UCDSB chair and vice chair acclaimed

BROCKVILLE – Looking towards to a year that may result in considerable changes to provincial school boards and how they are governed, trustees at the Upper Canada District School Board opted to keep their trustee leadership in place for another year.

Board chair Jamie Schoular and vice chair Lynda Johnston were acclaimed at the trustee board’s organizational meeting November 12. Leadership positions at the trustee level are voted on by their fellow trustees.

Schoular was first elected chair in 2022 after defeating five-term chair John McAllister. This will be Schoular’s third consecutive one-year term as chair, and his second four-year term as a trustee.

Johnston was also elected vice chair in 2022, and is in her first term as a trustee.

“I’m honoured to serve again as Chair and work alongside such a dedicated group of trustees who always put students first. Our board remains focused on what’s best for students and on strong fiscal stewardship,” said Schoular in a UCDSB release.

Johnston thanked trustees for their support.

“I’m really proud of this Board and everything that those at this table stand for. Students are at the heart of our work and this focus remains crystal clear through all the decisions made by this team,” she said.

Ontario’s Education Minister, Paul Calandra, is presently reviewing the role of trustees at school boards. This review comes as the province has appointed administrators to manage five school boards temporarily, including the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and both the Catholic and Public boards in Toronto.

Schoular said that he anticipated a year of “change and renewal” in public education.

“We share his focus on fiscal responsibility and improved student outcomes,” he said. “We look forward to working with him to strengthen public education across Ontario.”

The board touted in its release that it has passed budgets with “modest surpluses”, that EQAO results have improved, and both graduation rates and enrolment have increased.

If left unchanged, this is the final year of the trustees 2022-26 term. Voters will go to the polls October 26, 2026 in municipal elections and may be able to vote for trustees, unless the ministry announces changes.