Welcome to The Ed. Advocate

While Collaborative Pathways maybe a new company, my experience as an educator and my work supporting struggling students is not. For over 16 years I have been working in section 23, alternative learning spaces and priority schools where students were labelled as at-risk and then in-risk. I distinctly remember a conversation early in my career where someone said, “these students are not at-risk, they are resilient.” And that never left me because it is true. Despite everything they go through they are still showing up in anyway that they can.

I have worked with students who have faced mental health issues, addiction, lack of housing, food insecurity, abuse and poverty. I have also worked with students who simply lack the confidence in themselves to try. All of these students deserved a better situation, and it became clear that one caring person and a plan that met them where they were could make a difference.

The reality is that every child has their own path that is uniquely theirs. As caring adults, we have the opportunity to guide them and support them, and they deserve to be listened to and encouraged to believe in themselves and their own abilities.

With the recent changes to the education system in Ontario, I am worried for our students and I know how issues at school can impact the entire family. Collaborative Pathways is more than just a business, it is a calling. One that I am not sure I can continue doing as a public school teacher. There will be less support in the classroom and more pressure put on teachers, and the situation is to make classrooms even less safe. When you hear teachers say the classrooms aren’t safe, it is important to picture not just the one student who is a behaviour issue for the teacher but also for the students who see what is happening with nothing being done. Bigger class, less EA support, less administration support means that teachers are balancing challenging behaviours, keeping the other students feeling safe, creating meaningful lessons and assessments. It is a lot.

My hope this coming school year, I hope to be a support for students and families around Simcoe County. Collaborative Pathways will provide families a new way to engage with school and students with one on one support to ensure success at school. This blog will be another tool, with tips and tricks for parents looking for more information on how to best support their student.

If you have a struggling student or know someone who does, we can help. Complete the assessment and you’ll hear back to book a FREE consultation to begin a conversation that could change your students outlook on school for the 2026/2027 school year!