A BRIGHTER FUTURE
FOR OUR SCHOOLS
A FRESH PERSPECTIVE
Let's Make a Difference
October 24, 2022
ELECT
JENNY RIVERA
EDUCATION ADVOCATE/PARENT
FOR OCSB TRUSTEE
Be the Change you want to be in your community!
MY VISION
Returning to high standards by promoting academic achievement, improving mental health and streghtening communication between schools, parents, teachers, students and the community through public dialogue at meetings and advocacy.
I am Jenny Rivera, your candidate for OCSB Trustee for zone 9, Wards 16 and 17. I am very thrilled and honored to be running for the 2022 elections and be the voice and representative of the River and Capital community. I am running for the OCSB Trustee position because I am passionate about catholic education and it is my belief that our students, families and community as a whole, deserve a world class school system which is rooted in moral and religious principles.
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Sadly in the wake of a pandemic, we have seen many challenges facing our schools, including teacher shortage, cuts to extracurricular activities, mental health issues among our students and increased violence. In addition, particularly in our catholic schools, we have seen a decline in communication between the schools, parents and the parishes. Like many of you, I value education and it is for this reason that I feel that by working collaboratively and in a transparent culture of excellence, we as a community will be better able to address these issues and find feasible solutions to overcome them.
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I am dedicated to building a community that positively impacts how our kids grow up. I value cooperation, the opportunity to succeed for all our children, open communication between the schools, parents, students and the community, but most of all I value trust and integrity.
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As a community worker and mentor I have made a difference and want the opportunity to continue my work as an advocate for education and to make a difference in our catholic school district. We are in the 21st Century and our educational system has to move forward to reflect the new changes. I want to ensure that all catholic students in Ottawa get the support, resources, guidance and care that they need to be outstanding catholic members of society and ready for the world of tomorrow.
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MY PLATFORM
1. ACADEMIC SUCCESS
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Academic success among all our students. It is very sad to hear about many students who have fallen behind their studies in the last two years following the pandemic. We must make their return to our high performance standards number one priority. Students who have been able to keep up through presential classes, must be supported and challenged to bring out the best of their abilities. By providing our schools with the necessary equipment, programs and services; teachers with the best possible resources, our children will be better motivated to learn and excited about going to school. This will lead our kids into continuing their education right through college or university. We also need to support those students that are still doing online learning, many of whom have experienced many challenges, including keeping focus due to stress and lack of support from teachers during and post pandemic. Allocate resources for them and provide them with an environment in which they can thrive and not merely survive. Our students are the heart and soul of our future. We need to advocate for innovative ideas to make this a reality and ensure that we meet the needs of our students and that they achieve success. I will provide a strong voice for high standards in curriculum and instruction. I will endorse increased public/private partnerships to provide superior school facilities and the materials needed to enhance student learning and success.
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2. CREATING A LONG TERM PLAN THAT ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF OUR SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS PRIORITIZING QUALITY OF EDUCATION, MORAL & RELIGIOUS VALUES
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Support the mental health and social/emotional wellness of our students and teachers in the OCSB district. Since the pandemic our students and staff's emotional health and social interactions have been negatively impacted. This has resulted in an increase in mental health struggles, depression, substance abuse, delinquency and violence in the form of bullying. The problem has been further aggravated by the limited availability of professionals to help, like school counselors and psychologists. Our children cannot succeed academically if they are not well emotionally. As your OCSB Trustee, I will work to advocate to implement and invest in programs that will provide our students and staff the help they need to provide them with a positive environment that will allow them to succeed academically and perform better at their jobs.
3. SUPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL WELLNESS OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN THE OCSB DISTRICT
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Create a long term plan that addresses the needs of our schools and teachers prioritizing quality of education, moral and religious values. Prior to the pandemic, our educational system suffered major financial cuts, including funding for our schools, cuts to extracurricular activities and lower wages for school staff; and the pandemic only made things worse. As your OCSB Trustee, I will work in collaboration with the schools, parents and members of the community, to identify the best approaches to communicating these issues and concerns to our government. I will pursue to increase funding for tutorial programs, counselling, and after school programs as well as increase wages for school staff. We will work hard to pressure government officials to consider investing more in our catholic schools to guarantee the best educational experience for our kids. I will also work with the School Board to strengthen and improve the relationship that exists with the parishes. I will promote more clergy involvement in the school curriculum and more programs that will teach our children moral values. I pledge to strengthen the religious curriculum and student participation in prayer and religious practices. Catholic education must be preserved, not only for today's generation but for future ones. In order to be more responsive and productive, we need to be more willing to listen to and communicate with families, school staff, students, the parishes and the community as a whole.
I look forward to meeting and talking with members of my community in the next couple of months to have the opportunity to hear their thoughts and views regarding any issues that they are concerned about and that they feel need to be addressed at our school boards. I encourage you to be part of the change that you want to see happen in your community. Together we can make a great difference in the educational success of our children.
Sincerely,
Jenny Rivera
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JENNY'S CORE VALUES & PRINCIPLES
* Respect & Empathy - Treating individuals as I would like to be treated, meeting people where they are and recognizing our shared values.
* Clear, Timely, Communication - Being an active listener, confirming that I understand what is being said, asking questions, resending clearly and on time to questions. Engaging in dialogue that fosters mutual understanding.
* Accountability - Following through on what I say I am going to do. Holding colleagues/team members to the same standards I apply to myself. Deploying metrics to measure progress and results, while also factoring in compassion and understanding of unexpected externalities.
* Transparency - Timely disclosure of development, externalities and decisions impacting the schools, teachers, colleagues and partners.
"Everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed. Our schools' success is built on the founding principles of unlimited opportunity, quality education, commitment to hard work, and the freedom to pursue our dreams. Lets work together to ensure that our schools are advancing towards meeting these founding principles".