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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, October 17, 2014 | 12 Candidates push for student success by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver Real People with Real Stories and Real Needs At 83, William didn't expect to be depending on a food bank for his meals each day. He had worked hard all his life, paid his taxes, and supported his community, but living off the Canada Pension Plan means he only has enough to keep a roof over his head and pay for his medication. A bad back has kept him from getting another job, but he isn't ready to stop working. William is a dedicated volunteer, who gives back to KSM wherever he is needed as thanks for the support he receives. Your support of KSM allows senior members of our community to continue to give back to the community while receiving the assistance they need to live a long and healthy life. Please consider making a monthly donation to help KSM continue providing the essential support & assistance to our neighbours in need. The Oakville candidates vying for the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) trustee-at-large positions may have different opinions on education reform, but they're all on the same page when it comes to the students' academic success. That was the message they sent to the parents and community during the allcandidates' meeting last week at Oakville's St. Dominic Parish. Contenders fielded questions from the moderator and audience as part of the Q-and-A event for the municipal election. The eight candidates competing for the four Oakville trustee-at-large positions on Oct. 27 include: incumbent Anthony Danko, Helena Karabela, incumbent Alice Anne LeMay, incumbent Paul Marai, Helen Orsanic, Giuseppe Peritore, Anthony Quinn and Darnell Vrban. Orsanic tackled an inquiry regarding the schools' current track record of success and where there is room for improvement. She said the institutions are "getting it right" because the communication is improving among schools, parents and administration, but adds, "There is always room for improvement." "I don't know if we're easing up, but we need to get back to the basics -- reading, writing and arithmetic. When the children feel success in their academics, they're going to feel success in their lives as well," said Orsanic. "It's not handed to them, they've worked for it. We need to give them that sense of success." When asked about the relationships a trustee should have with senior members of the HCDSB and how it will help address the parents' and board's concerns, LeMay said the senior administration and trustees should work together as a team. "You have to have a good rapport with the leaders in the school board to make sure the system stays on track for the education of the children, so that we are looking at 21st century learning and that all children will reach their full potential," said LeMay. Marai's question was on how the HCDSB could improve its engagement with community members and/or families on issues that affect them. He said it comes down to better communication, not just for families within the school board, but "all Catholic ratepayers," who pay taxes into the $350-million HCDSB budget. Going forward, the school board needs to find ways to "engage students even more," Marai said, noting it can be done as students transition into high school, post-secondary education or a trade. "When they're transitioning from Grade 8 to Grade 9, we need to know why they're "Yes I'd like to help by donating $_________ as a monthly, or one time gift". Name _______________________________________ Street Address ________________________________ Town/City ____________________________________ Postal Code ___________________________________ E-MAIL _______________________________________ BY CHEQUE Cheques payable to Kerr Street Ministries BY CREDIT Check applicable card VISA MasterCard AMEX Create your dream Crea h t a B r o n e h Kitc F n o I t a l l a t s n I e e r expIres nov. 30/2014 expIres oFFer 0 2014 nov. 3 / leaving the Catholic school system, if they are. When they go from Grade 12 into college or university or a trade, we need to have exit interviews to figure out what they thought was good and what we can improve on," said Marai. In terms of how Peritore would ensure Catholic values are maintained and promoted, he said the introduction of the Rosary Apostolate in the schools "has been a great driver for kids understanding a bit more of their faith." "My kids when they come home with those rosaries on the first day, they're quite thrilled. Having that for children who don't attend Catholic churches regularly is a missing component. The prayer component is very important," said Peritore. "We give them those tools, we will have more success down the road," he said. Danko was asked his thoughts on seeking public feedback for the strategic-planning process. He said he would enact a linked policy that's complies with Bill 177, which prescribes a series of public consultations that should "feed back into specific actions." "We had done town hall meetings, but these don't necessarily become part of any board action or they're not part of the formal strategic-planning process. The director of education must complete a strategic plan that's either a multi-year plan or it could be a three-, four- or five-year plan," said Danko. Advance voting polls in Oakville are open through Friday, Oct. 17. Election Day is on Monday, Oct. 27. More information on the candidates can be found at www.oakvillebeaver. com/municipal election. Credit Card # __________________________________ Expiry Date ___________________________________ Name on Card ________________________________ Free InstallatIon oFFer Thank You for your support 20 years experIenCe | QualIty CraFtsmanshIp | Custom desIgns Call for a Free Estimate 485 Kerr Street · Oakville ON L6K 3C6 905-844-3332 Visit our showroom: 333 Wyecroft Rd. Unit 3, Oakville www.kerrstreet.com 905-845-7485 www.aromakitchens.ca