2018 Election

** CATHOLIC SCHOOL TRUSTEE FROM 2004-2014
**FORMER VICE CHAIRPERSON OF THE HAMILTON CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD.
** FORMER CHAIRPERSON RELIGION AND FAMILY LIFE AND INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE COMMITTEE.
** …FORMER CHAIRPERSON OF INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES COMMITTEE
** MEMBER OF NUMEROUS COMMITTEES FROM 2004-2014
** SALES REPRESENTATIVE WITH KELLER WILLIAMS COMPLETE REALTY.
** Fight to ensure that all of our Schools are equipped with social workers. Increase accessibility to social workers in all our schools.
**Amid challenging and changing times, ensure that our Board budget is balanced each year.
**To ensure zero tolerance for violence and drugs in our schools.
**Accessible to parents, students and teachers. More

I'm Ellen Agostino (nee Duncan), I attended St. Kateri, St. Jean de Brebeuf, Mohawk College and Sir Wilfrid Laurier University. I was born and raised in Ward 6 and now I'm raising my family in ward 6. …I'd like to make a positive contribution to the community that made such an influential impact on my life. I look forward to supporting children in their academic and spiritual endeavours.

I intend to lead by example as a steward of faith and participant in the community.

An area of focus would be financial literacy in the classroom. I have a full time job at a financial institution and it has highlighted the need for financial literacy starting at an elementary level. Through my experience I can provide insight and knowledge on this topic to help further prepare children for the real world. More

Friends of Catholic Education,

As a married father of 3 children who attended St. Margaret Mary elementary in Ward 6 and as a graduate of our system, I was honoured to be elected in 2014 as the …Trustee to succeed Fr. Kennedy who left a legacy of over 40 years of Service.

As a graduate of Political Science/Public Policy I currently work as a Manager/ Paralegal with Great-West Life at Ford of Canada. This last term I built some positive relationships with the Catholic School Councils in Ward 6 which include St. Margaret Mary, St. Anthony Daniel and St. Kateri and I would like to continue that initiative as we welcome St. Teresa of Calcutta to our Ward 6 family of schools.

My involvement in the Ward 6 community and beyond includes: St. Margaret Mary School and Parish Councils, Highview Park redevelopment and T-Ball coach, Knights of Columbus St. Margaret Mary Council, Quinndale Soccer Coach and sponsor, Catholic School Trustee Ward 5, President of Catholic Family Services and the Cancer Assistance Program along with numerous other charitable and community Boards and committees that can be found on my website: www.joebfortrustee.com; FaceBook: Joe Baiardo for Ward 6 Catholic School Trustee and Joe Baiardo; Twitter@JBaiardo e-mail: josbaiardo@rogers.com. I ask for your continued and kind support as I have the Experience that Counts. More

A Naval Veteran, Professional Engineer with two decades of working experience in corporations. Married to a High school teacher. Father of two daughters, graduated from catholic secondary school in Hamilton …and employed in corporations.

Volunteered in Junior Achievers program, United way, and community programs, Chairperson Sunnyshines Foundation (A charity organization supporting economically challenged young adults to pursue their professional education).

Strongly believe that presently, in the information age, the young adults are at a cross road of disruptive technology, business, believe systems and liberal outlook. It is time to turn the page. The days of control/regulation-based discipline is obsolete. The school curriculum shall facilitate students with informed and knowledgeable choices for; food, recreation, career, hobbies, habits etc. dovetailed with programs for mental health and financial management. These programs are to be implemented in collaboration with students.

Introduction of more applied courses to develop life skills to encourage entrepreneurship.

I, being am an outsider to the school system, will be able to look at policies, present system and processes with an open mind and give leadership to effect changes as necessary based on my four decades of experience in working in different organizations. More

John is completing his second term as a trustee with the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, after defeating the long-term incumbent in the 2010 election. He has served on a variety of committees, …including SEAC, Child Care Liaison, HWCAA Constitution, Policies and Procedures, and By- laws and Regulations. He has attended every OCSTA regional meeting, AGM and in-service since becoming a Catholic trustee, including all modules of the Professional Development Program.

John is no stranger to the field of Education. After being educated in the Catholic schools of the HWCDSB, he received his BA and BPE at McMaster, his B Ed at Toronto, and completed various graduate courses at Brock and York. He taught in high schools for 11 years, served as a curriculum consultant for 3 years, was a secondary school vice-principal for 5, and completed his career as a Catholic secondary principal for 17 years. Over his career, he was involved in a wide variety of board committees wherein

he developed expertise in a number of areas. He was also heavily involved in Athletics, as a coach and administrator, and served provincially on the OFSAA Legislative Council for 14 years, where he earned an OFSAA Leadership in Sports Award in 2000. He was chosen as Principal of the Year in 2004 by the Catholic School Principals Council of Ontario. He has been able to bring to the board table his wealth of authentic experience from a school perspective, his knowledge of school programs, his understanding of

the teaching-learning process, and his insights regarding the issues and day-to-day realities of Catholic education.

Since retiring in 2007, John has been occupied with a number of pursuits. He was a part-time Adjunct Professor in the Department of Education at Canisius College in Buffalo, where he taught pre-student teachers and supervised candidates in their placements, affording him the opportunity to visit a wide variety of schools in Southern Ontario. He is active in the community, serving as president of a local soccer club and coaching two rep teams and the McMaster women’s team, and received a Sport Hamilton Outstanding Volunteer Award in 2009. He has also received the OSA Meritorious Srvice Award and is a member of the Hamilton Soccer Hall of Fame.

John has a wife, Sandra, and five children, two of whom are Catholic teachers. He is also blessed with eight grandchildren who attend Catholic elementary schools. He has attended Corpus Christi Parish for the past 40 years, where he serves as a lector.

John has devoted his adult life to Catholic Education, and is committed to ensuring not only its preservation, but more so, the fulfillment of its mandate. His motivation and mission is one of service to the Catholic community. More

Phil Homerski is the Catholic School Board candidate of choice for Ancaster, Dundas and West Flamborough. He has spent more than four decades educating, informing and engaging people as a communications …professional in the public sector and then as an entrepreneur establishing his own consulting business. Most of Homerski’s extensive volunteer experience has been in community leadership positions that relate to supporting and encouraging youth to realize their full potential. To Homerski, a School Board Trustee is the penultimate extension of that vocation in youth development.

Phil Homerski is a devoted Catholic with real-world experience in community-building and a life-long involvement with the Catholic school system in Hamilton. “I have personally experienced the impact of Catholic education on the positive development of our youth,” says Homerski. “I want to ensure that we maintain both the academic excellence and robust Catholic environment to inspire our students to be the best they can be."

Phil Homerski is in this race because he wants to make sure that our Catholic school system continues to make a difference in the lives of our youth. Homerski will bring a fresh new perspective to the education sector and pledges to work together in developing supportive communities across our schools to ensure the focus is on helping to inspire our children to be the best they can be. More