Before the Ballot- School Trustee Edition with Amanda Fehrman, Candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Trustee (Public) – Wards 11 and 12.

Enjoy this instalment of Before the Ballot- School Trustee Edition with Amanda Fehrman, Candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Trustee (Public) – Wards 11 and 12.

Please tell our readers a little about yourself and what motivated you to seek election as a School Board Trustee.

My name is Amanda Fehrman, and I am honoured to serve as the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board Trustee for Wards 11 and 12. I have lived in our community for over 20 years and bring a unique perspective as a parent, hockey coach, IT professional, and long time education advocate.

Before being elected Trustee in 2022, I served as Chair of the HWDSB Parent Involvement Committee, where I worked alongside families, educators, and community partners to strengthen public education. I sought election because I believe every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, whether that path includes academics, athletics, the arts, robotics, or the skilled trades. I wanted to ensure that the voices of students, parents, and staff were heard at the board table and that decisions were made with a focus on student well being and long term success.

In your view, what are the three most important issues currently facing students, parents, educators, and the school board, and how would you help address them?

The first challenge is adequate and sustainable funding. School boards are expected to do more with less while managing rising costs and increasing student needs. I will continue to advocate to the provincial government for fair, predictable funding that allows us to maintain high quality programs, safe schools, and the supports students need to thrive.

The second issue is student well being and belonging. Students learn best when they feel safe, included, and supported. This means continuing to prioritize mental health supports, creating positive school climates, and ensuring that every student feels a sense of connection and belonging in their school community.

The third issue is preparing students for life after graduation. Students need access to diverse pathways, including university, college, apprenticeship, skilled trades, and the workforce. I have been a strong supporter of experiential learning, robotics, the arts, athletics, and skilled trades programming because these opportunities help students discover their strengths and build the skills needed for future success.

A trustee’s role is one of governance rather than day-to-day management. How do you see the relationship between trustees, board administration, and school principals?

Trustees set the strategic direction of the board, approve budgets, establish policies, and ensure accountability to the public. Board administration is responsible for implementing those policies and managing the day to day operations of the system, while principals provide leadership within schools and support students and staff directly.

I believe effective governance is built on respect, collaboration, and clearly defined roles. Trustees should listen to the community, ask thoughtful questions, and make decisions based on evidence and the best interests of students. Administration and principals bring professional expertise and operational knowledge that is essential to implementing the board’s goals. When each group understands and respects its role, we create a strong and effective public education system.

What changes or improvements, if any, would you like to see in the delivery of education within our local school system over the next four years?

Over the next four years, I would like to see a continued focus on improving student achievement while expanding opportunities that reflect the diverse interests and strengths of our students.

I also want to see stronger communication and engagement with families. Parents are key partners in education, and it is important that they feel informed, heard, and connected to their child’s school and the broader board.

Additionally, I would like to see continued investment in safe, welcoming learning environments and a focus on ensuring that resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact on student outcomes.

Why should voters place their trust in you? What qualities, experience, or perspective would you bring to the role of School Board Trustee that distinguish you from the other candidates?

I have a proven track record of showing up, listening, and advocating for our school communities. Over the past term, I have attended school events, graduations, student performances, athletic competitions, robotics competitions, and community activities because I believe it is important for a Trustee to be visible and connected to the people they serve.

I also strive to respond to everything when it is sent directly to me, even if I am cc’d you can be assured I am looking into the concern to ensure staff has followed up with you and your concerns are being addressed.

As Chair of the Program Committee for the past two years, I have worked on policies and initiatives that support student achievement and well being across the board. My background in information technology provides me with strong analytical and problem solving skills, while my experience as a coach has taught me the importance of teamwork, perseverance, and helping young people reach their full potential.

I bring a balanced approach to decision making one that values student success, fiscal responsibility, transparency, and meaningful community engagement. Most importantly, I care deeply about public education and the future of our community.

What would you like parents, students and the broader public to know about the role of a Trustee?

A Trustee’s role is to represent the interests of the community while making decisions that support the success of all students. Trustees are responsible for setting policy, approving budgets, hiring and evaluating the Director of Education, and ensuring that the board remains accountable and transparent.

Trustees do not manage the day to day operations of schools, but we play an important role in listening to concerns, helping families navigate the system, and bringing community perspectives to the board table. Effective Trustees are accessible, informed, and committed to working collaboratively to strengthen public education.

How can voters contact you and/or learn more about you?

I believe communication and accessibility are essential parts of being an effective Trustee. I encourage residents to reach out with questions, concerns, or ideas. I can be reached at amandafehrman2026@gmail.com

Or please visit my website amandafehrman.ca

Thank-you Amanda for engaging with Hamiltonians on The Hamiltonian!

Council Cannot Simply Replace Anjali Menezes and Move On

Dr. Anjali Menezes has resigned from the Hamilton Police Service Board, and Hamilton City Council should resist any temptation to simply thank her for her service, advertise the vacancy and move on.

Her resignation letter makes that response inadequate.

Menezes, a Council-appointed citizen member of the Board since 2023, leaves making extraordinary allegations about the governance and culture of the body responsible for civilian oversight of policing in Hamilton. She says her voice was "systematically marginalized and silenced" and describes procedural exclusion, identity-based mistreatment and what she characterizes as an institutional resistance to dissenting perspectives.

More seriously, she alleges broader failures of governance, transparency and meaningful oversight. She accuses the Board of increasingly functioning as a "rubber stamp" for the police service it is supposed to oversee and has taken the extraordinary step of calling upon Ontario's Solicitor General to dissolve the Board and appoint an independent administrator.

These are allegations, and they should be treated as such. Other members of the Board may strongly dispute Menezes's account. There may also be relevant information that cannot currently be made public because it arose during confidential Board proceedings.

But none of that gives Council an excuse to look the other way. Council appointed Menezes. Council should therefore want to know why its appointee concluded that the institution had failed so profoundly that she could no longer remain part of it. The easiest response would be to find another citizen appointee. It would also be the least satisfactory.

Menezes says her appointment was intended to represent a commitment to including communities historically alienated from policing institutions. She now says that commitment proved to be merely symbolic. If Council responds by simply appointing another person to the same Board without seriously examining the environment Menezes describes, it risks proving her point.

There is also a larger issue that cannot be lost amid the controversy surrounding her departure.A police service board exists to govern. Board members are supposed to scrutinize budgets, question policies, examine results and challenge the institution they oversee when circumstances warrant it. Disagreement is not necessarily evidence of dysfunction. In civilian police governance, vigorous disagreement can sometimes be evidence that oversight is actually taking place.

Menezes alleges that this kind of oversight has been resisted. That accusation strikes directly at the legitimacy of the Board and deserves an answer.

Menezes also says that a complaint concerning her treatment is already before the Inspectorate of Policing and that she intends to file additional complaints. The existence of a complaint does not prove wrongdoing. But when a Council-appointed member files a formal complaint, says the alleged conduct continued, resigns from her position and then calls for the entire Board to be dissolved, Council cannot credibly treat the matter as a routine vacancy.

Hamiltonians deserve to know whether Council was previously aware of these concerns and what, if anything, it did about them. They deserve to know whether Council continues to have full confidence in the governance of the Police Service Board. Most importantly, they deserve to know whether anyone in a position of authority intends to independently examine what happened.

Perhaps such an examination would find Menezes's allegations unsupported. Perhaps other Board members would provide important context that substantially changes the picture. Or perhaps a serious review would identify governance problems that have been allowed to persist. We do not know. And that is precisely why simply replacing Menezes is not an adequate response.

The Hamilton Police Service Board oversees one of the most powerful public institutions in this city. Questions about whether that Board itself is functioning properly cannot be dismissed as an internal personality conflict or quietly buried beneath the administrative process of filling a vacant seat.

Council selected Menezes to help provide civilian governance of policing in Hamilton. She is now leaving with an indictment of the very institution she was appointed to govern.

That should concern every member of Council. A vacancy can be filled quickly. Public confidence cannot.

Before Council asks another Hamiltonian to occupy the chair Dr. Menezes has left behind, it should first find out why she felt she had no choice but to leave it.

The resignation letter can be found within this link: Click here

Before the Ballot- School Trustee Edition with Seth Floyd, Candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Trustee (Public) – Ward 7.

Enjoy this instalment of Before the Ballot- School Trustee Edition with Seth Floyd, Candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Trustee (Public) – Ward 7.

Please tell our readers a little about yourself and what motivated you to seek election as a School Board Trustee.

I am a born-and-raised Hamiltonian, of which I have been able to say proudly for 30+ years. While growing up in Hamilton, my family moved around a handful of times, meaning I have experienced more of our schools first hand than the average student and have lived in a few of the different wards across the city (but have lived in Ward 7 "off-and-on" since 2017). Post-graduation, I briefly left Hamilton for 4 years in order to pursue my post-secondary education at the University of Guelph, where I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Toxicology. Since then, I moved back home to Hamilton, found a job in my field, pursued further education (gaining a Master's Degree in Food Safety as pictured here), and started focusing more of my efforts to re-establish myself in my community.

What motivated me to seek election as a School Board Trustee was, and always has been, the underlying motivation to do more for my community. Schools and education are the primary foundations of communities, as they connect families and support the growth of students who will one day be the adults that are the pillars in their own community. This is an opportunity for me to help affect positive and meaningful impacts in my community, by supporting students and advocating on behalf of parents.

In your view, what are the three most important issues currently facing students, parents, educators, and the school board, and how would you help address them?

The three biggest issues I see are strained funding, an increasingly challenging classroom environment, and uncertainty of the future. The underlying theme of all three of these issues is, in one way or another, a lack of support. I appreciate the difficult position that students, parents, educators, trustees, and everyone in between have been put in when it comes to these issues. Budgetary difficulties have been a years-long issue that leads to staffing reductions and continually reduced student supports, and I think it is important to be honest in saying that there is no easy or quick solution to this issue. The funding deficits year after year underpin all other issues; it could be argued that the most important issue. Regardless, I would absolutely do everything within scope of my abilities to find efficiencies in the allocation of resources to ensure better student support and student success as the first priority. It is a challenging hurdle to say the least, but we need explore our options to see if there is any way to overcome it via governance.

The challenges in today's classrooms are the most present and visible issue. Educators are stretched thin and experiencing burn out, students are requiring increasingly complex supports (while supports simultaneously being removed due to, again, funding issues), and parents are needing to work twice as hard to support their families. We are continuing to see the impacts of the pandemic on student development, chronic funding issues, and quite frankly, an affordability crisis in general. While this issue is broad and complex, this also means that there is more room for creative solutions to try to improve in these areas. I believe that this is an issue we need to navigate together, and thus I think accessibility of trustees, and strong communication and transparency with parents and the community is a good step in building towards improvement.

Uncertainty of the future is the (admitttedly ambiguous) third issue. There is ongoing uncertainty for the future of the board and the role of trustees as the province continues to introduce legislation (like Bill 101) intending to reduce the role (while also considering elimination of the role entirely. For educators, the same uncertainty from Provincial decision-making and mandates which frequently shift the curriculum and learning expectation for students, while again, underfunding leads to less EAs and increasing class sizes. For parents and students, the same uncertainty of an ever-shifting curriculum and lack of supports. One of the greatest uncertainties is the current infiltration of AI into the classroom, which is impacting learning and skill development. The way to address uncertainty is through careful and thoughtful leadership. Since trustees are responsible for governance, I would advocate for the best interests and well-being of our students by supporting policies which look to safeguard from the harms and risks of AI in the learning environment.

A trustee's role is one of governance rather than day-to-day management. How do you see the relationship between trustees, board administration, and school principals?

Trustees set the direction through policies, the board administration turn the vision for policies into actionable procedures, and principals execute the procedures through the day-to-day management of each school. The three roles are meant to complement each other, as each plays a vital role. However, this does not mean that the trustee's role is strictly oversight, policies, and budgets. Trustees are elected to represent the voices of their community; trustees are the point of engagement for the public. This means listening to the concerns of parents and helping facilitate the solutions they need. This may not be a role of day-to-day management within the physical school, but it is a day-to-day role listening to, advocating for, and supporting familiaes, parents, students, educators, and the community as a whole.

What changes or improvements, if any, would you like to see in the delivery of education within our local school system over the next four years?

Acknowledging that trustees cannot control provincial funding, my main focus would be educational experiences that are more "back to basics". Education is not solely math, science, and academic pursuits. It is the opportunity for the development of social skills. It is the opportunity for developing practical life skills. And while I would love more emphasis on learning about gardening, cooking, finances, civics, trustees cannot explicitly change curriculum. However, policies which look to limit screen time, educate caution with technology, and encourage more coomunity-driven and/or outdoor learning are changes I would like to see. Technology does need to be integrated into education to some extent, as it is a critical part of our society. However, safeguards and limits are needed, especially with regard to AI. I do not consider AI to be the "inevitably" it is advertised to be, but even if it is: it has no place in the majority of classrooms aside from computer sciences or tech-related disciplines. Students need to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, and AI impedes that when the work required for learning is simply offloaded.

Why should voters place their trust in you? What qualities, experience, or perspective would you bring to the role of School Board Trustee that distinguish you from the other candidates?

As a regulatory affairs manager, I have many of the same responsibilities as the trustee role: assigning and managing budgets for tasks, collaborating with team member and external experts to find unique solutions to often-unexpected hurdles. I have to balance the interests of different stakeholders (governing bodies, applicants, etc.) which involves a lot of liaising over email and virtual meetings. Researching, problem solving, and communicating, all while managing the budget which was determined before initiating the process. I was also a residence assistant in University, a role in which I was essentially the front-line support for first year university students living on campus, which can be an especially daunting and challenging time for adolescents.

What would you like parents, students and the broader public to know about the role of a Trustee?

Trustees are meant to be a reflection of their community. They represent you and your voice through their service. As noted before, while trustees do not have influence over the curriculum and are not the ones responsible for day-to-day management of the schools, they can set policies which support their communities vision for education. Their vision, not just the trustees. Trustees are what give the community (families, parents, students) a proverbial seat at the table.

How can voters contact you and/or learn more about you?

I am happy to listen and hear more from my community, and equally as happy to answer any questions or speak more about myself if there is any interest. I can be reached by email at sethfortrusteeward7@outlook.com or I can be found on instagram at sethfortrusteeward7

Thank-you Seth for engaging with Hamiltonians on The Hamiltonian!

Media Release: Hamilton Police Service Board Supports Ontario Inspector General of Policing's First Notice To Fortify Police Response to Rising Antisemitic and Hate Motivated Incidents

The Hamilton Police Service Board (Board) welcomes the release of the Inspector General of Policing's first Notice of Issue released on July 14, 2026, which identifies seven actions for police services and boards across Ontario to fortify their response to the sustained rise in anti-
Semitic and hate-motivated incidents. The Board stands in full support of this important oversight initiative and commits to working with the Hamilton Police Service (HPS) to ensure theactions identified are implemented consistently and effectively in our community.

Hamilton was among the board and police services that participated in the Inspector General's June 15, 2026, meeting, which brought together police chiefs and their representatives, board leadership, and Jewish and community organizations from across the province to discuss how policing can continue to evolve in response to hate-motivated incidents. The Board recognizes Jewish communities have remained the most targeted group for religion-based hate crimes in Canada, and that recent incidents, including threats and violence directed at synagogues, schools, and businesses, demand a coordinated and sustained response.

The Notice of Issue identifies seven actions in the areas of data classification, investigative centralization, release conditions, supervisory oversight, victim and community support, training, and board-level prioritization and reporting. The Board is currently in the process of reviewing and restructuring its strategic plan and policies to ensure these actions are reflected in the priorities it sets for the Hamilton Police Service and will require regular reporting from the Chief of Police on implementation progress.

“Every resident of Hamilton, no matter their faith or background, deserves to feel safe in their neighbourhood, their place of worship, and their community. The Board takes seriously the  rust placed in us to provide effective governance of policing in this city, and we welcome the Inspector General's leadership in bringing forward clear, actionable steps. We are committed to continuing to work with Chief Bergen and the Hamilton Police Service to put these actions into practice and to reporting back to our community on our progress. We welcome similar initiativesfrom the Inspectorate of Policing in the future.” - Chair Don Robertson

While the Notice of Issue is focused on the disproportionate rise in anti-Semitic incidents, the  Board recognizes hate is not experienced uniformly across communities. Consistent with the Inspector General's guidance, the Board will also consider how these actions can inform the Service's response to hate-motivated incidents affecting other groups in Hamilton, based on local data and ongoing engagement with affected communities.

The Board thanks the Inspector General of Policing, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, Police Governance Ontario, and the Jewish and community organizations that contributed to this process and looks forward to continued collaboration as this work moves forward. 

Hamilton Police Service Board Strategic Plan Survey: Request for Community Feedback

The Board, in consultation with the Chief of Police, is developing an updated Strategic Plan – an initiative that will shape the future of policing in our community. This plan will define priorities, guide resource allocation, improve services and strengthen relationships between the Board, the Hamilton Police Service, community partners and the public. It will be designed to reflect community values, align with provincial legislation and support responsible, transparent governance.

The Board has selected Consilium Public Sector Services (CP2S) to lead the Board in the planning process and to facilitate a public survey, as well as key stakeholder feedback sessions, to gather input from Hamiltonians. This is truly a community-drive process. CP2S’ proven track record working with other Ontario police service boards ensures a professional, inclusive and evidence-based approach.

Community survey input will help inform recommendations for future planning and service improvements. It is meant to gather community feedback on safety, policing priorities, service experience and communication. A confidential public survey has been open to all members of the public since June 1, 2026, and will remain open until July 31, 2026. For more information, please visit the Board’s website www.hamiltonpsb.ca or access the survey through the QR  code below.

Board Members: Chair Don Robertson, Vice Chair Esther Pauls, Cameron Kroetsch, Shaun Padulo, Mike Spadafora, and Robin St. Jean Administrative Team: Executive Director Kirsten Stevenson, Executive Assistant LuciaRomano and Board Assistant Jordana Shainbach

The A.I. Special Session of Council

Today, Hamilton City Council is holding a special session, commissioned by Mayor Andrea Horwath, to receive additional information on artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications.

The very decision to convene the session has generated some controversy, including criticism from at least one member of Council.

Some argue that the meeting will serve less as an educational exercise and more as an opportunity for proponents of AI and related technologies to advocate for their position.

The Hamiltonian sees the matter differently.

As a general principle, the more information Council has before making significant policy decisions, the better. Artificial intelligence is a rapidly evolving and highly complex subject. It deserves careful examination and informed discussion.

Even if some presenters arrive with a particular perspective or objective, that should not, in itself, disqualify them from being heard. Council is fully capable of exercising critical thinking. Members can ask probing questions, challenge assumptions, test the evidence, and evaluate the credibility of what they hear. That is, after all, the purpose of informed governance.

The Hamiltonian is not taking a position on whether AI initiatives or related data centre developments are ultimately right or wrong for Hamilton. Rather, we believe the discussion should be approached with an open mind and a commitment to understanding the issues before conclusions are reached.

It is also important not to dismiss those who have knowledge simply because their motivations may be questioned. Often, what people choose to say—and just as importantly, what they choose not to say—provides valuable insight that helps inform public debate.

Council's responsibility is to listen, scrutinize, and decide. The public's responsibility is to hold Council accountable for those decisions. That process is strengthened—not weakened—when all relevant information is allowed to come to the table.

The Hamiltonian Political Intelligence Dossier- School Trustee Candidates

The Hamiltonian's Before the Ballot series continues to gain momentum as we feature candidates seeking election as School Board Trustees across Hamilton.

If you're finding it difficult to keep up with the growing number of candidate profiles, we've made it easy. Visit The Hamiltonian Political Intelligence Dossier, where you'll find all of our Before the Ballot – School Trustee Edition interviews in one convenient location.

Click here to access the Political Intelligence Dossier.

Before the Ballot- School Trustee Edition with Melissa Baxter, Candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Trustee (Public) – Wards 11 and 12.

Enjoy this instalment of Before the Ballot- School Trustee Edition with Melissa Baxter, Candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Trustee (Public) – Wards 11 and 12.

Please tell our readers a little about yourself and what motivated you to seek election as a School Board Trustee.

Hi, I'm Melissa Baxter. I’ve been living in Hamilton for almost 10 years now with my partner, Alex. Together, we're raising our two wonderful boys, ages 5 and 10, who both attend school in Ward 12.

When I was younger, I saw my father serve two terms as a School Trustee in Durham Region, giving me a firsthand appreciation for the responsibility the role carries. Through his service, I came to understand that being an effective trustee is about far more than attending meetings and casting votes. It means being available, accessible, accountable, and willing to listen to the students, families, educators, and communities you represent.

As a local business owner, a lifelong advocate for children, and, most importantly, a proud mother of two children enrolled in Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board schools, I understand both the opportunities and the challenges facing public education. My decision to seek election comes from my own family's experiences within the HWDSB and the many conversations I've had with parents, guardians, students, educators, and community members over the years. Like many families, we have experienced both the successes and the challenges of our education system. Those experiences motivated me to become more involved by attending school and community meetings, researching issues at both the board and provincial levels, and advocating for safer schools, stronger communication, and greater transparency.

Throughout that time, one message has remained consistent: families want to be heard. They want trustees who are visible in the community, approachable, responsive, and willing to ask thoughtful questions when concerns arise. I believe a School Trustee should be an active voice for students and families, not only during elections or board meetings, but throughout their entire term. Parents and guardians deserve to feel represented.

I want to help strengthen the relationship between families and the school board by improving communication, rebuilding trust, and ensuring that every decision is guided by one simple question: Is this in the best interest of students? I believe in working collaboratively with parents, guardians, educators, fellow trustees, board staff, and our provincial partners to support safe, inclusive, and high quality learning environments for every student. One commitment I can make is simple: every voicemail, email, and message I receive will receive a response. No parent, guardian, student, educator, or community member should ever feel unheard by their School Trustee.

In your view, what are the three most important issues currently facing students, parents, educators, and the school board, and how would you help address them?

The three most important issues facing students, parents, guardians, educators, and the school board are threefold: Safety and Well-being, Communication and Trust, and

Before the Ballot- School Trustee Edition with Joanne Belanger, Candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board Trustee – Ward 6.

Enjoy this instalment of Before the Ballot- School Trustee Edition with Joanne Belanger, Candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board Trustee – Ward 6.

Please tell our readers a little about yourself and what motivated you to seek election as a School Board Trustee.

I moved to Hamilton on April 23rd of this year, from Belleville, Ontario where I was a trustee on the Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board. I am a widow and six of my seven children live in the Hamilton area as do nine of my grandchildren.

I retired in 2020 having spent the last 14 years of my working life as the Chaplaincy Leader of my alma mater, Nicholson Catholic College, in Belleville, Ontario. I was president of my Catholic Women’s League Council, past Chair of the Kingston Archdiocesan Council of Development & Peace – Caritas Canada, and past Chair of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Belleville. I currently am a parishioner of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Hamilton.

I have always been active in politics and firmly believe that it is important to be an engaged citizen. Having enjoyed my time as a trustee, I decided to run in Hamilton as I think it is important, more now than ever, to have local representation on our school boards.

In your view, what are the three most important issues currently facing students, parents, educators, and the school board, and how would you help address them?

I think that the three most important issues facing the education community are 1) centralization of decision making at Queen’s Park thus ignoring the voices of the local experts (students, parents, educators, board staff and trustees) who know their community and what is needed to serve our students well, 2) the consistent erosion of education funding across Ontario in order to set boards up to fail, laying the blame at the feet of the trustees, and 3) the lack of a consistent, well thought out and proven plan to address the increasing level of violence in our school communities. Students should feel safe at school, staff should feel safe at work and administration and board staff should have the tools required to work with students, staff and parents to reduce violent incidents in our schools, school yards, buses and even out in the community. My goal would be to continually advocate for decision making at a local level, better funding to meet the needs of our students and implementation of best practice strategies to reduce violence in our school communities.

A trustee's role is one of governance rather than day-to-day management. How do you see the relationship between trustees, board administration, and school principals?

Trustees should develop a strong working relationship with the Director (CEO?) of the Board and through committee work, with the Senior Team. It is important to know the local principals but a respectful relationship is one wherein the trustee funnels information, requests etc. through the Director (CEO?). As a trustee in Eastern Ontario, I felt that I had a very strong and positive relationship with the Director and a collegial relationship with the Senior Team and a very respectful and positive