Q and A with Marlene Mogado

October 15, 2010

Mogado: “ I want to finish the job....”

By Ricardo J. S. Caluen

I had an opportunity to chat with Marlene Mogado, who is one of the GTA’s Filipino candidates seeking re-election this year. An indefatigable veteran community volunteer, Marlene is seeking a second term as Catholic School Trustee in Area 2 of the York Catholic District School Board serving Markham, Milliken, and Unionville. The following are excerpts of that interview.

Q: What are the top issues facing your schools?

A: I see five priorities. East and North Markham have grown significantly in the past five years. Our newest Area 2 school is San Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic Elementary School, which opened in 2007. It’s almost at capacity. We badly need new schools in this Area.

Q: What are the other four priorities?

A: We also need funding for new purchases and maintenance of technological programs and supports. There are the special education students, too. Their numbers and needs are growing. There is always a need for literacy and numeracy supports, and I’ll always advocate for these. And, some of our older schools need repair.

Q: Can the Board afford it? That sounds like a lot of expenses.

A: The 2010-2011 YCDSB budget is almost $600 million and it’s the Trustees’ job to decide how it is spent. For comparison, the Town of Markham’s yearly budget is about $350 million. Right now, all departments are re-evaluating their budgets, to trim or postpone spending. We are shifting focus to student learning. The Board aims to leverage any available miscellaneous funding for special programs and projects. The challenge is to be able to receive this funding on a longer-term and more equitable basis.

Q: It is always nice to hear when public entities like the Catholic Board in York Region maintain a balanced budget. Did you have some role in that?

A: I am the Chair of the Board’s Budget and Audit Committee. My fellow trustees and the Board staff are really dedicated to working out solutions and finding compromise. Many of us are quite forceful in arguing our positions. I get to moderate many of our debates that yield good results.

Q: I understand that each Trustee has a discretionary fund which has been controversial in other Catholic Boards. How do you spend yours?

A: Each year, we get $5,000 of this fund. We follow Board Policy on how it can be spent. Every year since 2007, I have spent more than half of my fund on school projects. It’s a small amount but it has helped schools with projects that cannot be funded through the General School Budget, like additional learning materials, library books, and school anniversary celebrations. For these, School Councils usually rely on fundraising.

Q: Let’s look at some issues of concern to parents. What is your opinion on the sex education program in schools that the Ontario Government announced this Spring?

A: The government should have consulted parents through the Provincial Parent Councils and Trustee Associations. Our unique position as Catholic Boards must be respected. We are glad the program was cancelled before it was implemented. We expect to be invited when consultations take place.

Q: Why are “healthy foods” listed amongst your top priorities for your next term?

A: I hear from parents all the time that unhealthy food is too readily available to their kids on the school premises and at school-sponsored events. But some of the food items are the top source of fundraising revenues for activities and programs that cannot be funded through Ministry of Education funds. We are in the process of developing a Policy on Healthy Foods and Beverages. I will include an integrated program at schools to fight obesity among school children. Schools and their Councils are now starting to find other means to fundraise so that more healthy foods and beverages are chosen.

Q: Split-level classes are sometimes a concern for parents. What are they and what is your position on them?

A: Split-level classes are where two grades of students are in class with the same teacher, but with different sets of lessons and instruction conducted in different parts of the classroom. I tend to hear complaints about them at the beginning of the school year. The fact is, we have limited resources. Split classes maximize the use of facilities and teaching resources. This is the most cost-efficient choice when we have low numbers of students in a grade. I am not convinced that kids are disadvantaged in split classes.

Q: Have you heard of issues with kids attending schools outside of their local area?

A: Yes and there are two issues with that. I have heard from parents who are not happy that their children are being sent to far away schools when there are schools closer to home that could accommodate them. And there is the other group: parents who are not satisfied with the programs offered at a school near them; they want their child bussed to a school that is further away.

Q: How do you think the Board should deal with that?

A: The Board needs to do a boundary review. And, where this is an issue, Principals should have effective communication strategies with parents in the schools. Schools can also improve the programs they offer so they can attract students to attend their area school. A more welcoming and safe school environment will definitely help, and I want to help build that, too.

Q: Any last word on the election?

A: I’ve been campaigning hard to earn the Catholic school supporters’ vote. We have over sixty volunteers and I am most grateful to them because they have been very generous with their time and energy! Almost every day in October, we delivered flyers to the 8,000 Catholic voter households in Area 2’s four wards in Markham, Milliken, and Unionville. We have 50 road signs up and lawn signs are going up every day now. Online and early voting is from October 16th to 21st, and Election Day is October 25th.

More information is available at marlenemogado.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/mmogado. I encourage everyone to learn about your candidates but the most important thing is to VOTE! I take pride in what I have accomplished thus far. And there’s more than I can do. I want to finish the job.