The following was provided to Saugeen Shores Hub by Katie Lutz.

My name is Katie Lutz and I am running for re-election as Public School Board Trustee (Saugeen Shores/Arran-Elderslie). During my first term as trustee, I have been active with Board and Committee meetings as well as keeping open lines of communication with parents, community members, and the seven schools in the two municipalities I represent. I was also personally instrumental in getting free period products into schools for students starting at grade 4 and revising our accessibility policy to ensure schools have better physical accessibility going forward.

There are many issues facing our local school board and while I can’t speak to all of them directly, I can talk about my strongly held personal beliefs about education that will influence the work I will continue if re-elected to the school board.

I feel deep in my heart that Education is the most important thing that we do as a society. Education is the best tool we have for cultivating a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable society. I also believe that schools have the potential to be central in our communities, bringing people together and forming social bonds. I believe our schools need to support the academic, physical, and social development of our children and I care deeply about well-rounded education. I have seen first hand how studying art and music can make a better engineer, and how studying literature and sociology can make a better business owner. As an individual who has suffered from (and receives continuing treatment for) severe depression, ADHD and a Traumatic Brain Injury, I know how important access to mental health services is for wellbeing in our schools. As a Trustee I have seen the importance of accepting school environments for the well-being of staff and students and will continue to be a vocal supporter of the many ways our schools embody the ideals of acceptance. I will always work hard to ensure that the mental health and wellbeing of our students and school staff are considered in our policies.

Schools and school board policies need to support and promote a safe environment for all students and staff. I will commit to promoting inclusive policies that ensure a diversity of voices and experiences are elevated and acknowledged in the classroom.

In a rapidly changing world, teachers need good support from all aspects of the educational system. I see how hard they are working, and I will continue to do my part to help improve their experience of teaching through the policies we have as a school board. As a trustee I will continue to support the many important programs our schools offer to support students as well as the diverse programs offered to help all students learn subject areas relevant to their interests, cultures, and needs.

Now a little about myself: My husband and I currently own and operate Smiths Apples between Port Elgin and Burgoyne, but are in the process of transitioning to a life in town as I am dealing with declining control of my hands as a long term side affect of the brain injury I suffered as a teenager. We have a very spirited 11 year old daughter. I have lived almost my entire life in Saugeen Shores except for the 15 years I spent living in Hamilton and Ottawa which solidified for me that Saugeen Shores is my home. I am a trained Civil Engineer with a Bachelor of Engineering and Society from McMaster University and I obtained a Master of Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University.

During my time in Undergrad, and as a Ph.D student, I was a Teaching Assistant for multiple engineering classes, where I saw first hand the impacts of the many changes in school curriculum. Now, as a business owner employing many high-school students, I see how the education system is shaping these students and hear their reflections on their school days. As a parent, I see the current struggles and joys of a student in the current education system, and I want to do my part to support educators in making school a positive and engaging place for students to develop and grow into the best possible versions of themselves.

I believe our education system can open the doors to life-long learning, and that is one of the most important outcomes of an effective education. If you vote for me for BWDSB Trustee, I promise to always prioritize our children, our community, and our future.