With the legalization of cannabis coming into effect today, I’ve had a few questions about the impact on our school communities. While the long-term societal effects cannot be predicted, in the short-term, there are a few provisions in the new laws in Ontario to protect our students from undue exposure: 1) no-one under the age of 19 may purchase or consume cannabis. This differs from our tobacco laws which prohibit the sale but allow consumption…
First day!!
Our teachers, DECEs, and support staff have been back in the classrooms for the past several days getting ready for a new year of learning! Soon thousands of our students will stream through the doors of their schools. The key word for this first week of school is “patience”: patience while driving, to ensure everyone’s safety patience with teachers as they get to know their students patience with parents as they send their little ones…
Looking ahead
This website will now be dormant for the duration of the election period. At that time, it will transition to an official page for me as the AMDSB Trustee for Northwest Huron and will be a major form of communication throughout my term as Trustee. I want to thank everyone for their support and encouragement as I embark on this challenge. See you in October!
Nominations have closed.
I’ve just been informed that my sole opponent withdrew his nomination this afternoon. This means that I will be acclaimed to the position of Avon Maitland District School Board Trustee for Northwest Huron (Goderich & ACW) in October. I want to thank Mr. Al Sygrove for his many years of service to AMDSB as a teacher, principal, school board administrator and, most recently, as trustee for Northwest Huron. Al dedicated his life to education and…
Discarding the current health curriculum is a mistake.
Discarding the current health curriculum is a mistake. Reintroducing a curriculum that is a generation old will do more harm than good. Parental opposition to the current curriculum is actually very small. Anecdotally, I understand that virtually zero local families “opted out” of the curriculum when given the opportunity. I’ve spoken to AMDSB Director of Education Lisa Walsh who tells me that the Board doesn’t even formally track the number of opt outs because it’s…
Continue Reading “Discarding the current health curriculum is a mistake.”
Happy Canada Day!!!
It is truly a privilege to live in a country such as ours – with the freedoms and opportunities that we so often take for granted. While we celebrate our good fortune to be Canadians living in Huron County, we must also acknowledge that we do so on the traditional land of the Odawa, Haudenosauneega, and Anishnabek nations, and that we have much work to do to reconcile our relationship with those peoples.
Congratulations to Lisa Thompson
Congratulations to Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson on being named Minister of Education yesterday. I look forward to many fruitful conversations with the Minister about the future of education in Ontario.
School’s out, I’m in!
Today is the last day of school for AMDSB students. School’s out for summer!! It is also the beginning of my campaign to represent the Town of Goderich and the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh as Trustee for Northwest Huron at the Avon Maitland District School Board. I will spend the summer sharing my thoughts on education in Huron County and I invite you to reach out if you have any questions for me about the Board,…