of accomplishments that addresses school community engagement, and relationship building. He is also an enthusiastic and creative leader who has brought new ideas, and experience to Pickering schools and the Durham District School Board. More

Paul Crawford has been a Trustee at DDSB, representing the Pickering Area for 17 years.

Willing and able to continue for another four years. With an emphasis on the safety and

welfare of …all Students and Staff. Receiving the concerns of all constituents and ensuring

the concerns are responded to through our Superintendents.

The main goal of the full Board and all Staff is to focus on Student Achievement and a

safe learning environment. More

Sandeep has extensive experience providing leadership and direction at federal, provincial and municipal levels of government. He has led successful delegations to Parliament Hill, Ottawa, sits on the …Provincial Board and provides voice to the needs of the sick and injured. He has sat on several school councils as vice chair and treasurer. He has led several delegations to DDSB. He has won recognition from his local MPP for his service within the Pickering community. He is a strong voice for his community and he is championing the fight against over enrollment, classroom sizes, bussing, debt burden, $79M repair backlog, special needs funds allocation, expansion of cooperative apprenticeships, improvement in grades counselling and much more. You are invited to visit his website at www.sandeepkakan.ca to learn more. Sandeep Kakan brings The REAL experience that matters. More