Three new trustees will join seven incumbents on the Limestone District School Board of Trustees for a new four-year term in office, commencing November 15, 2022. This includes the historic addition of the first Indigenous Trustee to be appointed by the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.
The issue of representation and having an Indigenous voice at the Board level has been a topic of considerable discussion by Trustees in recent years and previously led to the addition of an Indigenous Student Trustee to start the 2020-2021 school year. For the past three to four years, Limestone has had an Education Agreement with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte for students from the territory attending Napanee District Secondary School. Trustees voted unanimously in May 2022, to approach the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte to pursue their interest in appointing an Indigenous Trustee through Regulation 462/97. After consultations with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte and the Indigenous Education Advisory Council (IEAC) there was agreement that the Indigenous Trustee would be appointed by the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte and ensure an Indigenous voice is at the Board table. The term of appointment will align with the four-year term served by trustees municipally elected from November 15, 2022 to November 15, 2026.
The addition of an Indigenous Trustee to the Board, now brings the number of officials to ten. LDSB also has three student trustees elected through the district’s Inter-school Council representing the voices of Indigenous, Urban and Rural students.
Incumbents Karen McGregor, Suzanne Ruttan, Joy Morning, Garrett Elliott, Bob Godkin, Judith Brown and Robin Hutcheon were either acclaimed or re-elected on October 24. Joining the Board as first-time Trustees are Tiffany Lloyd (acclaimed Greater Napanee) and Jim Neill (Kingscourt-Rideau-Countryside).
Laurie French and Tom Gingrich chose not to run for re-election.
“The job of school board trustee is an important one focused on protecting and improving public education, and on empowering staff to provide high quality learning opportunities for all students,” says Chair of the Board and veteran trustee Suzanne Ruttan. “As elected officials, trustees must balance the demands of the community with the duties required by the Ministry of Education. This can be challenging and takes dedicated leadership coupled with a willingness to seek innovative ideas and the courage to implement them.” She adds, “I wish all new and re-elected trustees well as they navigate the ever-changing landscape of public education.”
Director of Education Krishna Burra will work with staff to support incoming Trustees in their new role. “Staff look forward to working with the new Board of Trustees to ensure we are working together positively and collaboratively to support student achievement and well-being using the Board’s strategic plan as our road map.”
Earlier this year, the Board approved a change to the trustee distribution within the City of Kingston and Frontenac Islands for the 2022 municipal elections to better reflect population across the municipality and to evenly distribute secondary schools amongst the 5 elected trustees representing Kingston and the Islands.
The 5 municipally elected trustees will now represent schools in the following electoral areas, effective for the term beginning November 15, 2022:
Pittsburgh, King’s Town and Frontenac Islands: (re-elected Bob Godkin)
LaSalle Intermediate & Secondary School
École Maple Elementary School
Joyceville Public School
Marysville Public School
Central Public School
Kingscourt – Rideau – Countryside: (elected Jim Neill)
Kingston Secondary School & Module Vanier
Molly Brant Elementary School
Rideau Heights Public School
JG Simcoe Public School
Rideau Public School
Glenburnie Public School
Portsmouth – Sydenham:
(acclaimed Joy Morning)
LCVI & Calvin Park Public School
Katarokwi Learning Centre
Limestone School of Community Education
Centennial Public School
École Polson Park Public School
Sydenham Public School
Winston Churchill Public School
Trillium – Lakeside: (re-elected Garrett Elliott)
Frontenac SS & Module l’Acadie
J.R. Henderson Public School
RG Sinclair Public School
Truedell Public School
Welborne Ave. Public School
Loyalist-Cataraqui – Collins – Bayridge: (re-elected Judith Brown)
Bayridge SS
Bayridge Public School
Cataraqui Wood E.S.
Collins Bay Public School
WJ Holsgrove Public School
Lancaster Drive P.S.
Lord Strathcona Public School
Other trustee distribution elected or acclaimed in the municipal elections include:
Loyalist /Stone Mills: (re-elected Robin Hutcheon)
Amherst Island Public School
Amherstview Public School
Bath Public School
Centreville Public School
Enterprise Public School
Ernestown Secondary School
Fairfield Elementary School
Newburgh Public School
Odessa Public School
Tamworth Elementary School
Town of Greater Napanee:
(acclaimed Tiffany Lloyd)
Napanee District Secondary School
Selby Public School
Southview Public School
The Prince Charles School
Central Frontenac, Addington-Highlands, and North Frontenac:
(acclaimed Karen McGregor, incumbent)
Clarendon Central Public School
Granite Ridge Education Centre
Land O'Lakes Public School
North Addington Education Centre
South Frontenac:
(acclaimed Suzanne Ruttan, incumbent)
Harrowsmith Public School
Loughborough Public School
Perth Road Public School
Prince Charles Public School
Storrington Public School
Sydenham High School
School Board Trustees are locally-elected representatives of the public, and they are the community’s advocate for public education. They are required to carry out their responsibilities in a manner that assists the Board in fulfilling its duties under the Education Act. The Inaugural Board Meeting for the new ten-member Limestone District School Board of Trustees will be held November 16, 2022. Trustees will be officially sworn in at this time and will elect a Chair and Vice-Chair. Trustee elect an executive every year of the four-year term. Trustees will serve until November 15, 2026.