Amanda Robertson is running as a candidate for trustee of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board in the 2022 municipal election.
Robertson grew up on a dairy farm outside of Stratford with 3 sisters and has lived in Belleville for 6 years. She met her husband while completing her BA in Psychology at the University of Guelph, and lived in both Toronto and Hamilton during their post grad training. She is a 4H Ontario Alum and was part of the Ontario Fair Ambassador Program.
Education
- Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto
- BA in Psychology at the University of Guelph
Community involvement
- Chair of Queen Victoria School (QVS) Council for 4 years
- HPEDSB’s Parent Involvement Committee
- Parents Reaching Out Grant Committee
- 1st Annual Parent Symposium
- Board of Director of John Howard Society of Belleville for 6 years and is currently the Treasurer of the board
- Coaches in the Belleville Boys Spirits Basketball player development program
- Board of Directors of Bay of Quinte NDP Riding Association
Career
- Freelance writer and community capacity builder
- Emergency supply teacher at QVS
2022 election priorities
From ontarioschooltrustees.org:
Amanda is a freelance writer and community capacity builder focused on making communities more accessible for everyone who lives in them. She completed her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto in 2012; and since graduating, became a mom to three, now public-school students, completed a professional communications certificate, and started her own freelance writing business. Amanda works predominantly with clients who aim to break down barriers for people to participate fully in their communities. She strongly believes in the importance of engaging individuals, especially youth, in meaningful activities and understands the urgency of (re)engaging HPEDSB students with learning as we emerge out of the pandemic.
Amanda has chaired Queen Victoria School (QVS) Council for four years and has participated on various subcommittees of HPEDSB’s Parent Involvement Committee, including the Parents Reaching Out Grant Committee, and the 1st Annual Parent Symposium. She has also worked as an occasional emergency supply teacher at QVS, providing classroom support and delivering curriculum to students in kindergarten to grade 6. Amanda has been on the John Howard Society of Belleville’s Board of Directors for 6 years and is currently the Treasurer of the board. As the treasurer of a sizeable non-profit, she is no stranger to overseeing limited and ever-changing program funding. She also coaches in the Belleville Boys Spirits Basketball player development program.
Amanda and her family moved to Belleville six years ago. Prior to that, she grew up on a dairy farm outside of Stratford, met her husband while completing her BA in Psychology at the University of Guelph, and lived in both Toronto and Hamilton during their post grad training. She is a 4H Ontario Alum and was part of the Ontario Fair Ambassador Program.
How will Amanda help strengthen publicly funded education in HPEDSB?
- Prioritize student achievement and wellbeing
- Ensure evidence-based policy and decision-making
- Advocate for robust funding of public schools
- Ensure schools, board policies and programs are accessible for all students
- Support extracurricular programming
Issues and views
Unlike pretty much every other candidate in this election, Amanda has put a lot of thought, time and effort into publicly providing voters with her priorities and programs she would like to start or expand as trustee:
- 5 Priorities for Public Education
- Dog Therapy Reading Programs
- International Student Programs
- Food Insecurity
- Community Partnerships
- Playgrounds
- Socially-Charged Issues
- Extracurriculars
- Connecting with Youth at risk
- Busing
- Bullying
Personal life
Robertson is married to Andrew, a family doctor in Belleville and has 3 children who attend public school.
From her website:
Growing up, I played competitive softball & basketball, I did step-dancing, participated in our local youth choir, took singing lessons, & showed cows in 4H. In high school, I was a Queen of the Furrow, Fair Ambassador & was valedictorian of my graduating class. I attended The University of Guelph where I did a BA in Psychology, met my husband, played on their softball team, & worked a bunch of jobs including serving, administrating, reasearch/lab tech, retail, & helped out at the farm when I was home. I then attended the University of Toronto to do my Masters in Occupational Therapy. While in Toronto, I performed in 2 med school musicals, got married, & had our eldest son. From there, we moved to Hamilton for my husband’s residency, & I had my daughter & began coaching youth basketball. In 2016, we moved to Belleville, bought our first home and I joined the John Howard Society’s Board of Directors and the BTG, & acted in their production of Little Shop of Horrors. I completed a certificate in professional communication and started my freelance writing business. In 2017, my oldest started school & I joined school council. I had my youngest in 2018 & got more involved with HPEDSB through PIC. Last year, I started coaching youth basketball again. In my spare time, I like to explore Quinte region, listen to COOL 100.1, drink drip coffee, watch HGTV, & blog.
Contact
Over to you
What do you think of Amanda Robertson as a trustee candidate for Belleville?
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