Trustee Experience

Fresh Ideas Combined with Experience

Seven Oaks voters picked me as a School Board Trustee in the 2002 City Election - a busy four years!  Electing me as the City Councillor for the Mynarski Ward, I will apply myself and my experience to enhance our lives in the ward.  Some fresh ideas implemented during my tenure as trustee were as follows:

Earning more income by subdividing surplus school land into lots sold to home builders; (Thus, extra income that would have gone to property developers, went to enhancing the replacement school in the next point.)

Building a replacement West Kildonan High School with facilities such as attached daycare, gymnasium large enough to allow others schools to put on sports events, and a performing arts centre with other multi-use features;

Setting a direction to partner with not-for-profit daycares by using space in schools; and

Saving property taxpayers money by building a wireless school division network to meet current and future needs of students.

School Board Trustee at Seven Oaks School Division

October 2002 - October 2006

Ross was elected as a School Board Trustee, entrusted to deliver a public education to students from 4 to 21 years of age.  I have four years experience of working on overall plans, determining policies, participating on many internal committees, conducting employee relations/negotiations, approving budgets, mediating problems presented by parents and students, performing community relations activities, meeting with senior government officials, and working with numerous organizations concerned with the education of students in the public system.

Besides regular formal and informal Board meetings, my responsibilities encompassed:

Negotiations co-chairperson, responsible for Seven Oaks Paraprofessional Association employees issues.

Member on the Seven Oaks Teachers Association Negotiations Committee contributing ideas for negotiation proceedings.

Member of the Policy Review Committee - chairperson 2 years.

Board representative on the Education Leave Committee hearing and deciding on exciting professional development proposals for three years.

Member of the Seven Oaks Teachers Association, Board Liaison Committee dealing with teacher issues.

The Manitoba Association of Schoolboard Trustees' representative on the Department of Citizenship and Youth, Student Services' "Inclusive Education Review Committee".