Editor's note: BarrieToday has asked candidates for school board trustee in Barrie to provide a synopsis of why they are running for public office. The following is from Ilona Zankovica-Rivera, who is running for Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board (SMCDSB) trustee in Barrie Wards 6-10. Municipal elections take place Oct. 24. For more election coverage, visit our 2022 municipal election page by clicking here, where you can find candidate profiles and other election news.
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I'm thrilled to introduce myself as a SMCDSB trustee candidate in Barrie Wards 6-10. My name is Ilona Zankovica-Rivera and I am a mother of two young (seven and four), curious and cheerful kids. My background is in business and economics with years of project management and process improvement experience in a large-scale retail, construction and architecture industries.
I have no political experience, but I find that it's one of my strengths as I come with a fresh set of eyes, strong leadership skills and get-the-job-done personality. I am not afraid to ask questions and I value accountability and transparency – that’s what you can expect from me.
The reason I decided to run for the Catholic school board trustee is because I want to contribute to building a stronger collaboration between the school board and parents — like you and me. I see a need in bringing taxpayers’ voice closer to the decision-making table; building a trustworthy communication channel while acting based on faith and biblical values.
There are a lot of concerns that I have been receiving, but if I had to summarize a few those would be: dropping educational level and emotional resilience that the past few years have emphasized even more and parents’ concerns about increased sex-ed in early school years that is not healthy or necessary for such small minds.
Should I get elected, I would certainly start with establishing a permanent communication channel with the parents/residents using a social media platform. I want to be accessible to all residents to capture their worries and needs, and bring them further to the board. I believe in collaboration, surveys, transparent conversations followed by action plans and results. I trust that we all have the same goals – the success of our children, peace of mind of parents and a strong system to support high-quality, in-person education.
Finally, I would like to wish all families a wonderful and more peaceful new school year. I am always happy to hear your thoughts on the issues/comments you want to share with me and welcome you to join my Facebook page: Elect Ilona for SMCDSB Trustee.
