Jennifer Volk

Trustees, the Board, and the Province

My three main priorities are: 1. Safety & Well-being - protecting supports that keep kids safe, and improving safety zones in our community 2. Equity & Inclusion - Championing programs like school meals that give every child a fair chance to learn. 3. Transparency & Accountability - Holding the TDSB accountable through open, consultative decision-making. I have spent 14 years serving on Parent councils at every level, giving me a wide range of experience. I have spent decades building networks to advocate for students, schools and families.

Bullying in Schools

Bullying and discrimination have no place in our schools. Trustees must take a strong stand against both, by setting strong policy and ensuring it is followed. Resources need to be in place, for when incidents happen, and to prevent them from happening in the first place. Steps I will take are ensuring good data and transparency (climate surveys should be publicly reported), funding for prevention, ensuring there is real accountability with attention to response times and outcomes and of course, listening to those most affected.

Class Sizes and Staffing

There has been chronic underfunding for schools, and in particular for supports like EAs for years. This is why advocating for more supports will be such a key role of the incoming Trustee. With Doug Ford’s proposed removal of TDSB Trustees’ ability to vote on the budget, my experience in fierce and creative advocacy will be key. While doing that I would also be open to looking at allocation models that are transparent and prioritize need. Protecting services and class sizes is a core function of a good Trustee in my opinion.

Special Programs and Program Access

Special education, French Immersion, arts and specialty schools, these programs matter. But the TDSB's own equity task force already found the problem: access to them often depends on your postal code, not your kid's needs. I want these programs to be excellent and actually open to everyone. We need to prioritize better programming in neighbourhood schools. Special ed support funded by real need. And public data on who's actually getting in, by race, income, and geography, so we can fix the gaps instead of just measuring them.