KPDSB Welcomes New Board of Trustees

November 16, 2022

On Tuesday, November 15, 2022, the KPDSB welcomed a new Board of Trustees.  We wish to congratulate Trustee Roger Griffiths who is the new Chair of the Board (was previously vice-chair of the board) and Trustee Dave Cornish who is Vice-Chair of the Board.  Both Trustee Griffiths and Trustee Cornish are in their third term of office as Trustees.  We are also pleased to welcome Denise Baxter to the position of Individual on the Board to Represent the Interests of Indigenous Students.

KPDSB Board of Trustees as of November 15, 2022

• Roger Griffiths – Chair
• Dave Cornish - Vice-Chair
• Denise Baxter - Individual on the Board to Represent the Interests of Indigenous Students (new to the Board)
• Marilyn Duncalfe
• Robert Kitowski (new to the Board)
• Gerald Kleist
• Malcolm (Rory) McMillan (new to the Board)
• Dave Penney (returning to the Board)
• Steve Poling (new to the Board)
• Dakota McDonald - Student Trustee
• Gracie Tucker - Indigenous Student Trustee

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Farewell to Superintendent Jane Lower

We are wishing congratulations and farewell to Superintendent Jane Lower who has taken a position with Lakehead Public Schools! We wish Jane all the best in her future and know staff and communities will miss her.

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KPDSB Appoints Christy Radbourne as Director of Education

Media Release - August 31, 2022

Trustees of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board are pleased to announce the appointment of Christy Radbourne to the position of Director of Education for the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, effective September 6, 2022.

Radbourne is an accomplished long-time educator with over twenty years of experience in public sector education and private consulting. As a Student Achievement Officer with the Ministry of Education, she has supported Boards across the province in implementing post-pandemic learning plans, policy, frameworks, and curriculum.  Prior to her work with the Ministry she served for 11 years as an administrator with Lakehead Public Schools, including leading their future leaders program and as president of the Lakehead Ontario Principal’s Council.  She co-wrote Lakehead University’s Principal Qualification Program and has instructed the program for seven years, mentoring and developing education leaders across the province.

Radbourne holds a Master of Education from Lakehead University and is working toward her PhD jointly with Lakehead, Brock, and the University of Windsor. She has authored multiple publications in Indigenous and environmental Education, acted as a keynote for Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education, and created many community-based resources in Indigenous education and cultural competency.  This has included work with private corporations, non-governmental organizations, and municipalities to design and implement cultural competency programs and Indigenous education and awareness training.  She has presented at national and international education and mental health conferences on relationship-based education, Indigenous education, and environmental education.

Radbourne stated, “I am both humbled and honoured to join the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and continue the excellent work and leadership of staff, improving achievement and well-being for every student. I look forward to working with our communities and Indigenous partners to increase opportunities and positive outcomes.”

Cecile Marcino, Chair of the Board, added, “We are pleased to welcome Christy to our Board and look forward to working closely with her to support students and staff across the system.”

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Lakehead District School Board and Keewatin-Patricia District School Board Jointly Announce Changes in Senior Leadership

Lakehead District School Board:

Stephanie Rea

Communications Officer

stephanie_rea@lakeheadschools.ca

(807) 625-5214 (office)

(807) 621-7342 (cell)

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Local Government Week - October 18-22

Media Release - October 18, 2021

October 18-22 is Local Government Week.  The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, along with the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA), are working to raise civic awareness by observing Local Government Week.

School board trustees are the oldest form of elected representation 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.  The board of trustees sets the vision, develops policies, allocates resources, and sets the goals that lay the foundation driving programs and operations in the board.  Collectively, they create the multi-year strategic plan for student achievement and well-being and recruit and monitor the performance of the Director of Education to ensure their progress in meeting the goals of the board.

Sherri-Lynne Pharand, Director of Education, stated “Trustees play a key leadership role in ensuring that schools provide a high standard of education and that the programs and services school boards provide remain responsive to the communities they serve. Here at the KPDSB, we are incredibly thankful to our Board of Trustees for their passion for education and dedication to ensuring our students always come first.”

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board of Trustees:

• Cecile Marcino, Chair of the Board (Kenora/Sioux Narrows)
• Roger Griffiths, Vice-Chair of the Board (Machin)
• Eric Bortlis, Trustee to Represent the Interests of Indigenous Students
• Dave Cornish, Trustee (Kenora/Sioux Narrows)
• Marilyn Duncalfe, Trustee ( Red Lake)
• Barb Gauthier, Trustee (Dryden)
• Michelle Guitard, Trustee (Pickle Lake, Savant Lake and Upsala)
• Darrin Head, Trustee (Sioux Lookout)
• Jennifer Kitowski, Trustee (Kenora/Sioux Narrows)
• Gerald Kleist, Trustee (Ear Falls)
• Robert O’Donohue, Trustee (Ignace)
• Mason Gallagher, Student Trustee (Red Lake District High School)
• Mackenzie Shakakeesic, Indigenous Student Trustee (Sioux North High School in Sioux Lookout)

Fast Facts about Trustees

There are different kinds of trustees:

• Trustees elected every four years during municipal and school board elections, including more than 320 publicly elected trustees representing 31 public English school boards and three school authorities across Ontario.
• Indigenous Trustees appointed to the board by First Nations communities.  More than half of Ontario’s English public English school boards have Indigenous Trustees.  Trustee Eric Bortlis currently holds this important position at the KPSDB.  The KPDSB also has an Indigenous Student Trustee position on the Board.  Indigenous Student Trustee for the 2021-2022 school year is Mackenzie Shakakeesic from Sioux North High School in Sioux Lookout.
• Student Trustees elected by the student body of the board. The Ontario Student Trustees' Association (OSTA-AECO) represents more than two million students.  Student Trustee for the 2021-2022 school year is Mason Gallagher from Red Lake District High School.
• Hospital board/school authority trustees are appointed by the Minister of Education for a term of four years, on the same term cycle as publicly elected trustees.
• Attend and participate in meetings of the board, including meetings of board committees
• Consult with parents, students and supporters of the board on the board’s multi-year plan
• Bring concerns of parents, students and supporters of the board to the attention of the board
• Uphold the implementation of any board resolution after it is passed by the board
• Entrust the day–to-day management of the board to its staff through the board’s director of education
• Maintain focus on student achievement and well-being
• Comply with the board’s code of conduct.

Trustee Role and Responsibilities

What are the Responsibilities of a School Board?

School boards – the elected board of trustees – are responsible for student achievement and well-being, for ensuring effective stewardship of the board’s resources and for delivering effective and appropriate education programs for their students.

The Education Act and its regulations set out the services that district school boards and school authorities must offer. The responsibilities of a school board include a key governance role with respect to:

• operating schools according to provincial legislation
• having a vision statement that reflects the board’s philosophy and local needs and priorities
• setting the board’s budget within the provincial grants and accompanying regulations
• implementing curriculum according to ministry curriculum policy
• developing and delivering other programs that reflect provincial policies and local priorities
• providing for the hiring of teachers and other staff required in their schools
• maintaining school buildings and property with regard to student safety and in accordance with provincial legislation
• monitoring the policies of the schools and the achievement of students and, through the director of education, holding the entire system accountable for meeting provincial and board standards.

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