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301 Robinson Street Downtown Oakville 905.845.1911 Monday, October 25th 4:30 pm 7:30 pm (certain requirements must be met) Contact Tina MODEL CALL A t e l i e r salon For photoshoots, workshops and events. WE P A Y HST ! Starting Satu rday September 1 1/ 10 w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER W e dn es da y, O ct ob er 2 0, 2 01 0 1 6 By Kim Arnott SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Eight candidates are vying for four Oakville trustee positions on Haltons Catholic school board. The candidates, who will be elected at large by Oakville Catholic school board sup- porters, include five newcomers, and three incumbent trustees. Two of those incumbent trustees Alice Ann LeMay and Ed Viana have held seats on the board for about 30 years. LeMay has repre- sented Oakville as a trustee since 1980, while Viana was first elected in 1977 and has been re- elected for all but one two-year term since then. While challenger Paul Marai, 21, has pub- licly stated he believes the board could use the new young energy that he could bring to the job, LeMay, 58, bristles at that suggestion. Im old but I still have lots of energy, she says. Both LeMay and Viana say their decision to seek another term was influenced by feedback from supporters within the board urging them to continue as trustees. Viana says he contem- plated retiring this year, but heard from 768 people asking him to stay on in the role. The third incumbent trustee, Anthony Danko, is seeking his second term as a trustee. The challengers: Dianne Delany, 50, has two teenagers in the Halton Catholic school system. She has worked in various communications roles with provincial ministries, and as a legislative assis- tant to two provincial cabinet ministers. A vol- unteer for the Arthritis Society and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Delany says she is an excellent listener and problem solver. Im very committed to Catholic values, she says. Im very strong in my faith. Im com- mitted to protecting and enhancing the Catholic school sys- tem. M e l a n i e Digiantommaso, 38, has four children attending Catholic schools in north Oakville. Employed for more than 20 years in the hospitality and service industry, Di- giantommaso says she is an open and approach- able person who wants to ensure all voices and opinions are heard around the board table. I want to open up the lines of communica- tion between the school, home and parish, she says. Im interested in contributing my time, talent and energy to fostering a safe and nur- turing environment in our Catholic system. Paul Marai, 21, is employed at the Ontario Legislature, owns a small business in Oakville and is a graduate of the Halton Catholic school system. He also sat on the Holy Trinity second- ary school council, chaired the Oakville Youth Advisory committee and was involved with Trafalgar community policing committee. Marai has three key priorities. He promises work to improve communication, particularly through the use of technology; would focus on ensuring classrooms have up-to-date technolo- gy like smart boards; and would look at ways to cut administrative red tape and costs to put money into the classroom. Im passionate about education policy, he says. Its the most fundamental way to improve our economy and give our kids a brighter future. Guiseppe Peritore, 37, has two children the school board and families, with better use of electronic technology. Id like to give my input in terms of the direction Catholic education takes, he says. I have one agenda and thats to do whats best for our kids, not to use them as stepping stones. Im not looking to be a politician. Andrew Cudowski is also registered as a can- didate, but didnt respond to requests for an interview. The incumbents: Anthony Danko, 43, has five children in Halton Catholic schools and works as a sales representative in the publishing industry. In his first term as a trustee, he says he was pleased to be able to get St. Thomas Aquinas school prior- itized for reconstruction, create a process to allow trustees to have input into the principal selection process, improve the boards use of the committee system and institute more objective testing of the religious curriculum. I really enjoyed the work and I felt I had a really good term, he says. However, theres always more work to be done. I always want to invest resources into student achievement. Alice Anne LeMay, 58, is retired, with five grandchildren, including three in the Halton Catholic school system. She says her goals are to continue to see the board maintain its stand- ing at the top of the province in EQAO testing; keep the Catholicity in the school system; and ensure trustees work cooperatively and keep the whole child, including mind, body and soul, in perspective. Why am I running? Its always been the same the kids, she says. I just love it. You go into the schools and see how well the kids are doing and their smiles its just gorgeous. Ed Viana, 67, is a retired Ford Motor Company employee who has lived in Oakville for 48 years. He says he is proud to have spear- headed the rebuilding of St. Thomas of Aquinas school and to have visited every Oakville school at least four times each year. His priority is to see a new elementary school built in north Oakville, and says he is hard-working, reliable, dedicated and committed to Catholic educa- tion. Im thinking always of the classroom and the kids and the students, he says. They are the leaders of tomorrow and we depend on them. When Im old with a cane, they are the ones who will guide me. attending Oakville Catholic schools, with a third one soon to be of school age. He is employed at Trillium Health Centre, where he works as a physiotherapist, as well as a liaison between clinicians and Information Technology staff. He served on parent council at Mother Teresa elementary school for the last two years, and took a six-week course at St. Augustines seminary in Toronto on how to be a Catholic school board trustee. He has been attending board meetings, and has met with the prin- cipal or vice-principal at all 19 Oakville Catholic schools. Peritore says he would like to see more effective communication between Eight candidates compete for four Catholic school trustee seats Sixteenth in a series Dianne Delany Paul Marai Melanie Digiantommaso Guiseppe Peritore Ed Viana Alice Ann LeMayAnthony Danko