Winnipeg Election 2018

Tom Parker - Louis Riel - 4

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

I spent most of my career in education and have found that the role of trustee is an important part of the education system. We have been doing some very good things in Louis Riel School Division and I feel that I can use my experience to  make sure we  meet the needs of our students and community. Policies that our Board established have helped to guide our division in a positive direction.  We have emphasized the goals of Literacy, Numeracy, and Citizenship as our most important areas. We have established policies such as our Human Diversity policy which has been  used as a model for school divisions across the country. This past summer our Board was the only school board  to present at the CSBA conference in Halifax. The topic was on Community Connections.

 We are also very involved in meeting the goals  set out in the report on Truth and Reconciliation. I sit on an Indigenous   Council made up of teachers, administrators, and members of our community.  Most of the members are Indigenous or  involved with Indigenous programs.   It has been exciting to be involved and I want to continue with the work we have begun.

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

I started coaching younger students when I was in high school.  That lead me into teaching grade 6 classroom in St. Boniface School Division. Other positions I held were: Supervisor of Physical Education, principal of Beliveau Junior High, principal of Pierre Radisson Collegiate, and retired as principal of Windsor Park Collegiate.

As a trustee, I became involved with the Manitoba Association of School Trustees as Director of Region 5 , and I represented all the Suburban Boards around Winnipeg. I later was elected as vice president of the association and represented all the urban Boards in Manitoba.

I was the chairperson of the Louis Riel Board following amalgamation and I have served on all committees since that time. I am currently the chair of the Finance and Audit Committee and a member of the Community Connections Committee.

Outside of education, I have served as president of the Manitoba Track and Field Association and later the president of the Manitoba Lacrosse Association. I was also appointed as a board member of the Canadian Lacrosse Association.  I am currently president of the Manitoba Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

I am a believer in life long learning, so my experiences will continue to grow.

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?

Education is the building block of our democracy.  We need to make sure all children experience success. I also believe that we must have high expectations of our students. We must always emphasize that students should be able to read by the end of grade 3. That level is necessary in order to prepare the students for future learning.  Students who are having difficulties require additional help. Resource teachers are required in order to provide reading strategies which support the teachers and their students. As school divisions, we must provide that assistance for elementary teachers in order to insure that all students can succeed.

LRSD emphasizes continual professional development for our teachers. Research indicates that when teachers acquire more learning strategies, they become more efficient teachers which leads to greater student success.

The major issues we face at this time is the lack of classroom space for students in Sage Creek. We desperately need another school in Sage Creek. We also require more classroom space for our growing Immersion programs at Guyot, Van Belleghem, Howden, and College Beliveau.

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

Louis Riel School Division has become a true learning centre for all its employees.  A “Family of Schools” concept has allowed teachers to share their successes with colleagues of neighbouring schools and further develop their teaching skills. We are always using research to know what worthwhile programs exist elsewhere in Canada and the world. LRSD is a forward thinking division and the Board is always looking  and planning for the future. We have done surveys with our PARENTS and STUDENTS and they indicated that we need to increase opportunities for career exploration for all our students. We have done that. They also wanted to be more knowledgeable about financial planning. We will be expanding those experiences for our high school students.

We are also partnering with businesses, corporations, and groups like Junior Achievement, in order to increase  career exploration and entrepreneurial experiences for our students.

Parents and grandparents are teachers as well and we are encouraging them to become involved with their child’s education. This summer our Board members read ” Schools Cannot Do It Alone” by James Vollmer. It is a modern version of “It takes a village to raise a child”. We are all part of that village.

Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

Education is under review by the current  government and there will be some important discussions about the future of education in Manitoba. I feel that I have the experience and the knowledge to help the LRSD Board and division prepare for these upcoming events.  We have to make sure students do not lose any opportunities that have been added to our divisional programs. Many of these programs exist as a result of community input. They were developed in order to allow option courses that were important to students and helped them prepare for a successful life after graduation. These consultation meetings with the Department of Education will require a trustee with many educational experiences and who can relate to all the discussion points. Please take a moment to think about who you want to represent you in the upcoming debates. Thanks for reading my post.

TOM PARKER