Shelley Laskin, Trustee, Ward 8, Eglinton-Lawrence and Toronto-St Paul’s
Shelley Laskin is serving her fifth term as Trustee. After being first
elected in 1997 at amalgamation, she served two terms and then took a break.
She returned to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) in 2010 to continue
what she started.
Shelley
learned the value of public service as a child in Thunder Bay where her father,
Saul Laskin, served as Mayor, and her mother Adele was active in a number of
social causes. Inspired by her Grade 10 Geography teacher, Shelley pursued the
study of map-making, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree at Carleton University
followed by a graduate diploma in Cartography from the University of Glasgow.
After working in the field, Shelley chose to open her own graphic consulting
business to combine her work and family life.
Shelley
has an extensive background in project management, strategic planning, business
processes and policy development in both the public and private sectors. As a
trained cartographer, Shelley worked as project manager with External Affairs
Canada, as Chief Cartographer on an educational atlas for elementary school
children, as well as on a variety of consulting projects for the private
sector.
When
her children began school, Shelley became an active and engaged parent at both
the local and board level. Locally, she was instrumental in developing and
implementing new initiatives including innovative vehicles of communication
between home and school, greening projects, and ensuring parent voice on school
committees. As an active member of Area North in the former Toronto Board of
Education, Shelley co-authored The Essential School – A Model for Public
Education in Ontario, developed by the Parents’ Working Group on Education
Finance and endorsed by the Toronto Board of Education just prior to
amalgamation.
Shelley
was first elected to the Toronto District School Board representing Ward 11 from
1997 to 2003 where she served as Chair on two separate occasions. In the early
years of the amalgamated board, Shelley was able to effect changes that
strengthened neighbourhood schools – everything from launching ground breaking
policies on community involvement, Eco-Schools, equity, literacy, academic
excellence, school safety and healthy schools to finding creative solutions for
rebuilding schools as evidenced through North Toronto Collegiate Institute.
During those years, as Vice-President representing Toronto on the Ontario
Public School Boards Association, Shelley worked with fellow trustees, elected
officials and civil servants to rebuild and improve the quality of education
across the province.
In
2004, Shelley joined the Ontario Public Service and put her skills to work to
enhance organizational effectiveness and performance within the Ministry of
Health and Long-Term Care’s Business Improvement Office. In 2006, she joined
the newly created Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport where she served in a
number of roles in Business Services, Policy and Program and Corporate
Services. As Senior Advisor with the Pan/Parapan American Games Secretariat she
developed the Secretariat’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) for Games-time
operations and during the Pan Am Games, acted as Deputy Director in the PPAGS
Coordination Centre. She received the 2015 MTCS Applause Award for Teamwork
which “recognizes an individual or team who demonstrates excellence in working
together in the delivery of a special project and/or operational program or
service in support of the ministry’s mission, goal and/or objective”. Outside
of Games-time operations, she provided leadership in developing, managing and
delivering a coordinated, one-window approach to facilitate Secretariat
corporate requirements including accessibility requirements, diversity and
green initiatives planning, service quality standards, accommodation planning
and facilities management, IT resources and assets, emergency management and
continuity of operations planning, health and safety initiatives.
At
the completion of the Games, Shelley returned to the Ministry of Health as Senior Advisor, Agency Support where she
provides strategic direction, liaison and leadership in the development,
communication and implementation of the mandates of the ministry’s four
adjudicative Boards.
In
the fall of 2009, Shelley was appointed by the local School Superintendent to
be the community member on the Davisville-Yonge Area Review Committee (ARC)
looking at ways to resolve the overcrowding in some area schools and find
meaningful solutions to better meet the educational needs of all the students
in the community. That level of engagement created a desire to return to the
TDSB and with the support of her family Shelley Laskin was re-elected to the
Toronto District School Board in 2010.
In
her last two terms, Shelley served on the Program and School Services
Committee, the Budget and Enrolment Committee, the Operations and Facility Management
Committee and as a member of the Planning and Priorities Committee. In the
2014-2018 term she championed the Board creating a standing committee on Policy
and Governance and served as its first Chair. She currently is a member of the
Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee and Chairs the Ad-Hoc Bylaw Review
Committee. She is proud of her work on building the Board’s new Multi-Year
Strategic Plan with its goals of creating a culture for student and staff
well-being, providing equity of access to learning opportunities for all
students, allocating human and financial resources strategically to support
student needs and building strong relationships and partnerships within school
communities. Shelley has been a leading voice for regulation changes for the
TDSB to receive Education Development Charges (EDCs) which is finally being
acknowledged as an urban issue by the province. She also was returned to the
Ontario Public School Boards’ Association representing Toronto as and alternate
on the Board, mentoring others and elected to the Policy Development Working
Table where she advocates for changes to provincial policies to improve the
experiences of all Ontario students.
Shelley
is an experienced trustee, bringing a track record of strengthening public
schools and healthy communities, active in community groups and her synagogue.
She has served on the executive of the South Eglinton Ratepayers and Residents
Association (SERRA), as a public member on the Children’s Clearance Committee
of Advertising Standards Canada and on the Boards of Congregation Darchei Noam,
Legal Aid Ontario and The Canadian Centre for Quality Education and
Opportunity. Within the Ontario Public Service, she volunteers on both the
United Way and Federated Health campaigns.
Shelley
is married to Hector Standing and they have three grown children, all
successful graduates of Toronto’s public schools.