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Friday, September 9, 2022 9Brooklin Town Crier David Babalola Biography: My family and I have called Durham region our home, where we work, live, and thrive for more than adecade. We have our kids learning and making friends in one of the schools of the Durham District School Board. Platform: The education of the kids should be a collaborative effort between educators and parents. Whenever educators plan to teach children controversial topics such as abortion or sexuality, the parents of the concerned kids should be adequately informed in advance. If elected, I will be a voice advocating for the parents. David Babalola 289-600-6162 David.babalola@hotmail.ca Akuah Frempong Platform : My goal and main responsibility as a DDSB Trustee would be to ensure that all students have an equitable student experience, while also ensuring they have the support they need to thrive. To do this I will be an effective communicator, collaborator, and champion for the Whitby community regarding public education. 1. As a communicator: connecting with community members to advocate for the needs of Whitby residents in the DDSB. 2. As a collaborator: collaborating with various community partners and fellow trustees, to provide support to students, staff, and families throughout the DDSB community. 3. As a champion: assuring that equity and success of students are at the forefront of decision-making, policy, and procedures at the DDSB. To address the increased challenges students, staff and families are facing, we need community-focused and principled representatives to center decisions around the voices of the Whitby community. Some initiatives I will communicate, collaborate, and champion as DDSB Trustee are increased community outreach initiatives such as trustee check-ins, increased cultural programming and supports for students with special needs, and monitoring modified school calendars and boundary changes to ensure they meet the needs of the community. www.akuahfrempong.ca akuah.frempong@gmail. com facebook /akuahforddsbtrustee Instagram:@akuahforddsbtrustee Twitter: @akuahfrempong Each municipal election cycle, the Brooklin Town Crier provides all candidates free space to explain their ideas. We contacted them through: a) the emails they provided on the whitby.ca site, or b) via Whitby's town clerk who also emailed candidates with election information and included our request for them to reach us regarding instructions on inclusion in this issue. Not all candidates responded or published their email addresses on the town site. What follows, therefore, are the platforms of those who did reply to our request. Candidates for Durham District School Board Trustee (3 to be elected - more on page 10) (Catholic Board - see page 10) 2022 Municipal Election Tracy Brown Tracy Brown a proud Whitby resident, mother to two boys Aaron and Josiah (both graduates of DDSB) and a skilled professional with plenty of hands-on and learned experience in education, advocacy and how to navigate the school board system. My platform is firmly focused on student achievement, well-being, equity, and diversity. Children in our community and their families face many obstacles and challenges within the school environment, both in the classroom and outside. Through my experience, and in consulting with the DDSB and contributing to the Draft Human Rights Policy, I recognize the value of advocating for our children to ensure equitable access to learning and extracurricular opportunities for all. As a School Board Trustee, I will continuously engage with and gather feedback from all members of my community to enhance public confidence. I will ensure that my constituents' voices parents, students, and all others are consistently heard at the Board table. I will advocate for the wellbeing and mental health of our students, staff, and teachers and be a strong supporter and effective voice for our community. I'm excited to move forward together to build a bright future for the children and young adults in our community. (647) 241-8428 tracy.brown@oecm.ca Melike Ceylan- Leamen As a mother with 2 children in DDSB for the past 14 years, one neurodiverse with specialized needs, I know firsthand how important it is to have a strong, open and collaborative relationship with Teachers, Staff, Trustees and the Board. I want to share my experiences to foster a positive and inclusive environment for all parents and teachers by ensuring all stakeholders, including medical and community organizations, are included in developing programs for students. For example, as a volunteer and Board Member of Epilepsy Durham Region (EDR), I have helped in developing sessions hosted in schools to educate students and teachers on Epilepsy. I have also consulted with EDR to assist other parents who have children struggling in school to ensure that they are aware of available programs and supports through the Board. I have lobbied local politicians for supports (Local, Provincial and Federal), created a policy for Neurodiversity, and have advocated in the media to draw attention to where supports were cut due to Provincial direction. I have also been heavily involved, as a Zone Co-Captain, with Caremongers Whitby ensuring that the most vulnerable in our society received assistance during the Pandemic. On October 24, or through advance voting opportunities, eligible voters in Ontario will head to the polls for the 2022 municipal election. As part of this process, eligible voters will have the chance to choose who will represent them, at the municipal level, for the next four years. Voters in Durham Region will have a chance to vote for a Regional Chair, in addition to mayors, local and regional councillors, and school board trustees. Depending on the municipality, votes may be cast via mail, telephone, internet or in person. Eligible electors are encouraged to contact the local municipality directly (there are eight total in Durham Region) to learn more about voting methods, dates and locations. To learn more about Regional elections please visit durham.ca/Elections. Casting your vote in the 2022 municipal election