Meet Your Trustees
The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board, like every school Board in Ontario, is governed by a Board of Trustees. They are elected by separate school taxpayers every four years during municipal elections and are directly accountable to the community. The current seven Trustees have been elected to serve from December. 1, 2006 to November 30, 2010.
Authority
School Trustees are responsible for the operation of the Catholic school system. They are elected in accordance with the Education Act at each municipal election, by the electoral group the Board represents. The electoral group is made up of the separate school tax supporters residing in the City and County of Peterborough, City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County and the Municipality of Clarington. The Education Act defines, by formula, the maximum number of Trustees to be elected in each particular jurisdiction and establishes how much Trustees are paid. The Board also has a student Trustee.
Accountability
School Trustees are the critical link between communities and school Boards. They ensure schools meet the diverse needs of students in their communities. Together, Trustees are responsible to their communities for the quality of education provided in local Catholic schools within an approved financial framework.
Each Trustee is accountable, through applicable legislation and adopted policies, to:
- their constituents
- the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board
- the Province of Ontario
Trustees are encouraged:
- to attend and participate in all regular Board meetings and, as appointed, all standing committee meetings
- to attend other Board committees or task force assignments for which the Trustee has volunteered or been appointed by the Board
- to represent the Board on community based committees and functions for which the Trustee has volunteered or been appointed by the Board
- to be knowledgeable about the PVNC Catholic District School Board and provincial/federal legislation in order that specific responsibilities can be carried out appropriately
Trustees are responsible:
- to evaluate and review, on a regular basis, the Board's achievement of its goals, objectives and strategic plan
- to ensure that the Board is responsibly meeting its legal and financial requirements and obligations
- to monitor the implementation of Board directives
- to monitor the activities of the Board, including the review of reports and positions taken at Board and committee meetings
Public Relations
Trustees are responsible:
• to represent and actively promote the PVNC Catholic District Board
• to work in partnership with catholic school councils
• to support and encourage Catholic education
Human Resources
Trustees are responsible:
- to establish the policies that govern the administration of personnel
- to appoint senior administration and other staff as identified in the Education Act
- to evaluate the performance of senior management of the Board
- to support and provide opportunities for the orientation, training and development of all Board employees, including Trustees
- to bargain in good faith with all employee groups
Ethics
The following are principles and procedures derived from explicit laws (statutes), common law precedents and long established practice:
- The Board may delegate authority to an individual Trustee, employee or committee. However, ultimate control and responsibility remains with the Board as a whole
- Members of the Board are the Trustees of the assets which belong to the Board
- Members of the Board are obligated to consider and protect the future of the Board. It is the duty of Trustees to always consider the long-term effects of Trustees and to avoid any conflict of interest, within the spirit and letter of the law."
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In Camera" confidentiality must be maintained.
Code of Ethics for Catholic School Trustees
Election Information
Number of Trustees currently serving on the Board: 7
Next municipal election: October 25, 2010
Purpose of the Position
A school Trustee is responsible, as a member of the Board:
- to govern and set policy for the PVNC Catholic District School Board
- to govern for the provision of curriculum, facilities, human and financial resources for the PVNC Catholic district School Board
- to advocate for the needs of their communities
as a constituency representative, to explain the policies and decisions of the PVNC Catholic District School Board to residents
Trustees are available to help taxpayers, parents, and others address any issues they may have about the Catholic school system.
Policy Development and Administration
Policy is the framework that governs the administration and operation of the Board.
By the act of approving a policy, the Board assumes full political, financial and legal responsibility for it.
Bylaws are the set of rules that govern the process of Board meetings and the Board's affairs.
Trustees are responsible:
- to ensure that the Board's bylaws and policies are current and that all parties operate within them
- to set and evaluate policy for the Board and to ensure that it is implemented
- to ensure that the Board's purpose, governing principles, function and activities are being pursued in a responsible manner with the utmost integrity
Finances
The Trustees are responsible
- to participate in the annual budget development process
- to approve the Board budget and to monitor its progress
- to demonstrate fiscal accountability
- to ensure the allocation of resources to support the Board's policies and programs
Qualifications
To qualify to be an elected Trustee of the PVNC Catholic District School Board, a person must be, on voting day:
- a Canadian Citizen;
- of the full age of eighteen years
- a resident within the area of jurisdiction of the Board
- a Separate school elector.
Remuneration
The elected Trustees receive an honorarium of $9,500 per year established by the Province of Ontario. The Chairperson for the Board receives $15,220.00 per year and the Vice chairperson receives $12,360 per year. In addition to the honorarium, Trustee expenses (identified under Board Policy) are also paid.
Student Trustee
Section 55 of the Education Act requires school Boards to provide for representation of the interests of pupils through the appointment of one or more secondary school students to a Board. The PVNC Catholic District School Board has one Student Trustee who is selected by the Board-wide Student Council Liaison Committee. The Student Trustee takes part in discussions and debates during public meetings. In accordance with legislation, the Student Trustee is a representative too, but not a member of the Board. It is recognized that only the votes of elected Trustees are counted when Board decisions are made.
To find out more about the Provincial and National Trustee Associations, click on the links below:
Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association
Canadian Catholic School Trustees' Association
Ontario Student Trustees' Association