Candidate for Zone 6 of the
Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est ontarien
École élémentaire publique l'Aventure
École élémentaire publique Des Sentiers
École élémentaire publique Le Prélude
École secondaire publique Gisèle-Lalonde
École élémentaire publique Séraphin-Marion
École secondaire publique Orléans-Sud Navan
Michelle Petersen
About Me
Profil de Michelle Petersen, Candidate Zone 6 du CEPEO
2001-2024
20+ ans d'expérience en services social et communautaire
Depuis 2010
15+ ans de travail pour des organismes
francophones
2022-2024
Membre de l'Association communautaire du Grand Avalon
2024- 2026
Présidente de l'Association communautaire du Grand Avalon
I am a Franco-Ontarian activist deeply committed to the well-being of my community. Since 2010, I have worked in Francophone organizations, including the CALACS francophone d’Ottawa, Action ontarienne, and, currently, the Orléans Psychological Health Team.
As a Registered Psychotherapist, I specialize in supporting adult survivors and victims of trauma. I began my career working with youth at Youth Net (CHEO), an organization run by and for youth that focuses on mental health promotion and suicide prevention. Today, I support families, because it is within our daily environments that the first seeds of resilience and success are sown.
I grew up in Orléans. I returned to the area to raise my son, who completed all of his elementary school at École élémentaire publique Des Sentiers, and is continuing his education with the CEPEO at École secondaire publique Gisèle-Lalonde. I also volunteered with the Greater Avalon Community Association, first as a general member from 2022 to 2024, then as president from 2024 to 2026.
To me, our schools are much more than just places of learning: they are communities, the heart of our neighborhoods where our children grow up. I want to commit myself wholeheartedly to ensuring that French-language education remains vibrant, challenging, and accessible to everyone. Because it is here, in our communities, that our children’s future is shaped. We all have an important role to play.
My Vision: A Safe, Healthy, and Supportive School Community
Our schools are living environments. They are at the heart of the Francophone community in our context as a linguistic minority. It is therefore essential to ensure that these environments are safe, healthy, and supportive communities—for all children, for all school staff, and also for the Francophone community in all its diversity.
A Safe School Community
As a Registered Psychotherapist, I am particularly concerned about the importance of a sense of safety. If a person does not feel safe, they adopt strategies to protect or defend themselves. Imagine the impact of a lack of safety: students’ ability to learn, integrate, and thrive is stifled. And what about the teaching staff? Stress levels rise, the clarity of their lessons diminishes, and their ability to adapt and respond to diverse needs is limited. Absenteeism rates rise among both groups.
As a school board trustee, I will work to create conditions that promote the physical and psychological safety of every member of the school community—including children, staff, and parents.
A Healthy School Community
School is a living environment where students learn to socialize, live in harmony with others, and develop academic and social skills to thrive and reach their full potential. When I think about the health of a school environment, I consider all the social determinants of health for every member of the community.
As a school board trustee, I will support projects and partnerships that help strengthen the health of our school communities—a health that depends as much on the environment as it does on interpersonal interactions. Let’s not forget that the health of the adults who educate and guide our children has a direct impact on the quality of the education they receive.
A Supportive School Community
We cannot deny the impact of the current sociopolitical context on the entire population. Funding cuts to educational services. The ongoing genocide in Gaza. Wildfires here and around the world. Austerity measures, which undermine financial access to essential services. The privatization and deterioration of public services. The lack of physical and mental health services. These realities are felt every day in our schools.
As a school board trustee, I will promote an approach based on kindness, collaboration, and solidarity within our community. It is by forging connections with members of our local communities that we build our individual and collective resilience. Together, we develop practices that ensure the well-being, inclusion, and success of every member of our community. Together, we champion the well-being and success of every child.
My Approach: Listening, Learning, and Representing
LISTENING
I am here to listen to you. I want to build close relationships with school administrators, parent councils, and student councils. Through regular meetings, I will create opportunities to hear your perspectives, receive your feedback, and gain a better understanding of the current situation in our schools.
LEARNING
Through this direct and ongoing contact with stakeholders, I will stay abreast of current issues and needs within the French-language public schools in Sector 6, namely Des Sentiers Public Elementary School, Gisèle-Lalonde Public High School, Jeanne-Sauvé Public Elementary School, Le Prélude Public Elementary School, and Orléans Sud Public Elementary School. You will help expand my knowledge, deepen my understanding, and refine my analysis.
REPRESENTATION
Together, we will identify avenues and solutions to improve the school experience for everyone. We will explore existing models to replicate them in our schools and carry out innovative pilot projects to test new approaches.