Natasha Mott

I'm a millennial mom of two, an active volunteer in our schools and community, and someone who lives in the wonderfully unpredictable world of a neurodivergent family (two sons with different flavours of ADHD both with those sprinkles of giftedness and struggles on top, one of whom proudly carries a co-diagnosis of ASD-lvl 1 ). I'm not a polished politician, and honestly, I don't think that's what our schools need right now. I'm running for OCDSB Trustee because I believe our school board (and our government) can do better. Families deserve to be heard. Educators deserve the support they need to do their jobs well. Students deserve a system that sees them as complex beings with unique needs, not as part of an equation… they are more than butts in seats that determine $$.

My advocacy didn't start with a campaign. It started in classroom, hallways, and at IEP and IPRC meetings, learning how to navigate the complexities not just of special education but of the public school system in general. Partially out of interest but also because I had to. I've celebrated the victories that come from dedicated teachers going above and beyond, and I've felt the frustration of having to fight for the supports our children should have access to as a right of being a student (especially in one of Ontario’s largest school boards). When the system falls short, everyone carries the weight: students, families, teachers, and support staff alike.I’ve spent years being an active member of my local School Council (last year holding both the position of co-chair at the elementary school level and co-secretary in the intermediate/high school) and through years of volunteering in our schools and community, I've learned that the best ideas don’t usually come from the boardroom… They come from people… classrooms, schoolyards, and conversations with parents at pickup. That's where I like to be.

With the OCDSB currently under Ministry supervision, trustees have a different role than they have in the past. While decision-making authority is limited, the responsibility to listen, ask thoughtful questions, and represent our communities remains. I believe trustees can work collaboratively with Ministry-appointed Supervisor Robert Plamondon provided the focus is on building respectful relationships that keep students, families, and educators at the centre of every conversation. Trustees are part of our democracy and it degrades trust when their input is replaced by those in higher levels of government. 

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I don't have all the answers. I do have lived experience, a willingness to ask difficult questions, and enough persistence that "that's just how we've always done it" has never felt like a good reason to stop looking for a better way.

A Few Things About Me:

• I've lived the system. IEPs and IPRCs aren't just education jargon to me. They're conversations I've sat through, decisions that have affected my own family, and reminders that every child deserves to be seen as an individual.

• I'm comfortable thinking differently. Living in a neurodivergent household teaches you pretty quickly that flexibility isn't a bonus feature. It's a necessity. I've learned to adapt, problem-solve, and loo.k for solutions that d on't fit neatly into a box.

• My family trusts the wheel. On Friday nights, we let a spinning wheel decide life's biggest questions: pizza or burger, comedy or adventure, board game or movie. It's become a family tradition that reminds us not to get stuck doing things the same way just because they're familiar. Sometimes the unexpected choice turns out to be the best one.

At the heart of everything I do is a simple belief: when families, educators, trustees, and school leadership work together, students benefit. That's the kind of collaboration I want to bring to the OCDSB.