School Board Trustees

School board trustees are elected during Ontario’s Municipal Elections which take place every four years.

Residents of Douro-Dummer vote for trustees who represent them on their local publicly funded school boards. There are four different school boards English Public, English Separate, French Public and French Separate.  

Role of the School Board

A school board is responsible for overseeing public education in its area.

The school board:

• Sets policies that guide how schools operate
• Decides how education funding is spent
• Supports student achievement, well-being, and equity
• Oversees the Director of Education, who manages daily operations
• Ensures schools follow provincial education laws
• School boards focus on the big picture, not the day-to-day running of individual schools

Role of a School Board Trustee

A school board trustee is an elected official who represents the community on the school board.

School Board Trustees:

• Represent the interests of students, parents, and residents
• Help set goals and priorities for the school board
• Review and approve the school board’s budget
• Develop and vote on board policies
• Act as a link between the community and the school board

Trustees work together as a group. Individual trustees do not make decisions on their own or manage schools directly.

School Board Trustee Qualifications

To run for school board trustee in Douro-Dummer, a candidate must:

• Be a Canadian citizen
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be eligible to vote in an Ontario school board election
• Live within the school board’s area
• Be a supporter of the school board they are running for
• Not be legally disqualified from holding office
• Some people, such as school board employees or certain public officials, must take a leave of absence or resign if they wish to run.

Trustee Residency Requirements

To be eligible:

• You must live within the boundaries of the school board that serves the Township of Douro-Dummer
• You must run for the trustee position that represents your area
• You must be eligible to vote for that school board