York Region District School Board Candidates

Q: Why are you running for or seeking re-election to the school board trustee position?  

A: As a parent and public service professional, I am running for School Board Trustee for Aurora-Stouffville because I believe every student deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.

Our schools are at the heart of our communities. They shape not only academic outcomes, but also the confidence, well-being, and future potential of our children. I want to bring thoughtful leadership, strong governance, and a collaborative approach to the York Region District School Board.

In my professional career, I have worked in municipal government, where accountability, transparency, and responsible decision-making are essential. I understand the importance of listening to residents, balancing priorities, and ensuring that public resources are used effectively. I believe those same principles are critical at the school board level.

I previously spent many years working for Ontario’s largest school board, where I gained firsthand insight into how large and complex school systems operate. That experience showed me the importance of strong communication and alignment between central administration and elected trustees. When decision-making processes become disconnected, it can affect the timeliness, agility, and effectiveness of the board as a whole. Having worked within that school board environment, I understand both the operational realities faced by staff and the governance responsibilities of trustees. I believe this perspective will help me contribute to informed, practical, and collaborative decision-making in this role.

If elected, I will focus on supporting student achievement, strengthening mental health and well-being supports, improving communication and engagement with parents, and advocating for schools that are safe, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of all students.

Aurora and Stouffville are growing communities with diverse families and high expectations for public education. I am running because I care deeply about the future of our children and want to help ensure that our schools remain places where every student feels valued, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.

I would be honoured to serve the families of Aurora–Stouffville as a strong, respectful, and community-focused voice at the York Region District School Board.

Q: A brief outline of your platform and what you feel strongly about.

A: My campaign priorities: 

1. Student achievement and future readiness: Every student should have access to high-quality learning opportunities that help them succeed academically and prepare for life beyond graduation. I will support strong literacy, numeracy, STEM, arts, and skilled trades pathways so that students can pursue the future that is right for them.

2. Mental health, well-being, and school safety:  Students learn best when they feel safe, supported, and connected. I will advocate for accessible mental health supports, positive school environments, and policies that promote respect, inclusion, and student well-being across all schools.

3. Stronger communication with parents and communities:  Families deserve to be informed and heard. I will work to improve transparency, encourage meaningful engagement with parents, and ensure that community feedback is considered in board decision-making.

4. More responsive and effective governance: My experience working within Ontario’s largest school board showed me the importance of strong alignment between trustees and administration. I will focus on practical, informed, and timely decision-making that helps the board respond more effectively to the needs of students, staff, and families.

5. Responsible stewardship of public resources:  School boards must make thoughtful financial decisions that maximize value for students. I will support transparent budgeting, evidence-based priorities, and investments that have a direct and measurable impact on learning and well-being.

6. Supporting growing communities: Aurora and Stouffville continue to grow and evolve. I will advocate for planning that keeps pace with enrolment pressures, supports healthy learning environments, and ensures that schools remain strong community hubs for current and future families.

Q: If you are elected, what would be your top priority for the community, and why is that the most important issue to address in the coming term?

A: My top priority would be making sure every student in Aurora-Stouffville has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their circumstances. That means keeping student achievement, well-being, and access to meaningful educational opportunities at the centre of every decision the Board makes.

Over the coming term, school boards will face significant pressures around funding, staffing, student needs, infrastructure, and the cost of delivering public education. In that environment, I believe trustees need to be both strong advocates for students and responsible stewards of public resources. We have to ask not simply, “What is the cost?” but also, “What will have the greatest impact on students?”

For me, that means advocating for the supports students need to learn and thrive, while ensuring that resources are being used effectively and transparently. It also means listening to parents, students, educators, and the broader community so that decisions reflect the realities being experienced in our schools.

I believe this is the most important issue to address because every decision made at the Board ultimately comes back to one question: is this helping our students succeed? As a parent and public-service professional, I would bring a practical, collaborative, and fiscally responsible approach to that work. My goal would be to help build a school system where every student feels supported, has access to opportunity, and is prepared for their next step—whatever that may be.

 www.emmasears.net 

 email: emmasearstrustee@gmail.com

 Instagram: voteemmasears 

Q: Why are you running for or seeking re-election to the school board trustee position?

A: I am running for the school board trustee position for several reasons. I firmly believe in the value of education, one that provides opportunity for growth, purpose and connection. More importantly it needs to be meaningful and incorporates the voice of students, parents and the communities in which they live. I believe that strong schools build strong communities. Cutbacks unfortunately have begun to erode our education system, particularly during and after COVID .

These cutbacks are large.  According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives  (CCPA) public schools in Ontario since 2018 have accumulated an estimated funding shortfall of 6.5 billion dollars. Government funding is tied to enrollment numbers rather than the rate of inflation or the increasing complexity in the needs of students. 

Throughout my experience as an educator at the YRDSB board for 26 years I have seen first-hand the impact of cutbacks. Support staff that are vital to our system such as EAs, CYWs, school psychologists, speciality teachers, custodians and secretaries have lost their jobs. Supports for students who require it most, have been reduced and as a result many are falling through the cracks. Report of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are increasing at an alarming rate within the student population. Literacy and math scores are declining. Teachers and support staff are burning out and doing their best to hold it together but even this is not enough. Absenteeism and disengagement of students from their education is also at an all-time high. 

I feel I can't sit idly by as our once quality education system gets decimated even further. I am running as a trustee to let parents, students and those who have a stake in education to have a voice at the table and to gain greater awareness of how

decisions are made at the board level and how these affect students. I feel that concerns about our current funding model need to be addressed and the role of a trustee provides this opportunity. For me this position is not merely a stepping stone for other endeavours but rather a further extension of my commitment to public education and the YRDSB school board. 

Q: A brief outline of your platform and what you feel strongly about.

A: My platform is based on the following principals

1. Putting students and Communities first

I am a fierce advocate for public education and I see my role as Trustee as an extension of this. My experience as a teacher and parent has provided invaluable insight into the role of parents and others who shape students’ lives. I have always felt that schools and communities must work together to create environments where children can thrive. Centering the growth and excellence of students in decision making at the board, community and family levels will always steer outcomes in the right direction. The role of a trustee requires these skills and should I be elected into this role I will use them for the betterment of students in all the schools under my jurisdiction. My aim is to bring the needs of the students and community to the forefront of board decision making.

2. Transparency and Communication

As an experienced educator, I value the important connection with students and their parents. I learned that connection and honesty with students is required to ensure that the students under my care were able to reach their fullest potential. As trustee, I aim to build connections with families and communities to advocate for their needs at the board level. I aim to maintain clear, approachable and transparent communication with all those invested in our schools.

3. Balancing competing priorities

Trustees face an increasingly complex balancing act, including fiscal pressures, provincial mandates and the needs for students and families. An example of such is the recent sharp increase in fees for organizations seeking to use school facilities after hours. I would voice my concerns that these fees be reduced at a level that is more aligned with the benefit provided for local communities and still meet the needs of the board and their recovery cost model. 

As a trustee I will advocate for my communities and families, bringing important issues to the board such as student success, resource allocation and problem solving of unique situations. My experience as a teacher gives me insight into the competing demands facing public education and would help me navigate difficult decisions. 

Q: If you are elected, what would be your top priority for the community, and why is that the most important issue to address in the coming term?

A: My top priority would be to provide greater transparency in the role of a trustee to the community. They deserve to be aware of what decisions are made at the board level and how these decisions are arrived at. This is true even if at times these decisions don't align with a more preferred outcome in the minds of the community. I am not averse to having those difficult conversations should they be required. With greater transparency and open dialogue comes greater ties with the community and the trust that I will always strive to ensure a quality education for students. Our students deserve it! our communities deserve it!  Public education deserves it!

Website: billradia.ca

Email address: william.radia@outlook.com

Facebook: https:www.facebook.com/BillRadiaForTrustee

Instagram: @billradiafortrustee