Parent Involvement Committee

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The Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) provides the school board with information and advice to help engage parents. The PIC undertakes activities to help parents support their children's learning at home and at school. They also share information with and support School Community Councils (SCC).

The DDSB Parent Involvement Committee Regulation provides guidelines for how the PIC is governed.

Explore the Ontario Ministry of Education Parent Involvement Committee website for more information about the role of PICs. Read through the PIC factsheet and handbook for a detailed explanation of the purpose, membership and activities of PICs.

Joining the Parent Involvement Committee

The Parent Involvement Committee’s (PIC) primary role is to support, encourage and enhance parent engagement at the board level to improve student achievement and well-being.  This purpose is achieved primarily by providing advice on parent engagement to the board, communicating with and supporting school community councils and undertaking activities to help parents support their children’s learning at home and at school.

The Parent Involvement Committee is comprised of parents/guardians, community representatives and staff representatives. This video shares the voices of our Parent Involvement Committee Members.

Each September, PIC vacancies are advertised through the DDSB website, school websites, school newsletters and School Community Councils (SCCs). If you would like to get involved with the PIC, watch for these advertisements.

New members are appointed prior to November 15th of each school year and before the first meeting. PIC members serve a two-year term.

View the following resources to learn more about PIC:

Meetings/Agendas

Meetings start at 6:30 p.m. and will be held virtually for the 2021-2022 school year. 

All parents, guardians and community members are welcome to attend our PIC meetings as non-voting members.

Registration for PIC meetings is required. 

Upcoming meetings will be held on:
Committee members

The PIC includes two parent representatives from each geographical area of the board, the Superintendent of Education/Engagement – Parent and Community and a Board Trustee. A balance of elementary and secondary representation is desirable. The board may appoint additional members including community representatives, administrators and teachers.

Committee Chairs
  • Danielle Gough, Co-Chair, Parent Representative
  • Jim Van Allen, Co-Chair, Parent Representative
Parent Representatives
  • Dima Alakhras, Elementary Parent Representative, Ajax
  • Huma Choudhary, Secondary Parent Representative, Ajax
  • Patrick Symister, Secondary Parent Representative, Ajax

 

  • Barb Skinner, Elementary Parent Representative, Oshawa
  • Harhalkumar Upadhyaya, Elementary Parent Representative, Oshawa
  • Kristen McKinnon, Secondary Parent Representative, Oshawa

 

  • Igor Kras, Elementary Parent Representative, Pickering
  • Ted Foster, Secondary Parent Representative, Pickering

 

  • Israt Quazi, Elementary Parent Representative, Whitby
  • Karen Carter, Secondary Parent Representative, Whitby
  • Apama Siddaraju, Secondary Parent Representative, Whitby

 

  • TBD, Elementary Parent Representative, North
  • TBD, Secondary Parent Representative, North
SEAC Reprsentative
  • SensaRAneb Burrell
Staff Representatives
  • Margaret Lazarus, Superintendent of Education/Family of Schools/Engagement – Parent and Community
  • Frank Samuels, Elementary Administrator Representative 
  • Carolynne Waters, Elementary Administrator Representative
  • Paula Mbonda, Elementary Teacher Representative
  • James Klodnicki, Secondary Administrator Representative
  • Sarah Khattab, Secondary Teacher Representative
  • Leandra Coore, Centrally Assigned Staff
Trustee Representative
  • Scott Templeton, Trustee—Town of Whitby
  • Linda Stone, Trustee—City of Oshawa (Alternate)
Community Representatives
  • Natalie Greaves, Ajax 
  • Gurleen Saggu, Pickering
Minutes

Read through past meeting minutes to stay informed:

2021-2022
2020-2021
2019-2020
 2018-2019

To request archived minutes or agendas, please contact the PIC.
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