Trustee aims to improve Midtown schools
[attach]3296[/attach]Newly sworn-in Catholic school trustee Jo-Ann Davis says she intent on helping the embattled school board get back on track for the sake of its students.
Davis, who unseated incumbent Catherine Leblanc-Miller in the local race for Catholic school board trustee, was recently named vice-chair of the board.
The midtown rep said she wants the students to have the same positive experience she had in school.
“I attended Saint Vincent de Paul and St. Joseph’s Wellesley College School and I had great experiences in these schools,” Davis said.
“I want to keep these schools around and make sure they stay for generations to come.”
Davis, who works in management consulting, acknowledged she and her peers will have their work cut out for them. After a series of controversies involving school trustees came to light in recent years, the province appointed Richard Alway to supervise and oversee decision-making at board level.
But Davis says despite their limited powers, now is the time to focus on issues that matter.
Davis says that she hopes her consulting background can help lead the board to more ideas and solutions.
“I’m not claiming that I have all the answers, but I believe I can bring to the table a perspective that can determine how we get to those answers,” Davis said.
“Whether talking about corporations, governments or our schools, we have to make sure we have a clear vision of what we want to happen in each of those environments,” she said. “As a member of the board, I have to make sure these visions are achieved.”
She urged the community to connect more with the school system, and said she herself has started networking with the community, including principals, parents, and pastors to understand their critical needs.
“I started making relationships to see where we can improve.
“We are also trying to use groups in the community to connect with the schools by making our schools local community hubs.”
Davis was also appointed to the board’s audit committee, where she expects to have ongoing reviews of programs and policies to see where improvements can be made.
