Editor's note: BarrieToday has asked candidates for school board trustee in Barrie to provide a synopsis of why they are running for public office. The following is from Kevin Berry, who is running for Simcoe County District School Board trustee in Barrie Wards 7-10. Municipal elections take place Oct. 24. For more election coverage, visit our 2022 municipal election page by clicking here, where you can find candidate profiles and other election news.
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Kevin Berry — Running for public school trustee, Ward 3 (Barrie Wards 7, 8, 9, and 10)
I am a 61-year-old retired father of two young adults who went through the public school system here in Simcoe County. I have lived in Simcoe County for the last 19 years and moved to Barrie 14 years ago in 2008.
Since arriving in Simcoe County, I have been actively involved in the community. Before we moved to Barrie, I was a member of the Beeton Lions Club. Once in Barrie, I spent four years with Scouts Canada as a Beaver and Cub leader. I then became involved with Special Olympics and I currently coach their alpine ski racing teams both here in Barrie and in Collingwood.
For the past 10 years, I have been on the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) for the public board, representing Autism Ontario. I was the chairman of SEAC for eight of those years.
Prior to joining SEAC, I was already actively involved assisting families with the education system, and that increased exponentially once I was on the committee. Since then, I have attended countless school meetings, IPRCs, disciplinary reviews and investigations with students and their families, advocating for their needs and mediating their disputes. After long consideration, I decided that the next logical step was to take that advocacy to the next level as trustee.
The top issues that I am concerned with are as follows:
1. Handling exponential growth with rising inflation and frozen education development charges.
2. Transitioning to post-pandemic learning and integrating what we learned into future education.
3. SCDSB's relationship with the community.
4. Inclusivity in our schools.
When not advocating, coaching or otherwise volunteering, I love to ski, fish, and I am a very novice beekeeper. My passion, when it is not directed towards my family or advocacy, belongs to my beloved Triumph Speed Triple.
To contact me or for further information:
Email: kevinberryforTrustee@
Website: www.
Facebook: Kevin Berry for Trustee
Twitter: @KBerry4Trustee
