Well tonight marked our fifth and final all candidates forum. Fourth for the men.
Questions I have fielded ranged from facilities renewal to french immersion issues... we were asked about our positions on school closures and class size, teacher lay offs and administration's role in the Board of Education's decision making processes.
My initial thoughts remain although I have learned much from this experience.
It doesn't much matter what any particular parent or community group's first priority or issue is... if the Board of Education isn't going to engage in conversation with you on the topic.
An opportunity exists this weekend for the public- parents and members of the communitiy- to exercise their right to ensure that our collective voices are heard at the Board level over the next three years.
Of 16, there are 9 candidates who are prepared to work collaboratively, advocating to save public education from many different fronts.
Innovative, unique strategies are possible and the angles of address must be decided with individual school communities' needs at the forefront.
This will not be possible without input from all stakeholders- parents, teachers, community groups, students, senior administration.... Each with equally important roles to play in the final decision making process taking place at the Board Table.
Make your selection carefully.
Trust your instincts and elect trustees whom you feel will best assist you in shaping the future of public education in SD68.
There are candidates who will work hard for you, making decisions based on facts, all the while never losing sight of the bottom line:
Our children.

A recurring question these days:
"How and where do I vote?"
Here's your answer:
The city has an electronic voting system in place which allows anyone to vote at any polling station in town.
We will NOT get voting cards in the mail- just arrive at any polling station with two pieces of ID and you will receive instructions on the spot for how to vote electronically.
Here is a list of the 13 polling stations in greater Nanaimo:
Frank J. Ney Elementary - 5301 Williamson Rd
McGirr Elementary - 6199 McGirr Road
Uplands Park Elementary - 3821 Stronach Drive
Randerson Ridge ELelmentary - 6021 Nelson Road
St. Andrews Church - 4235 Departure Bay Road
Departure Bay Activity Centre - 1415 Wingrove Street
Christ Community Church - 2221 Bowen Road
Pretection Island Fire Hall - 26 Pirates Lane
Brechin Elementary - 510 Millstone Avenue
Dodd Narrows Room, Port of Nanaimo Centre - 80 Commercial Street
Nanaimo Aquatic Centre - 750 Third Street
Georgia Avenue Elementary - 625 Georgia Avenue
Chase River Elementary - 1503 Cranberry Avenue

No matter how you vote on November 15th - VOTE!!

Comments this evening from French Immersion parents in Ladysmith have refueled my frustration over the apparent lack of respect for French Immersion as a choice of education stream for many families in the District.
In the spring a group who compiled input from all F/I elementary schools collaborated and presented to the Board. We did so with concerns over the plans for secondary F/I post 2012 when NDSS will cease to operate (or so the Facilities 'Renewal' process would soon dictate). Our carefully researched project was met with a tepid response from most Trustees and a comment from one of them: "if you do not follow Board decisions you do not support French Immersion".
No official plan exists for French Immersion in this School District at present. The last plan was drafted in the late 80's.
Mike Munroe says he'd like to see F/I secondary enrollment increase to 400 within the next few years. How? As of April, parents aren't even aware of a firm plan as to where the secondary school will be housed in a few years.
We need collaboration with concerned parties, administration, and a Board of Education that is responsive to F/I concerns. We need a plan.
As a parent of two daughters, grades 1 and 5 currently enrolled at ecole Pauline Haarer, I have a vested interest in a strongly supported F/I program here in our District.
I will request all French Immersion schools as a part of my assignment shoud I be elected come November, and I will work hard with parents, schools, and communities to ensure that our concerns are reflected in Board discussion and decision making.

In August I filed a formal complaint with the Ombudsman's office. This complaint was with regard to the Board of Education's decision to close NDSS. Their decision will lead to the sale of ND property and the building of a too large secondary school on what will be an inadequate site.
I learned today that my file is being reviewed by a second investigator. This investigator has been given my complaint as well as the NDSS PAC complaint and she will likely investigate both files concurrently as some of the information forwarded in both complaints is overlapping although the heart of each complaint is unique.
More as information is forthcoming...

After an impromptu meeting today outside NDSS where I had the opportunity to speak with NDP Education critic Norm Macdonald, I am left with an even stronger sense of duty and responsibility towards our children and communities. I'm so excited to be running in this election and I feel so fortunate to have the support that has poured out to me thus far...
There was a press release today, prepared by a working group from NDSS PAC with regards to their continued efforts on the Facilities Renewal issue. They have uncovered some more info to add to their formal complaint to the Ombudsman and the ensuing investigation. I will add the NDSS PAC's website as another link to this blog for anyone wanting to re-familiarize themselves with this ongoing matter.
My final thought for the day, though is one of awe over how much can be accomplished by people who care. Look at how the Woodlands school community pulled together and how they succeeded in saving their school in the end... and the NDSS school community is refusing to give up in their efforts to do the same thing across town. Each working at odds with one another and still winning, albeit separately.
Imagine now for a minute how much could be accomplished and what a force they would be to reckon with should the NDSS and Woodlands school communities band together and utilize these seemingly endless wills to shape a new beginning for both communities.
I wouldn't want to get in the way of that freight train!

At this time I am excited about meetings to date regarding school libraries- I am eager to set the ball in motion with a long term goal to see school libraries staffed with librarians in an attempt to assist the current SD68 Literacy Committee in their endeavors to increase the literacy stats for our communities.