Stacey Lewis

HPEDSB – WARDS 1 , 2 , 5 , 8 , 9

Stacey Lewis has had a lifetime of commitment to public service. She was an educator in Ontario for 34 years. She says that teaching and working on behalf of Ontario students, their families and their communities has been a professional career that has provided her the opportunity to build relationships and teach the needed skills, attitudes, values and knowledge to the next generation of lifelong learners. “I strongly believe I have the listening, communication and leadership skills required to be able to understand and honour differing perspectives of our students and families,” added Lewis.

When asked what issues students face in local schools, Lewis said the transition back to in-person learning is still taking place with many students feeling some social anxiety around lifted Covid protocols, academic performance and engagement and being away from their school environments for so long. “On-line learning has left students with some significant learning gaps. Teachers and students now need to work hard to acquire knowledge and skills to get on track with grade level curriculum expectations. Lower than preferred literacy skills, academic achievement, mental health and poverty are identified as issues faced by some of our local students,” said Lewis.

Lewis’s priorities for education in Prince Edward County include being available to students, schools, education staff, families and municipal council to hear successes and current challenges students, schools and families are experiencing. “This position allows me to represent the needs of South Prince Edward County to HPEDSB and help problem-solve, create solutions and guide policies that will support the needs of our County schools, families and communities,” she said.

Lewis believes conversations and school board policies around equity are extremely necessary and very important to the future of education and wellbeing of our students. “Trustees help guide and revise education policies and procedures to allow for equity, inclusion, diversity and accessibility to be at the forefront of excellent education standards,” she said. “Students deserve to have what programs are right for them. We all have a role to play to strengthen our community through equity and social justice conversations, initiatives and outcomes.”

Lewis strongly supports the secondary schools moving away from a two-tiered system. “Students having equal access to courses will improve the well-being for all students,” said Lewis, although she believes the challenge will be for the teachers who will need to differentiate for learning and provide high quality programming to meet all levels of student needs within their one streamed classroom setting.

“I believe in public education first and foremost. We would not need private schools and services if our school boards had an endless supply of finances and specialized teacher training and educational programs available to offer our students,” added Lewis. “We have students with additional talents and also additional challenges that our public school cannot service due to lack of funding. I also believe that parents have the right to select what type of schooling is in their child’s best interest.”