School administrators serve on Ontario’s 72 school boards. They hold administration accountable and shape policy that affects the educational lives of approximately two million students in the province. While trustees may share a ballot with municipal politicians, the work they do does not share the same high public profile. With the election coming up, you may have questions about what exactly a trustee does and why it matters — especially if you don’t have school-aged children. Here’s a trusted guide to all things admin:
What do administrators do?
Like municipal politicians, school board administrators are elected for four-year terms. Those terms end in November after elections held in October every four years, according to council members. In Ontario, there are English public and Catholic school boards, as well as French Catholic and public boards. The English public board in Windsor-Essex, the Greater Essex County District School Board, has 10 trustees from the community representing different geographical areas.
LISTEN| The outgoing school board chair joins CBC’s Windsor Morning
Windsor Morning7:51 What is a manager? Along with the mayor and city councillors, school board registrars will also be on the ballot during municipal elections. So what exactly does a school administrator do? We talk to someone who has done the work about the role and responsibilities of the administrator. Alicia Higgison, the outgoing chairman of Greater Essex County Council, said trustees provide governance and oversight for the council and represent the local electorate. For example, he said, a few years ago, board action prompted the hiring of a new communications officer and the creation of a new website. “What we had heard from families over and over again is that they felt communication was a pain point,” he said. Alicia Higgison is the outgoing chair of the Greater Essex County District School Board in Windsor-Essex. (Michael Evans/CBC) Trustee Alan Halberstadt said they make important decisions, such as closing and opening schools and approving the school board’s budget. “[Trustees] gain experience working with children, working with the education system, teachers, from [GECDSB] CEO Erin Kelly down,” said Halberstadt, who has served as a trustee for about 15 years total but is not seeking re-election. “And it’s a very important role. We have thousands of kids in the Windsor-Essex public system.” Alan Halberstadt is an outgoing trustee for the Greater Essex County District School Board. (Katerina Georgieva/CBC)
Vote for administrator
Residents vote for trustees at the same time they choose their councilors and mayoral candidates. But before that, there’s the issue of which board election you can vote in among the types of school boards. By default, you’ll be what’s known as a ‘supporter’ of the English public council, which means it’s the elections you can vote in. You can only be a supporter of a French or Catholic council if you are of the Catholic faith or speak French as a first language. However, regardless, there is an opportunity to amend your status if necessary before the election, either through the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, which maintains a preliminary voter list, or through your municipality closer to election time. According to Terri Knight Lepain, director of elections for the city of Windsor, most large municipalities also allow residents to change election day at the polls.
Are school board trustees paid? Who can run?
You don’t have to have children in the school system to run as a trustee. According to the Ontario Education Services Corporation (OESC), which has created a website for trustee elections, you must live in the board’s jurisdiction, be a Canadian citizen 18 years of age or older, support the board, and be legally permitted to you vote. You must also be Roman Catholic to serve on a Catholic school board. Some people, such as school board employees, are disqualified from running for trustee. Administrators are paid. The pay threshold in Ontario ranges from $7,500 to $29,500, depending on a number of factors, including the board itself, according to the IOC.
Who runs in my area?
The trustee nomination period is now over for the fall ballots. Your municipality will have local candidates listed on their website along with other candidates for office. The Committee also published a list of candidates.
