Local trustee candidates make their case to St. Marys-area voters

By Galen Simmons

As voters prepare to cast their ballots in the Oct. 26 municipal election, four candidates are seeking to represent St. Marys and surrounding communities at two local school-board tables.

In the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board (HPCDSB) race, incumbent Mary Helen Van Loon and challenger Derek Van De Walle are seeking to represent St. Marys, Perth South and West Perth.

Meanwhile, incumbent Sheila Armstrong-Marshall and first-time candidate Ginny Rolph are seeking the local seat on the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB).

The Independent asked each candidate to introduce themselves to voters and explain the experience, priorities and perspectives they would bring to the role of school-board trustee.

Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board

Mary Helen Van Loon

After a decade representing St. Marys, Perth South and West Perth, Mary Helen Van Loon is seeking another term as an HPCDSB trustee.

Van Loon has spent six of her 10 years as a trustee serving as board chair. She said that experience has given her an extensive understanding of both the strengths of the Catholic school system and the challenges it faces.

“Our schools are vibrant, growing spaces where faith and learning go hand in hand,” Van Loon said. “To build on this foundation, we need thoughtful, proven leadership.”

If re-elected, Van Loon said she will remain focused on student achievement and wellbeing, faith formation and responsible stewardship while working with administrators, educators, support staff and parishes to strengthen Catholic identity.

Technology and its rapidly changing role in students’ lives will also require attention from trustees, she said.

Van Loon said schools need to use new technology responsibly and ensure students are prepared to navigate those changes critically, safely and confidently while remaining grounded in Gospel values.

Her connection to Catholic education is also personal. Van Loon is a Catholic-school graduate as well as a parent and grandparent of students in the Catholic system.

She and her husband, Mike, have farmed and raised their family in Perth County for more than 40 years.

“I remain grateful for your trust and I am proud of the work that has been accomplished,” Van Loon said. “I would be honoured to have your continued support in the upcoming election.”

Derek Van De Walle

Derek Van De Walle is hoping to bring a new voice to the HPCDSB table, drawing on his experience in agriculture, veterinary medicine and community leadership.

A dairy farmer and veterinarian living just west of St. Marys, Van De Walle is a graduate of Holy Name of Mary Catholic School and St. Michael Catholic Secondary School.

He operates an organic dairy farm and works as a bovine veterinarian. He has also served as president of the Perth County Federation of Agriculture and, after growing up in 4-H, has remained involved as a volunteer working with local youth.

Van De Walle said those experiences have taught him many of the same skills required of a trustee, including listening, taking responsibility and making careful decisions about how money is spent.

He is running to bring what he describes as a “fresh, new and young voice” to the board while keeping Catholic identity at the centre of local schools.

Van De Walle also wants to advocate for rural schools, including Holy Name of Mary in St. Marys and St. Patrick’s in Dublin, while ensuring resources are directed toward classrooms, special education and school buildings.

He said schools should offer strong literacy and numeracy education while providing practical pathways into skilled trades, agriculture, college and university.

“My hope is that our schools help form young people who can go out into the world and then choose to come home, to live, work and give back to our communities in Perth County and beyond,” he said.

Van De Walle can be reached at davandewalle@gmail.com or 519-275-4120.

Avon Maitland District School Board

Sheila Armstrong-Marshall

Sheila Armstrong-Marshall is seeking re-election to the AMDSB, bringing three decades of experience as an educator to her work as a trustee.

A Perth South resident, Armstrong-Marshall spent 30 years teaching primary, special-education and music classes.

She is also a member of the Stratford Agricultural Society and Stratford-Perth Museum and was previously involved in 4-H and Junior Farmers. For the past eight years, she has been involved with the Ontario Plowmen’s Association, including two years as president.

Armstrong-Marshall said she is seeking another term because she believes strongly in public education and the responsibility of school boards to provide students with opportunities to learn, grow and succeed.

“Serving as a trustee is about more than attending meetings or making decisions,” she said. “It is about listening to families, supporting our educators and staff, advocating for our students and making sure every decision we make keeps student achievement, wellbeing and opportunity at the centre.”

Supporting teachers, administrators and other education workers remains one of Armstrong-Marshall’s priorities. She said stronger schools result when staff, trustees, families and communities work together.

If re-elected, she said she will continue advocating for responsible use of public money, student achievement, mental-health and wellbeing supports and the resources educators need to help students succeed.

Armstrong-Marshall said families should also be able to expect transparency, accountability and a board willing to listen to their concerns.

“We may not always agree, but we must always be willing to listen, work together and put the interests of students and our communities first,” she said.

Ginny Rolph

First-time trustee candidate Ginny Rolph is hoping her experience as a parent, customer-service worker and mental-health support worker will bring a different perspective to the AMDSB table.

Rolph has lived in the Mitchell area for more than 20 years with her husband, Matthew. The couple has three children, Nolan, Keith and Sarah, whose experiences in local schools, sports and the community have given Rolph a parent’s perspective on the education system.

She identifies four priorities in her campaign: learning, wellbeing, community and accountability.

On learning, Rolph wants smaller, manageable classrooms and supports that recognize different learning styles. She also wants stronger mental-health and student-support resources, responsible spending and transparent decision-making.

Rolph spent 20 years working in customer service in the food industry before moving into health care five years ago as a mental-health support worker.

She said her customer-service career taught her to listen, communicate with people with different perspectives, resolve conflicts and solve problems as part of a team. Her mental-health work, meanwhile, has reinforced the importance of empathy, advocacy and recognizing that individuals have different needs.

“Our students are individuals. They don’t all learn the same way, they don’t all face the same challenges and they don’t all need the same support,” Rolph said.

Rolph said she is not running because she believes she has all the answers, but because she is willing to listen, ask questions and work with others on practical solutions.

“Our children are our future,” she said. “They deserve a trustee who will listen, learn and advocate for them.”