GUELPH – Canadian citizens interested in the role of Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) trustee have until Nov. 19 to submit an application.
The position has been open since former-trustee Kenn Manzerolle’s resignation was announced on Sept. 12.
Trustees work together, in consultation with UGDSB staff, to set local policies, priorities, and budgets.
They hold directors of education accountable for meeting provincial and board policies and for ensuring funding allocation is spent in keeping with the budget.
Trustees are accountable to their communities and the province for continuous improvement in the level of student achievement in their schools.
The UGDSB trustee vacancy ad hoc committee formulated an application process to fill the vacant trustee position.
The committee includes trustees Lynn Topping, Jen Edwards, Katherine Hauser, and Martha McNeil, who examined trustee application processes at other Ontario school boards.
The committee discussed using “non-traditional ways of advertising” to reach people not already involved with the UGDSB.
Trustee Robin Ross suggested the board accept submissions in a range of formats to increase accessibility.
Questions
Applicants will submit answers to four questions in a written document, a video, a slide show, or an alternate approved format.
The application questions are:
1. What do you believe are the opportunities and challenges in public education today?
2. Why do you want to be a school trustee and what would you like to accomplish as a trustee in the next three years?
3. Reflecting on your knowledge of equity in education, briefly summarize your understanding of some of the barriers to learning that students within our Board might face. Please comment on how this would affect your role as trustee and how you would respond to these issues.
4. In the past, when working on projects with groups, what traits have you noticed lead to successful outcomes?
Top applicants will be interviewed during a closed committee of the whole meeting on Dec. 5.
On Nov. 14 there will be a Trustee Information Session at Grant Evans Education Centre in Orangeville.
The UGDSB will advertise the position on their website and social media, local radio stations, and online and print media.
The board will also connect with community organizations, schools, school councils and board advisory committees.
Trustees must be at least 18 years old, reside within the UGDSB jurisdiction, and be eligible public school tax supporters and voters who are not legally prohibited from voting or disqualified from holding school board office.
Current school board employees, municipal clerks and treasurers, judges, senator, and members of parliament are disqualified from becoming school board trustees.
For more information about applying for the role, visit ugdsb.ca/blog/trustee-vacancy-town-of-orangeville/.
