Gladstone Cherrington

Trustees, the Board, and the Province

I’ll revisit legislations set out by the Province of Ontario to hold the Ford Government accountable for funding. Being a Queens Park Policy Specialists I had the opportunity to work along side former MPP Gerard Kennedy, the Critic and Minister of Education. In a Legislative Policy Specialist capacity, I attended the Ministry of Education Estimate proceedings which gave me the inside framework of the Public School Spending strategies. This gave me the insight on how much, and where funds are being allotted for education by the Province.

Bullying in Schools

The School Trustee play a pivotal role in addressing bullying and discrimination in our Schools. We're here to listen to students, staff and parents. Every student and staff member deserves to feel safe at school, physically and emotionally. The school environment should be free of discrimination, physical harm, verbal, social and cyber bullying. I’ll investigate and respond to reports of bullying or discrimination that impact student safety. Supporting initiatives to strengthen belonging, to combat bullying and discrimination in the TDSB.

Class Sizes and Staffing

Teachers, education workers, administrators and support staff play a vital role in student success. I will advocate for smaller class sizes, and increased funding and access to the resources needed to support students. There are school facilities that are in need of immediate repairs …I will advocate for funds to repair or update outdated facilities. The goal here is to facilitate student achievements, and improved pathways to their success.

Special Programs and Program Access

School boards make decisions about the range and distribution of specialized programs including special education language program and arts programming. I would prioritize the needs of students as well as the voices of parents in the decision making process. The “Model School” initiatives are examples of what is needed with each school reflecting the needs of the community while adhering to the guidelines set out by the Ministry of Education and the Provincial Government! Let’s invest in our students and they will succeed!