Safe, Inclusive Schools Where Every Student Belongs

Every student deserves to learn in an environment where they feel safe, respected, included, and valued. Strong schools within the Greater Victoria School District are spaces where youth can develop academically, socially, and emotionally, giving everyone an equitable opportunity to succeed.

My commitment as a trustee is to advance policies that actively foster positive learning environments, support student achievement, and build a deep sense of community connection. This includes backing robust, proactive anti-bullying and anti-violence frameworks to support everyone in SD61 schools.

This work must support all youth, including Indigenous students, 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, and students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Cultivating an environment where every individual is welcomed and protected creates a healthier, more stable school culture that ultimately benefits students, teachers, support staff, and families together.

Supporting the People Who Support Our Students

Teachers, EAs, and school support staff are essential to creating successful learning environments in SD61. Every day, these people work directly in our classrooms to support students, manage complex needs, and build positive learning environments. As a trustee I will listen to teachers and staff, and advocate for the resources, support, and stable working conditions they require to do their jobs effectively.

I plan to push for the delivery of targeted, effective resources that directly respect the day-to-day operational realities of our teachers, EAs and support staff. This means moving away from reactive measures and actively driving the adoption of proactive strategies, alongside compliant staffing ratios, as well as effectively de-escalating classroom behavioral incidents before they disrupt staff and students. Our teachers deserve the classroom support they need and the resources they require in each of our schools across SD61. Cultivating a safe, properly supported working environment for our teachers and support staff is the absolute baseline requirement for improving student learning outcomes across our district.

I will work to implement the seamless childcare model because it will directly support our dedicated EAs and ECEs by eliminating difficult split shifts and expanding part-time positions into stable, full-time careers that provide a livable wage.

Supporting Every Learner and Protecting Student Opportunities

All students benefit when they are supported with the diverse learning opportunities they deserve. Supporting every learner means recognizing that students have their own strengths, interests, learning needs, identities and pathways to success. As a trustee, I will advocate for evidence-informed approaches, strong inclusive education, and decisions that priorities the learning challenges, unique needs and mental health supports for all learners in SD61.

Music and fine arts programs, as well as exploratory education, are important part of a complete education, including student engagement, mental health and social connection. In the GVTA In Greater Victoria, our middle school music programs are important for our students and valued by our families, yet they are constantly put at risk whenever the district faces a budget shortfall. I stand with our community in opposing cuts to these programs and I will advocate for long-term financial planning that protects these opportunities for students, ensuring they remain a stable, core part of a well-rounded public education rather than an afterthought during budget debates.

At the Board of Education, I want to champion equitable access to specialized professionals, including EAs, Inclusive Education Teachers, Indigenous Education Teachers, English Language Learner (ELL) specialists, Deaf and Hard of Hearing practitioners, Counsellors, and Speech-Language Pathologists. I share community concern regarding recent budget decisions that will be reducing these supports, and I believe the Board of Education must carefully weigh the long-term impact of its financial choices on student well-being.

Responsible Decisions That Support Students and Families

Trustees have a core responsibility to manage public resources carefully, effectively and with students at the centre of every choice. I believe that decisions about budgets, programs and out-of-school care need to be guided by long-term planning, with a clear understanding of how they impact student learning, student well-being and families in Victoria. The public funds available to SD61 must be used responsibly, and be transparent around the priorities the Board have chosen, the trade-offs that will result, and the outcomes they hope to see.

We are lucky enough that our SD61 elementary schools offer before and after-school care; however, availability does not mean all families can get a space. This is a significant gap throughout Victoria. Families should not have to choose between work and school schedules. I will advocate for SD61 to expand affordable out-of-school care, including using district-operated out-of-school care (seamless childcare) as an option for schools where families currently face long waitlists or limited options. This has the potential to support families and create full-time careers for EAs, ECEs and support staff.

School districts everywhere feel fiscal pressure, and finding ways to make public money go further is essential. There are multiple avenues that SD61 has the ability to pursue to help supplement the budget and reduce the pressure that impacts students and staff. These include district-operated out-of-school care, land leases for excess property, expansion of summer camps in schools, and transition to long-term space lease. Instead of letting school buildings sit empty during off-hours or holding onto underused land, SD61 can put these to work to help protect the budget where it matters most, the classroom.

As a trustee, I will also work with the BCSTA lobby the provincial government for the robust funding SD61 needs, upholding rigorous financial stewardship and accountability to ensure resources are directed precisely where they make the greatest difference for students, staff, and school communities.

A School District That Listens

Strong public schools are built through meaningful partnerships with students, families, staff, Indigenous communities, and the broader city here in Victoria. I will prioritize open, respectful, and accessible communication so that our community clearly understands the challenges SD61 faces, the choices being made, and the reasoning behind those decisions.

My commitment is to ensure the Board of Education not only seeks out diverse perspectives, but actively translates that community engagement into transparent action. Recent choices regarding program funding, budget priorities, and district changes have highlighted a critical gap in communication. Victoria families deserve a meaningful voice and a board that remains directly accountable to the public it serves.