Marthe Foka
Marthe
An educator, researcher and Orléans resident, committed to French-language public schools where every student succeeds and every family feels like a partner.
Why I'm running
Our schools. Our families. Our future.
Our French-language public schools are far more than places of learning. They contribute to our children's success, to how they build their identity, and to the vitality of our whole community.
Our region is growing and changing. Our families are increasingly diverse, students' needs are evolving, and our schools must keep attracting and retaining committed professionals while maintaining a strong dialogue with parents.
I'm running because I believe we can meet these challenges with experience, listening and ambition. I want to help build a CEPEO where every student can succeed, where staff are supported, and where every family feels welcomed, heard and a full partner.
Getting to know Marthe
A dedicated educator, from the classroom to educational leadership
Educator, professor, researcher, and mother of four school-aged children, Marthe Foka knows education both as a professional and as a parent.
Her journey began at the heart of the school. For eight years, she taught at the intermediate/senior level, an experience that gave her firsthand knowledge of the realities faced by students, teachers, and families.
She then spent four years as a teaching professor at the University of Ottawa, contributing to the training of education professionals, before joining the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) as a professor of school administration. Her teaching and research focus on school administration and leadership, as well as on supporting school principals.
From 2022 to 2024, Marthe also worked as a consultant for the Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (CEPEO). She contributed to work on the continuous-improvement management framework and to the evaluation of the school principal coaching program. This experience allowed her to work with school and system-level leaders and gain concrete knowledge of how the Board operates.
A mother engaged in her community
Marthe is also a mother of four school-aged children. Like many families in our community, her daily life revolves around school, her children's activities, and neighbourhood life.
Through their sports and community activities, her children also contribute to the vitality of our neighbourhoods, giving the family regular contact with other young people, parents, coaches, volunteers, and community members.
This dual perspective — professional and parental — shapes how she sees the role of school trustee: making informed decisions while staying deeply connected to the everyday reality of students and families.
Her path in education — a few milestones
8 years — Teacher
First-hand knowledge of the school and the classroom.
4 years — Teaching professor, University of Ottawa
Training education professionals.
2022–2024 — Consultant for CEPEO
Continuous improvement and support for school leadership.
Today — Professor at UQAM
Teaching and research in education management and organization.
I want to put my experience as an educator, my knowledge of the school system, and my perspective as a mother at the service of the families in our community.
Marthe is listening
I want to hear from you.
What is your priority for our schools?
A school trustee has to know how to listen to the community she represents. Tell me what matters to you.
Topics families raise with us most often
- Student success
- Transportation
- School-family communication
- Special education needs
- School staff
- Well-being
- Services in French
- Other