“Catholic education is strongest when relationships between families, schools, and parishes are strong. I have lived those relationships for many years, and I am committed to strengthening them as trustee. My approach is grounded in experience, in faith, and in a deep belief that Wellington Catholic is a system worth supporting and protecting. I would be honoured to serve our community and to help ensure that Catholic education in Guelph remains vibrant, faithful, and future focused.”

Why do you want to be a school board trustee?

My desire to serve as a trustee for Wellington Catholic comes from a place of deep personal commitment to Catholic education. For over 15 years, my family has played a role in Wellington Catholic — my children have grown up in our schools, my husband, Jeff Warner, teaches in the system, and I have served at the board level on the Catholic Parent Advisory Committee and on the Bishop’s Dinner organizing committee. I have seen firsthand how our schools form students in faith, support families, and build strong parish relationships.

I am running because I believe trustees must be steady, principled anchors for our Catholic identity. At a time when education is facing real pressures, we need leaders who listen carefully, discern thoughtfully, and remain rooted in the mission of Catholic education.

What’s your background and experience, and how do you think that’s relevant to the job?

My experience is grounded in long-term, hands-on involvement with Wellington Catholic. I am a practicing member of Holy Rosary Parish, and my children have attended Wellington Catholic schools from kindergarten through high school. I have participated in school–parish Masses, sacramental preparation, board spiritual development days, and the Bishop’s Dinner for Community Needs. All of these experiences have given me a clear understanding of how our Catholic identity is lived out daily.

At the board level, my years on the Catholic Parent Involvement Committee taught me how policy decisions affect families, how important transparent communication is, and how trustees can strengthen trust by being present and engaged.

This combination of parish life, parent experience, and board-level involvement gives me a grounded, realistic understanding of the system I hope to serve.

How do you see your role as a trustee? What are your main responsibilities?

A trustee’s role is to be a faithful steward of our Catholic identity, of public resources, and of the trust families place in our schools. That means listening carefully to parents, supporting staff, ensuring accountability, and making decisions that reflect both our mission and our responsibilities as a publicly funded Catholic system.

Catholic education thrives when parishes, families, and schools work together. My role as a trustee is to strengthen those relationships, ask thoughtful questions, and ensure that decisions are made with clarity, compassion, and fidelity to our values and responsibilities.

Like many governments and boards, school trustees are facing a budget crunch. Without an increase in provincial funding, how do propose to ensure that your board balances student needs with fiscal prudence?

Fiscal responsibility and student well being are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are deeply connected. Families need to trust that board resources are being used wisely and transparently. My approach is grounded in three principles:

• Protect classroom experience first, ensuring students have the supports they need to learn and thrive. This includes students who require extra or alternative resources to be successful in school.
• Strengthen partnerships, because collaboration with parishes, community organizations, and families can expand opportunities without expanding budgets.
• Ask clear, values based questions at the board table to ensure spending aligns with our mission and long-term priorities. This will require careful discernment and a balanced approach when addressing school board fiscal prudence.

How will you support teachers and education workers as they begin contract negotiations this fall? How will you support parents concerned about labour disruption?

Teachers and education workers are essential to the success of our students. My husband is a Wellington Catholic teacher, so I understand the pressures staff face and the dedication they bring to their work. Trustees must support respectful, good faith negotiations and ensure that staff feel valued, heard, and supported.

At the same time, parents also need clear communication and reassurance that bargaining is in good faith and for the benefit of the children. My role is to ensure families receive timely, accurate information and to help maintain trust during uncertain periods. Strong relationships with teachers, staff, parents and board leadership will be key to navigating labour challenges with stability and compassion.

Guelph is a rapidly growing town, how will you ensure that the school system is able to grow and accommodate the new students and the changing demographics?

Growth brings both opportunity and responsibility. Wellington Catholic has a strong history of adapting to community needs, and trustees must continue that work by:

• Monitoring enrollment trends closely
• Supporting long-term planning for facilities and staffing
• Ensuring new families feel welcomed into our Catholic community
• Strengthening parish–school connections as neighbourhoods evolve

Catholic education has always been rooted in community. As Guelph grows, we must ensure our schools remain places where families feel known, supported, and formed in faith.

Absenteeism seems to be a growing problem in Ontario high schools, what are the ways that you can support teachers and administrators to assure that students are getting the proper instruction?

Absenteeism is a complex issue, and trustees must approach it with both realism and compassion. Supporting teachers and staff means ensuring they have the tools necessary to identify barriers early, communicate effectively with families, and provide interventions that are practical and respectful. When students feel connected, supported, and seen, attendance improves.

School safety is a big concern, from behavioural issues to school resource officers. How can schools be safe places for learning while also not making it feel like kids are learning in a security state?

Safety must always be rooted in dignity. Students need to feel protected, but they also need to feel trusted. Catholic schools have a unique advantage: our faith calls us to see each student as a child of God.

Trustees can support safety by:

• Ensuring clear, consistent behavioural expectations and policies
• Supporting staff with training and resources
• Encouraging restorative approaches that build community rather than fear
• Listening carefully to parents and students about what makes them feel safe

A school should feel like a community, not a security checkpoint. That balance is achievable when decisions are grounded in relationship and respect.

If you get elected to be a trustee, and considering the increase in provincial influence, do you think you will serve a full four year term?

Yes. I am committed to serving the full term. Being a school board trustee requires stability, consistency, and long-term stewardship. My focus is on serving families, supporting staff, and strengthening Catholic education in Wellington County.

Let’s say I don’t have kids, and thus no proverbial “skin in the game” when it comes to my local school, why should I care about who’s my school board trustee?

Strong schools benefit everyone. They shape the future workforce, strengthen neighbourhoods, and contribute to the social and spiritual fabric of our community. Catholic schools in particular play a vital role in forming young people in values that enrich our broader society — compassion, service, integrity, and faith.

Trustees help ensure that publicly funded education is accountable, transparent, and aligned with both Catholic and community values. Even without children in the system, residents have a stake in how their tax dollars are used and how the next generation is formed.

Is there anything else you want to tell voters as they make their decision?

Catholic education is strongest when relationships between families, schools, and parishes are strong. I have lived those relationships for many years, and I am committed to strengthening them as trustee. My approach is grounded in experience, in faith, and in a deep belief that Wellington Catholic is a system worth supporting and protecting.

I would be honoured to serve our community and to help ensure that Catholic education in Guelph remains vibrant, faithful, and future focused.