Candidate Name: Hayley Alloway-Pike

Child’s Name and Grade: Nyamae Grade 12 and Letta 10

Profile: Hello Holy Heart of Mary Parents,

I hope that the school year is treating you well so far! I am writing to express my interest in becoming a parent representative on the Holy Heart School Council. As a parent of a Holy Heart student for the third consecutive year, I have seen first-hand how big an impact this school can have on our children. From the well-developed curriculum to the dedication of the teaching staff, this school was an easy choice for our family. Add to those amazing features the abundance of available sports, clubs, and interactive activities, this high school is more than an academic experience, it is a community. I would love to utilize my fifteen years of experience in teaching and research to enhance our school community and facilitate it’s growth and evolution. With the prospect of having a child at HHM for the next seven years, I feel strongly about being a source of positivity, not only for my own children, but for all of the kids that our family knows and loves. As a parent representative, I would advocate for all students to receive the best that we can offer them in this dynamic learning environment, while responding to the ever changing cultural landscape. I appreciate your time and consideration. I look forward to supporting you and your children.

Sincerely,

Dr. Hayley Alloway-Pike

Candidate Name: Tanya Bonnell

Child’s Name and Grade:Nicholas, Grade 10

Profile: I would like to represent not just all children and parents but the ones who need an advocate for inclusiveness within the school system. I have been involved with the school system for many years learning to maneuver through the system in order to get the support both my children need to succeed. My goal is not only be a support to the school but an advocate for the students.

Candidate Name: Cheryl Cofield 

Child’s Name and Grade: Keira, Grade 11

Profile: My name is Cheryl Cofield and I have a daughter in Grade 11.  We have recently moved home to St. John’s.

I have enrolled my children in many schools in Newfoundland and have the experience of the variety of these schools.  I am also a huge volunteer in the communities where we have lived, so am used to giving my time for important causes.

Please consider me for this position on council.

Candidate Name: Darrell Gover 

Child’s Name and Grade: Amy, Grade 10

Profile: School Council is an important tool in the education of our children as it brings together parents, teachers and administrators to create a positive and caring atmosphere in the school, enhancing learning, fostering positive experiences and social equality so our children can achieve their potential.

As a parent representative, I will advocate for students and issues that are important to the school community that affect various aspects of education and student wellbeing, inclusivity and respectfulness.

My service on school council at St. Paul’s Junior High has shown that collaboration and objective elevation of issues gets results.  I appreciate this work may involve elevating the issues beyond the school, or school board to the provincial government.  Such an approach can make a difference in the life of students.  I was involved with a letter writing campaign regarding infrastructure that has a positive outcome for accessibility at St. Paul’s.

I bring experience with understanding issues based on objective facts, research and exceptional problem solving skills.  I recognize not all solutions are easy and require research and dedication to continue moving issues forward even if that means going beyond the school and school board.  I have found that being open to hear issues from parents, students, teachers and the administration provides a safe space where any parent, student, or group can present issues or problems their child is having within the school; i.e. receiving support, instruction, respect, course assignments; especially where these are systemic concerns.  I will advocate to have them resolved.

Candidate Name: Ozlem Keskindil

Child’s Name and Grade: Kaan, Grade 11

Profile: As an educator, I believe the students’ success highly depends on the healthy relationships they build with their teachers and friends. Schools are second homes to our children where they spend most of their days and they should feel they belong to the school community as they do to the community in larger scale. Thus, I believe school councils should strive to build stronger and healthier relationships between admins and families. HHM school council must work hard to connect the parents to school community to enable every child succeed in their capacity because every child matters!

Candidate Name: Kyle Massey

Child’s Name and Grade: Olivia, Grade 11

Profile: My name is Kyle Massey (he/him) and I am a proud parent of both a Grade 11 student and a recent graduate of Holy Heart. I am eager to put my skills, knowledge, and experience to work to help enhance the quality of teaching and learning at Holy Heart. Our students deserve a learning environment that is focused on them, on their learning and success, and one that is inclusive of all members of our diverse school community. As a member of the School Council, I will commit to representing the viewpoints of all Holy Heart parents while supporting and advocating for initiatives and school development goals that are in the best interest of our students.

My professional background as a post-secondary educational administrator provides me with the experience of approaching decision-making and strategic planning through a student-centered lens. I currently work as the Director of Academic Quality Assurance at the College of the North Atlantic. Previously, I’ve worked as a professor in the Faculty of Education at Memorial University as well as a curriculum advisor in MUN’s Faculty of Medicine. My expertise in teaching, assessment, and curriculum will be a valued asset to Holy Heart’s School Council.

Elect me to the School Council and I will effectively represent all parents and the best interests of our students. I will promise to keep all stakeholders in our school community informed of relevant initiatives and their results as we work collectively towards the common goal of improving teaching, learning and student achievement.

Candidate Name: Susan Taylor 

Child’s Name and Grade:  Jaylyn,Grade 10

Profile: Hello My name is Susan Taylor

I am running for a position on the school council . In the last three years I was apart of the student council for Brother Rice while my daughter Jaylyn Taylor attended there.

Right now I have worked on the front desk at the Delta hotel for 26 years.

I have many groups that I am involved in that will show my experience in being on committees . I have held many different hats within our union for the last 25 years and one is sitting on our executive board and negotiating our last 5 collective agreements . Right now I am the Unit chair for our local and I am actually running for my vice president position as well.

Right now I am also sitting on the Human Rights committee for the Federation of Labour for NL. In those meetings for both the local and the fed we sit and deal with many issues involving people of all backgrounds . We work on many different things on all of the committees . Our main goal is that we like to make sure everyone is heard as all opinions are always valid .

During the age of 20-30 I was also on  a committee for the provincial Government, the Youth Advisory committee. We discussed all issues facing young people in our province at the time . We then would write up reports after meeting with all organizations and community centres and present the reports to the Premier . This committee was an amazing experience and I learned so much about young people, their fears and their goals & dreams.

I feel guidance is a skill you learn as you grow and being a part of such committees as this one I am running for is another amazing experience to have .

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my submission.

Susan Taylor