Voting is open in Hamilton for Ward 4 school board trustee. Here are the candidates

Online voting has begun for Ward 4 residents looking to elect their next public school board trustee. 

The seat with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board opened up in September after longtime trustee Ray Mulholland stepped down. 

The byelection will take place in person and, in a first for the City of Hamilton, online.

Residents can vote online from Thursday to Monday, or cast a ballot in person in advance on Saturday or Sunday, or on Election Day Monday. 

Polling stations will be located at the Rosedale Arena (100 Greenhill Ave.), the Sir Winston Churchill Recreation Centre (1709 Main St. E.), and BGC Hamilton-Halton (45 Ellis Ave.).

Eight candidates are vying for the spot, each bringing a range of experiences and perspectives. 

Trustees serve on Ontario's 72 school boards, both public and Catholic and English and French. They hold administration staff accountable, advocate for public education, allocate resources, pass annual budgets and shape policies that impact students.

CBC Hamilton asked the candidates running for Ward 4, which runs in the lower city from Ottawa Street North to the Red Hill Valley, to share what sets them apart and what their priorities will be if elected.

Here are some of their answers, combined with information available online: 

Alison Bailey

A retired business administrator and financial analyst, Bailey has volunteered as girl guide leader, chair of a parent council and a member of the board's parent advisory committee.

Bailey said her work experience means she's well positioned to navigate tight budgets impacting the board. 

"The school board is challenged with how to make their shrinking budget go further and what to prioritize," Bailey said. 

"I believe some of the biggest opportunities they have include their ability to find and create community partnerships as well as their ability to research, learn and adopt some of the best practices in education from around the world."

Click here for her website.

Amy Cowling

Cowling is a mother of six children and has worked with people who experience intellectual disabilities for over 20 years.

She previously ran for trustee in 2022, and is taking another shot.

Cowling said she would empower parents to have a more active role in their children's education and "establish transparency" about what happens in classrooms. 

"One of the biggest opportunities is to value the opinions that are coming from parents and find a way to implement the ones that we are able to," Cowling said. "Parents' voices have value and they should be treated that way."

Click here for here Facebook page.

Paul Jaye

Jaye is a former tech executive and father of two children. Along with management experience, Jaye has taught at the university level and in Sunday school. 

If elected, he said he'd prioritize equity and inclusion and find ways to create more community engagement and partnerships.

"My management skills enable me to balance diverse voices, ensuring concerns are heard and addressed," he said. 

"I'm dedicated to empowering students by advocating for safe, supportive school environments that allow them to succeed and fully benefit from their education." 

Click here for his website.

Amanda Neale-Robinson

Neale-Robinson has worked with children, youth, families and schools for more than 10 years through the non-profit sector. 

She's also served as a board member with Rugby Ontario and co-chair of Lakeshore Arts' board of directors. 

"My leadership journey has been marked by a commitment to leveraging resources effectively and championing the rights of children and youth," says her website.

If elected, Neale-Robinson said her focus would be engaging with families, and creating safe learning spaces and opportunities for hands-on learning. 

Click here for her website.

Larry Pattison Jr.

Pattison, a fibre network administrator, served as a Ward 3 trustee from 2014 to 2018 and chose not to run in the following election. 

He said he's now ready to return and build strong relationships with other trustees and board staff. He said he's noticed there's "fractured relationships" between trustees that need to be fixed.

"Opportunities lie in fostering understanding and true humanity among differing perspectives," he said. 

As a trustee, he'd work to ensure the school system reflects the community's needs, has "appropriate" environments for learning and sports and has policies that ensure students are prepared for the future. 

Click here for his website.

Mariam Sulimankhil

A law clerk, Sulimankhil said she's prepared to navigate complex governance issues within the school system and strike a balance between providing high-quality education and managing limited financial resources.

Sulimankhil said her decisions as trustee would be directly informed by parents, students and residents of the ward. 

"A trustee's role is to advocate for the priorities of the community, ensuring that our schools are not only providing strong academic programs but also fostering an environment where every student feels supported, included, and empowered to succeed," she said. 

She'd also advocate for mental health support and extracurricular activities for students. 

Click here for her LinkedIn page.

Jordan Williams

A resident of Ward 4 and park volunteer, Williams said he advocates for workers' rights, education and community wellbeing. 

He said the biggest challenges facing the school board are post-pandemic learning gaps, mental health and budget constraints. 

"However, there's an opportunity to create a more inclusive system that provides free school lunches, equitable access to resources, and meaningful community engagement," Williams said.

"I am running to ensure that Ward 4 students and families have a strong advocate on the board, prioritizing equity, accessibility, and quality education."

Click here for his website.

Abby Zaitley

A small business owner and parent, Zaitley is co-chair of a school council and looking to bring her problem solving, budget management and relationship skills to the board of trustees. 

She said mental health and bullying are "pressing concerns" in schools, which also have a lack of educational assistants and trouble retaining teachers. 

"Addressing these issues proactively is essential to ensure that students and teachers can fully participate in the classroom without unnecessary barriers," Zaitley said. 

She would advocate for better funding from the province and look for creative solution to keep students and staff engaged.

Click here for her website.