October 19th, 2020

The week of October 19 to 23 marks Local Government Week. Along with our partners at the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA), we are working to raise civic awareness among our students and community. School board trustees are an excellent example of local government as these elected politicians play a vital role in providing residents with a voice to improve their schools and their communities.

School board trustees are the oldest form of elected representatives in Ontario. Since 1807, generations of community-minded citizens have made decisions on behalf of local, publicly-funded schools, building the foundation of our system today.

School Board Trustees are elected through the municipal election process. Each school board also has student trustee representatives that are elected by their Student Senate peers. School board trustees are elected for a four-year term and each student trustee serves for a one-year term.

School board trustees advocate for quality education, set school board policy and the strategic plan, and they oversee the budget. Trustees also relay news about important decisions regarding education to their constituents and are the key connection between the school board, students and the trustee table.

This year, teachers and students are invited to observe school boards in session virtually to learn more about how this level of government supports their learning and community. Don’t miss tonight’s Virtual Committee of the Whole Meeting, starting at 7:00 pm live on YouTube.

The social media hashtag for Local Government Week is #LocalGovWeek, so be sure to use it if you’re tweeting or posting a photo on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

For more information on the roles of school board trustees, visit the WRDSB website. And for more on Local Government Week, please visit the OPSBA website.