“Trustees are on the front lines and are the first point of contact in our publicly funded education system. You bring local knowledge of the education issues in your communities and the interests of your constituents into broader school board discussions. And school boards have the capacity to respond to local priorities, and to develop local policies, programs and solutions to respond to local needs.”Talk to any trustee and he or she will tell you about the joys, and the challenges as well, that come with working on behalf of Ontario’s children, their families and their communities.
Visit any school board website – and prepare to be amazed by the breadth and depth of the programs and activities that Ontario school boards have developed to guide and shape Generation Next. There are programs designed to promote achievement of First Nation, Métis and Inuit students, and to welcome the world of new immigrants to Canada. There are math Olympiads, literacy initiatives, sports programs, art exhibitions, science fairs, innovative programs for special-needs kids, EcoSchools, early learning centres, adult education, homework clubs and a strong safety net of support services – all designed to help students succeed to the best of their abilities.
Through their membership on local school boards and their involvement with provincial school board associations, trustees also have the opportunity to play a broader advocacy role and influence government policy.
Despite budget constraints, Ontario’s school boards have demonstrated time and again that, through the collective efforts of creative and committed trustees, they are making a difference for kids.
From www.opsba.org