Editor's note: BradfordToday and InnisfilToday have asked candidates for school board trustee in Bradford and Innisfil to provide a synopsis of why they are running for public office. The following is from Jeanny Salmon who is running for Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board trustee. Municipal elections take place Oct. 24.
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My name is Jeanny Salmon and I’m currently the Catholic school board trustee elect for Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board for the area of Bradford and Innisfil.
I have been the Catholic board trustee for the past three terms. I am a social worker and therapist that runs a private practice helping those in the community.
In my spare time, I enjoy volunteering and helping social groups in the community by helping youth who have daily struggles in the community and supporting the homeless.
I am a mother of three children who are in our wonderful Catholic education system, a school system where they have felt supported to grow with teachers who have guided them along the way. I take being a trustee in the Catholic education system very seriously and have shown this in my leadership within these communities. I have advocated for parents and families when they have had questions or issues and we have always found a solution or resolution.
When I started my journey as a trustee in Catholic education, I noticed there were not enough schools in our area. I heard the voices of the community and advocated with members of staff and the Ministry of Education, to put forth plans for funding new schools. Since then, we have repaired schools and built new schools to accommodate the growth in the community.
In Bradford, I was instrumental in the opening of St. Angela Merici Catholic School in Ward 1 and the rebuilding of St. Charles Catholic School on Simcoe Road, and have helped secure lands for a new Catholic school in Innisfil.
The best part of being a school trustee for the Catholic board is when I hear students say our schools feel like a family. I love when I attend graduations and see students move into their next journey of life with such excitement and enthusiasm. I never question why I chose to be in this role. It is rewarding and a privilege that families have trusted in me and elected me a year after year to serve and preserve Catholic education.
