Full Responses

Cindy Desclouds-Simpson
Vice Chair/Zone 10, Trustee, Ottawa Catholic School Board (8 years)

 

Responses to questions from the community on Catholic education, student support, digital safety and trustee leadership.

 

1. Catholic Education and Catholic Identity

 

My commitment to Catholic education spans more than 40 years. I spent 20 years as a teacher, two years as a vice-principal and 11 years as a principal, all with the Ottawa Catholic School Board. I also served as Executive Director of Youville Centre, a high school for pregnant and parenting youth, child development centre and mental health centre founded by a Sister and teacher from Immaculata High School. For the past eight years, I have had the privilege of serving as a Catholic trustee, including four years as Vice Chair. Membership in the Ontario Catholic Trustee association has strengthened my commitment to Catholic Education and the importance of equal funding in the province of Ontario.

 

Catholic education is not simply my profession—it has been a testament to my faith and a central part of my life. I hold a Specialist in Religious Education, complemented by leadership and spirituality courses achieved through the OCSB. I have taught religion and as a principal was the spiritual leader of my school. I have taught “Sunday school” at my parish and was part of the parish baptism team. My two daughters are OCSB graduates, and the tradition continues with my granddaughters, one who is currently in Grade 6 and another attending grade one at an OCSB school.

 

I am devoted to educating children and youth through a Catholic lens that celebrates and demonstrates Gospel values each day. Catholic schools build strong communities rooted in family, friendship and faith. It is a privilege to work in an environment that respects the dignity of every individual and celebrates our differences.

 

I fully endorse and celebrate the Board’s spiritual theme, this year’s “Nourishing New Beginnings,” the third year of a three-year initiative. It provides a thread that weaves through our initiatives and curriculum. As a trustee, I look forward to collaboratively establishing our new three-year theme, which the Board will approve this spring. As Vice Chair, I have also valued meeting twice annually with the Archbishop, ensuring strong communication between our Board, parishes and Archdiocese continues.

 

I strongly support our Board’s social entrepreneurship program and its connection to social justice, a cornerstone in Catholic Education. I’ve been proud to watch it grow during my tenure as trustee, and witness the creativity and commitment our students have demonstrated to their social enterprise, while establishing a business sense at the elbow of a community business mentor.

 

As a trustee, I believe our budget must reflect and strengthen our Catholic identity by providing adequate resources and personnel to prepare our students to live their faith through the Catholic Graduate Expectation

 

2. Special Education, Inclusion and Student Support

 

As an experienced educator with special education credentials and an alternate committee member of the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC), inclusion and equitable access to the Ontario curriculum and all school resources are among my highest priorities. I understand the importance of meaningful parent partnership in the education of their children, particularly children with special education needs. Parents know their children best, and their voices are essential in identifying needs, developing effective Individual Education Plans (IEPs), determining appropriate supports and ensuring that students can reach their full potential.

 

As a trustee, I have consistently supported directing additional resources to special education and have supported the hiring of additional Educational Assistants every year. I will continue to make this a priority. There remains a significant funding shortfall in the provincial special education funding envelope, and I will continue to strongly lobby the provincial government for increased, sustainable funding. Our schools need the personnel, programming, technology, equipment and specialized supports necessary to meet the diverse needs of our students. This includes students experiencing learning challenges, mental health and addiction challenges, as well as students who require physical or accessibility supports.

 

I applaud the recent CSAP/PIC event, “Supporting Advocacy and Self-Determination,” which empowers parents with knowledge about IEPs and strengthens their ability to advocate effectively for their children. I believe we must also support students, where appropriate, in developing the confidence and skills to understand their learning needs and advocate for themselves.

 

As a trustee, I will continue to be a strong voice and advocate for students with special education needs. I will champion the resources required to ensure that support is available when and where students need it, hold the Board accountable for equitable access and outcomes, and advocate with government for the funding necessary to deliver on our commitment to inclusion. Every student deserves not only to access the curriculum, but to participate, belong and thrive.

 

3. Digital Safety, Privacy and Student Well-Being

 

Digital platforms can be powerful tools for both teachers and students. They provide greater access to learning resources, enable collaboration and communication, support timely feedback, and allow teachers to use data to better understand student learning. Most importantly, digital tools can support differentiated instruction, allowing educators to adapt content, pace, resources and learning activities to meet the diverse strengths, abilities and needs of individual students.

 

As a trustee, I will work with the Board to ensure that adequate resources are dedicated to data protection, cybersecurity, online safety and age-appropriate firewalls. Protecting student information and creating safe digital learning environments must remain a fundamental responsibility of the Board. Technology should enhance learning without compromising the privacy or safety of our students.

 

I also believe parents must be partners in their children’s digital education. I will support the continuation of parent workshops that explain the digital platforms used by the OCSB, helping parents understand the tools their children use every day and giving them greater confidence to support learning at home.

 

As Vice-Chair, I was proud to collaborate on the development of the OCSB Artificial Intelligence Guiding Principles which provides a strong framework for the responsible and ethical use of AI in education. These guidelines have proven to be a gold standard in the province—and they must continue to evolve as technology changes. I will support regular review and updating of these guidelines to ensure they remain relevant and effective.

 

We must also ensure students understand that technology and AI are tools to be used critically, ethically and humanely. I support the Board’s emphasis on the critical and humane use of artificial intelligence and the annual review of these principles through the grade-appropriate “Samaritans on the Digital Road” resource that helps students develop digital citizenship skills.

 

As a trustee, I will continue to champion innovation while ensuring that safety, privacy, equity, human connection and sound educational practice remain at the centre of every digital decision.

 

4. Trustee Role, Representation and Advocacy

 

The Ottawa Catholic School Board deserves experienced, collaborative and effective leadership—leadership that advocates strongly for students while building the relationships necessary to get results.

 

For the past eight years, including four years as Vice-Chair, I have had the privilege of representing my local community at the Board table. I believe local representation matters. Trustees must understand the unique needs, priorities and concerns of the families, students and communities they serve and ensure those voices are heard in Board decision-making.

 

I bring a strong record of collaborative leadership and accountability. During my time as Vice-Chair, I have worked with fellow trustees, senior staff, school communities, government and community partners to move priorities forward. Our Board is recognized as cohesive, effective and well respected across Ontario, and our strong relationship with the Ministry of Education is an important asset that I believe must be protected and strengthened.

 

The new school board framework outlined in Putting Students First will change the landscape in which trustees operate. I am confident, however, that our Board can continue to conduct its business efficiently and effectively. What will matter most is experienced leadership, a clear focus on student achievement and well-being, fiscal responsibility, and the ability to work collaboratively through change.

 

As a trustee, I will continue to be a strong and persistent advocate for students, families and communities. I will press the government for the capital investments our schools require and for increased support for special education, specialized programming and pathways such as skilled trades. I believe strong advocacy does not require an adversarial relationship. It requires building relationships, listening carefully, earning trust and being persistent in advancing the needs of our students.

 

I also believe trustees have a responsibility to hold the Board accountable—to ensure resources are used responsibly, programs are achieving their intended outcomes and decisions reflect our strategic priorities.

 

I offer a proven leadership record, strong relationships, local knowledge and a deep commitment to Catholic education. I will continue to listen, advocate and hold myself and the Board accountable for putting students, families and communities first.