Winnipeg Election 2018

Mark Wasyliw - Winnipeg - 3

Why did you decide to run in the 2018 (Winnipeg Civic Election / School Board Election)?

Mark Wasyliw grew up in a family of educators – with both parents teaching in the public school system. He and his partner Jac-lynn Wasyliw, have lived in the Winnipeg School Division’s Ward 3 boundary since 1999.  They have three children, their youngest who attends Ecole Robert H. Smith School and a child at Ecole River Heights and one at Ecole Kelvin High School.  Jac-lynn is currently completing her education to become a school teacher.

Mark is a successful lawyer and businessman – running the Bueti, Wasyliw, Wiebe Law Firm. Mark holds a B.A. from the University of Manitoba, a Masters Degree in Political Science from McGill University, received his law degree from the University of Ottawa and holds a Masters of Criminal Law from Osgoode Hall Law School.  He was called to the Bar in 2000.  He has also been a Residential Tenancies Commissioner for the Province of Manitoba since 2009.

Mark was elected as a School Trustee for the old Ward 1 in November 2011 and has since been elected as Vice-Chair of the Winnipeg School Division for 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years and Chair of the Board from 2014-2016. He has also been a member of Finance, Public Policy, French Language Advisory, South Winnipeg Advisory, Winnipeg Police Service, Winnipeg Teacher’s Society Committees as well as the Chair of the Building and Transportation Committee.

Mark has volunteered for a variety of organizations including the Robert H. Smith Parent Advisory Group, Robert H. Smith Academic Support Committee, Association in Defence of the Wrongfully Convicted, Manitoba Children’s Festival, and as a coach at the Corydon Comets Football Club.

What experience will you bring to complement your role as (Mayor / Councillor / School Trustee)?

• Elected School Trustee Ward 1 – 2011-2014
• Re-elected School Trustee New Ward 3 – 2014-2018
• Elected Chair Winnipeg School Board – 2014-2016 school years
• Elected Vice- Chair Winnipeg School Board – 2012-2013 school year
• Elected Vice-Chair Winnipeg School Board – 2013-2014 school year
• Elected Chair of Building and Transportation Committee 2016-2018
• Founding Member and Chair of Food Issues Committee
• Member of the Joint City of Winnipeg /Metro School Trustees Committee
• Member Manitoba School Boards Association Must Fund Committee
• Member French Language Advisory Committee
• Member South District Advisory Committee
• Member WSD/Winnipeg Teachers Joint Committee
• Member Finance Committee
• Member of Policy Committee
• Member of Communications Committee
• Member Ward Boundaries Committee
• Member Robert H. Smith Parental Advisory Group
• Member Robert H. Smith Academic Support Committee

What are some issues that you would like to stand for in your role as (Mayor / Councillor / School Trustee), and why are these issues important to you?

In the Classroom

• Standing up for Public Education – Continue to advocate against further Provincial cuts and chronic underfunding of the education system.
• Expand Early Childhood Education – Continue to expand our full day kindergarten/nursery program by adding more schools.
• Address Barriers to Learning – Tackle the hunger problem at the Division with an expansion of the nutrition/breakfast program.
• Expand Enrichment Programs – Continue to prioritize funding for math, science and arts education. Expand after school arts enrichment programs and create summer art camps.
• 21^st Century Learning – Bring back Teacher-Librarians and expand the WSD digital virtual library. Create after school homework clubs and extended library hours in at-risk communities.
• Modernize Special Needs Education – Create an Advocate Office for Parents of Students with Special Needs to help navigate the WSD and make sure your child gets the supports they need. Create a public Task Force to review the current programming needs for Special Education in the Division.

 

For the Neighbourhood

• Support Working Families –       Create a Before and After School Program to support families and enrich our students.
• Sustainable School Division –       Create an environmental sustainability plan for the Division. Make the WSD the first “Net Zero” school division in Canada.
• Invest in Active Transportation – Expand the “Walking School Bus” program – get students out of cars, reduce congestion/safety issues around schools.
• Schools as Community Hub – Expand Life Long Learning/Adult Education programs to make WSD the “Learning Annex” of Winnipeg. Create a “Seniors in the Classroom” Volunteer program.       Partner with the community to transform our school gardens into community gardens.
• Reconciliation – Bring our diverse student population and distinct neighbourhoods together by expanding division wide sports and arts enrichment program. Creating Division wide art exhibitions, theatre festivals, dance and music troupes.

 

For the Ratepayer

• Change the Tax System – Continue to lobby the Provincial government for a change in how the Public School system is funded with less reliance on property taxation
• Invest in Green Infrastructure – Continue to invest in green capital infrastructure by renovating our aging schools and making them more energy efficient thereby lowering our Provincial Carbon Tax.
• New Ways to Pay for Education – Continue to find new sources of revenue for the Division like our International Student Program.

What is something that you appreciate about the (City of Winnipeg / the ward / the school ward or school division) you wish to represent?

My Record

• Expanded full day kindergarten to 11 schools including Earl Grey School
• Established Spanish bilingual program at Earl Grey School
• Established Cree bilingual program
• Established Ojibway bilingual program
• Opened a new French milieu school – Ecole Sir William Osler to ameliorate the overcrowding in French language schools in the south end of the WSD.
• Added a new French immersion school At Ecole Luxton to keep up with growing demand for French language education in the WSD.
• Supported the establishment of an Indigenous Advisory Group
• Funded and supported the International Baccalaureate Program at Ecole River Heights School – The first middle school program of its kind in Manitoba.
• Created an International Education Program – to encourage foreign students to study at WSD and to encourage Students & Staff to expand their international learning opportunities. A growing and new source of non-taxpayer supported revenue for the WSD.
• Created a Swim to Survive Program which teaches water safety to every grade 4 student in the WSD. A partnership with the City of Winnipeg and the first of its kind in Manitoba.

Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

• Brought Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots Program to Manitoba and to Ecole Robert H. Smith school. We have expanded the program to 5 WSD Schools. This is a student led environmental and community development program that teaches students to become leaders in their community.
• Established a Food Council for the WSD. Another first for Manitoba. Community led committee that reviews all aspects of nutrition programming and food policy at the WSD.Teacher Support
• Increased school based funding for the arts
• Established a Math Task Force reforming professional education of math instruction at the WSD
• Assisted in bringing in the first Transgender Policy of any school division in Manitoba and one of the first in Canada.
• Initiated a review of Student Attendance Policy and initiatives including requiring administration to submit monthly tracking reports to the Board of Trustees.
• Created and implemented a Right to Participate Policy that ensures all students the ability to participate in after-school clubs and enrichment programs regardless of their financial ability to pay. One of the first such policies in Canada.
• Supported the Indigenous Land and Treaty Acknowledgment at school and school events.  Again, the first school divisions in Manitoba to do so.