Alongside the dozens of Niagara residents who are running to become mayor or one of the councillors of their municipality, some are running, or re-running, for a role as one of a handful of trustees for the District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board. Eleven trustees will be elected to District School Board of Niagara, while eight will be elected to the Catholic school board.

We asked the nominees what their top three priorities would be as a school board trustee, why they decided to run and what they would like to change or fix at the school board level.

We also asked for their perspectives on the ramifications of the Ontario government’s Bill 101, which passed in May this year and gives the province more oversight of school boards, including what those changes mean for local students and families and how locally elected trustees can still make a meaningful difference.

Here’s what they had to say.

Candidates for District School Board of Niagara:

Mike Brousseau

What would your top three priorities be as school board trustee?

Transparency, so that that families, students, and community can participate and hold the board accountable.

Fighting hate, so our students can learn and grow in a safe and inclusive space.

Supporting S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, the arts and math) to prepare young people to experiment, build and explore in an uncertain world including support for hands-on learning, apprenticeships and work-integrated learning.

What made you choose to run for trustee?

A lack of transparent processes and confusing systems for families were my primary motivations to run. The DSBN’s impact on our community is truly massive as the DSBN is Niagara’s largest employer, holds extensive property and has a larger annual budget than most cities in Niagara.

If the communities the DSBN serves don’t understand what it does or how it works, then it’s much harder to keep such a large system accountable. I also firmly believe that an involved and connected school community makes our whole system better for everyone (students, facilities, and community members).

What would you like to change or fix at the school board level?

I want to see more ways for families and community members to get involved at every level of the school board. Our students will be making decisions about our communities and our country long after we’re gone so it’s in everyone’s best interest to support them every way we can.

I’m also thrilled to see the DSBN adding hands on teaching facilities to additional schools in 2026 and 2027, such as teaching kitchens, and will push to continue these investments.

What do changes imposed by Bill 101 mean for students and families, and how can locally elected trustees still make a meaningful difference?

Bill 101 gives the Minister of Education the power to do a wide range of undemocratic things, like the unilateral hiring and firing of staff, appointing unqualified supervisors to run our schools and removing publicly elected trustees from office. It also removes locally elected trustees ability to approve the DSBN annual budget which limits local control of school board priories and erodes our ability to deliver innovative built-in-Niagara solutions.

The minster has said this is about oversight, but it’s really about control and weakening local governance. Regardless, these changes can’t stop locally elected trustees from fighting to ensure the needs of students and families are met with our schools.

Jennifer Ajandi

What would your top three priorities be as school board trustee?

First, I want to know what your priorities are so that I can best represent you. However, based on my experience as a parent,
educator and former school board trustee, right now I envision the following as my top priorities: safe and caring schools; academic excellence, inclusive education and mental wellness; and fiscal responsibility and system growth.

What made you choose to run for trustee?

I think this is one of the most important times to put my name forward and to commit to representing the needs of Niagara-on-the-Lake and St. Catharines. I grew up in St. Catharines where I currently live and went to high school at Niagara District Secondary School in Niagara-on-the-Lake. I am running because I am deeply dedicated to giving back to the community I am a part of. Securing Niagara District Secondary School once more is also my priority.

What do changes imposed by Bill 101 mean for students and families, and how can locally elected trustees still make a meaningful difference?

There are many elements to Bill 101 that can make it difficult for community members to have important local representation on  issues that affect them. There are changes now that we have to deal with. It tries to centralize power and decision-making into the hands of a few, as opposed to those who are elected by their communities for their passion for education and learning.

However, trustees still play a vital role in supporting students and families in the school system and now more than ever, as advocates to help navigate complex systems and structures that are set up to block effective and reciprocal communication. Trustees matter because local voices matter. Resources must be provided to every child so that they can feel a sense of belonging and live up to their full potential.

No matter who the government is or who the board members are, I will continue to work collegially and collaboratively to represent your interests and support families and community members during my term.

Lauren Bubnic

What would your top three priorities be as school board trustee?

A. Supporting and raising awareness around sustainability, equity, and health and safety initiatives.
B. Helping parents navigate the system and connect with the right resources.
C. Be the person who actually answers. Rebuilding relationships with the parent community to assure them their cases will not go unheard.

What made you choose to run for trustee?

I’m a mom with three children actively in the school system and I believe that people like me should be represented at the decision makers table. I also feel that there needs to be more people questioning the status quo and make sure that the public meeting is a tool, not a formality.

What would you like to change or fix at the school board level?

With the school climate survey no longer required, the board should still do it voluntarily for data around bullying for example. Otherwise, it might be difficult to know which schools are struggling with this and we won’t be able to help and the principal can continue to sweep it under the rug. Secondly, if we are supposed to be “putting student achievement first,” the students furthest behind should be getting more, not the same as this just hurts all students in the classroom and affects their learning.

What do changes imposed by Bill 101 mean for students and families, and how can locally elected trustees still make a meaningful difference?

Although Bill 101 has reduced the scope of the role, we as trustees are still the voice of the parents, and any issues that arise, whether it is special education, accommodations, bullying, social media, etc. One of the few real powers we have left is that we are the ones to bring these concerns to meetings to be on public record and demand answers from staff.

As the voice of the parents, I welcome Bill 101, as it will allow us to focus on more important issues rather than on the day-to-day administrative tasks. I want parents to feel they have somewhere to go to make sure their concerns aren’t ignored.

Kate Baggott

What would your top three priorities be as school board trustee?

Promoting community awareness, engagement and knowledge sharing.

Community information, involvement and consultation continues to have pain points. To date, we have addressed boundary change issues on a case by case basis, and individual parents reach out, often with a limited understanding of current conditions. Keeping entire communities informed of issues, provincial dictates and limited options given the NOTL strategic plan, current realities, and unplanned population/demographic changes remains a committment I am finding new ways to fulfill.

Surely, there is more room for balance in meeting both seniors needs and school age children’s needs in Niagara-on-the-Lake, for example.

What made you choose to run for trustee?

In 2018, running for trustee was my way of returning service to my community after it supported my children and I when we were down. Today, I recognize the need for the experience I’ve gained to help new trustees navigate tumultuous changes to the role sent down from the Minister of Education. In 2018, I warned voters that public education itself is under threat and that is more true today than ever before.

What would you like to change or fix at the school board level?

I want parent intelligence to be recognized while upholding the expertise-driven nature of education professions. Teachers, ECEs and EAs are highly trained in evidence-based practices to ensure student success. Parents are experts in their own children and bring their own high levels of educational and work experiences to parenting. Both need to invest their energies in creating supports for all students. We need opportunities for broad based discussion that leverages what we have learned from almost 150 years of pedagogical and child development research.

What do changes imposed by Bill 101 mean for students and families, and how can locally elected trustees still make a meaningful difference?

The one positive aspect of the bill is that it emphasizes how trustees advocate for families. But advocacy is not wish fulfillment. Trustees need to look at the whole system and find a way for each child to move forward with their entire learning community. The rest of the bill, however, centralizes everything from purchasing to report card delivery, to curriculum materials. We are already seeing expenses and confusion increase as a result.

Trustees will have to raise their voices even more. As chair of the board this year, I have encouraged this by giving blanket consent for my fellow trustees to speak publicly and with media about board issues according to the demands of their consciences. I was hit with a Code of Conduct complaint for speaking out early in my first term and came to believe that punative structure was only a means of diminishing the role of trustees and public advocacy. I hope this unmuzzling of my trustee colleagues will help reinforce the work all of us do.

Candidates for Niagara Catholic District School Board:

Larry Huibers

What would your top three priorities be as school board trustee?

I will continue to focus on student success. Focusing on academic achievement and mental health support is difficult to measure since I believe the EQAO scores do not adequately tell us how well students are doing as holistic individuals in their learning and maturing.

I will continue to put pressure on the Ministry of Education to adequately fund education so students and staff will have the resources to be successful. Pressures on special education support, specifically educational assistants, needs to be at the forefront of budget focus.

I will ensure the teachings of Christ remain imbedded in the totality of the school, not just some small tokenism of Catholicity. The gift of Catholic education is not to be undervalued, and we must ensure the unique gift of a faith-based school system is preserved and clearly tangible to the students, family, staff and church.

What made you choose to run for trustee?

I am running for re-election because I have seen significant improvements at the Niagara Catholic District School Board over the past eight years as trustee. Examples of this are increased enrolment, school improvements, new schools being built and curriculum advancements such as French immersion, additional focus on the trades for future employment and the international baccalaureate courses.

The experience I have in my professional life as executive director of the Housing Help Centre for Hamilton and Halton and service on various non-profit boards including the Raft, John Howard Society Board of both Niagara and Ontario and the Niagara Regional Science Fair give me a wholesome insight into community needs.

Schools are a cornerstone of a high-quality community that NCDSB must ensure are the best they can be. The skills gained in these roles allow me to be a valuable and critical trustee to continue the implementation of the current strategic plan and help shape the next version.

What would you like to change or fix at the school board level?

A pressing need to address at the board level is the effect of COVID on a generation of students that need supports and delivery in a way never seen before. This is made clear to me by conversations with parents, students and school staff — we need to course-adjust to be flexible and responsive to students’ needs.

What do changes imposed by Bill 101 mean for students and families, and how can locally elected trustees still make a meaningful difference?

Bill 101 is a significant shift in the philosophy of education. The attempt to transition to a business model of education sounds appealing as a sound bite, however I believe it will lead to students being treated as widgets, under valuing their unique nature. I fear it will marginalize a significant number of students, the consequences of which will be felt for years after their school years are behind them. Centralizing power based on current politics is short-sighted — all governments change and this will lead to a further destabilizing factor in the classroom.

The imminent labour negations with teachers will now lack the local voice by trustees as a voice for the community. As a trustee, I will ensure the NCDSB will continue to respect local needs and pressures. This is not to be taken lightly and as a trustee in the purest sense of the word, I fight to protect and build Niagara Catholic as a system that remains student focused.

Bill 101, while limiting, does leave an opportunity for local influence and understanding to shape the direction based on what students, families and the staff need. The Catholic influence and teachings are more than a cross on the wall, the teachings of the church area an actualization of a fair and just community for all.

Natalia Benoit

Note: The Lake Report previously reported on Benoit’s five-month suspension from the Catholic school board in 2024 following an independent investigation that found she violated the board’s code of conduct with comments she made in May 2023 about the flying of the Pride flag, comparing it to the flying of the Nazi flag.

What would your top three priorities be as school board trustee?

First, student achievement. Every student deserves a faith-filled learning environment where they can thrive academically, emotionally and spiritually. I would support our students to reach their full potential focusing on education and Christ-centered learning without ideologies involved.

Second, strengthening Catholic identity. Catholic schools provide an education that integrates faith, values, prayer, and service with academic excellence. I would work to strengthen our Catholic identity by making sure our schools reflect the heart of the Gospel who is Jesus Christ. He invites us all to be conformed to His Sacred Heart, in the month of June, it is our particular devotion and I plan to see that reflected in our schools rather then pride, for Jesus Christ is humble.

Third, accountability and meaningful engagement. Trustees have a responsibility to be good stewards of public resources and to listen to the voices of parents, students, staff, and parish communities. I would promote transparency, responsible financial decision-making, and open communication so families feel informed and heard.

What made you choose to re-run for trustee?

I chose to run for school trustee because I believe our Catholic students and families matter. As a parent I’ve seen firsthand how much schools shape children’s lives and support families. That experience inspired me to step forward and serve my community. I want to help create the conditions for every student to thrive, while ensuring parents are part of the decsions that affect their children’s Catholic education. I believe that parents are first educators they have a voice that needs to be heard when it comes to their children’s Catholic education. I am passionate about making sure they are heard.

What would you like to change or fix at the school board level?

I would like to change our focus to truly be Christ-centered, and to keep social justice and politics out of classrooms unless it is a course. Students need to focus on what matters: history, math, reading, and not being told what to think but how to think. This focus will grant us greater results, especially during EQAO testing.

What do changes imposed by Bill 101 mean for students and families, and how can locally elected trustees still make a meaningful difference?

Bill 101 increases provincial oversight, but it doesn’t change the importance of having strong local representation. Families deserve trustees who listen, advocate and ensure decisions are made with students’ best interests at the centre.

My role would be to work collaboratively within the new framework while continuing to champion academics, student success, responsible use of resources, and meaningful engagement with parents and the community. Local voices still matter, and effective trustees help ensure those voices are heard.

Note: More responses to follow from the remainder of the DSBN and NCDSB trustee nominees in next week’s edition.