OPSBA is organized so that every school board, regardless of its size, has its interests faithfully and thoroughly represented at its Board of Directors, Executive Council, and Work Group tables.
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Executive Council
Between meetings of the Board of Directors, the business of the Association is supervised by OPSBA’s Executive Council, which reports to the Board of Directors at each meeting. The Executive Council is composed of the President, First and Second Vice-Presidents, Past President, five Regional Chairs, one from each of OPSBA’s regions, a Pupil Enrolment Representative from Toronto District School Board and Peel District School Board, and the Chair of the Indigenous Trustees’ Council. These five Regional Chairs are also Chairs of their regions and are elected by the region they represent.
The Executive Council ensures that the decisions of the Board of Directors are executed and also provides strategic advice to the Board of Directors on such matters as long range planning for the Association, government relations and Association personnel matters.
OPSBA’s Executive Council
Kathleen Woodcock
President
Waterloo Region DSBArlene Morell
Regional Chair, Western Region
Thames Valley District School BoardKathryn Pierroz
First Vice-President
Rainy River DSBBill Steer
Regional Chair, Northern Region
Near North DSBMichelle Aarts
Second Vice-President
Toronto DSBDeborah Williams
Enrolment Representative
Toronto District School BoardJaine Klassen Jeninga
Regional Chair, Central East Region
Kawartha Pine Ridge DSBSusan Humphries
Regional Chair, Eastern Region
Renfrew County District School BoardDonna Danielli
Regional Chair, Central West Region
Halton DSBDavid Green
Enrolment Representative
Peel District School BoardElaine Johnston
Chair, Indigenous Trustees’ Council
Algoma DSBKathy McDonald
Chair, Black Trustees’ Caucus
Peel DSBCathy Abraham
Past President
Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB -
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is the principal source of policy and political direction for the Association, and its major decision making body. The Board manages the affairs of the Association and reports to the general membership each year at the Annual General Meeting.
Each District School Board Member in good standing is entitled to appoint at least one Director to the OPSBA Board of Directors. Each District School Board that is a Member and which has a pupil enrolment of more than five per cent of the total enrolment of all Member Boards is entitled to appoint an additional Trustee from that District School Board to the Board of Directors. Each District School Board that is a Member and which has a pupil enrolment of more than fifteen percent of the total enrolment of all Member Boards is entitled to appoint a further additional Trustee from that District School Board to the Board of Directors.
School Authorities elect one Director at the Annual General Meeting to represent their interests on the OPSBA Board of Directors.
Treatment Centre School Authorities elect one Director to represent their interest on the OPSBA Board of Directors.
The Indigenous Trustees’ Council elects one Member to represent their interests on the OPSBA Board of Directors.
The Past President is appointed to the Board of Directors for a one year term. The President, First and Second Vice-Presidents and Regional Chairs, who are elected at the Annual General Meeting, also serve on the Board of Directors.
Members
As of November 2024
Michelle Aarts
Second Vice-President
Toronto District School BoardCathy Abraham
Past President
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School BoardKate Baggott
Central West
District School Board of NiagaraKarla Bailey
Central West
Peel District School BoardMichael Barrett
Treatment School Authorities
Grandview School AuthorityShannon Binder
Eastern
Hastings and Prince Edward District School BoardGreg Bowman
Northern (East)
Algoma District School BoardBecky Buck
Central West
Hamilton-Wentworth District School BoardJulia Burgess
Western
Greater Essex County DSB
Esther Childs
Central East
Trillium Lakelands District School BoardDavid Cornish
Northern (West)
Keewatin-Patricia District School BoardDonna Danielli
Regional Chair, Central West
Halton District School BoardDonna Edwards
Central East
Durham District School BoardJeanne Gray
Central West
Halton District School BoardDavid Green
Enrolment Representative
Peel District School BoardSusan Humphries
Regional Chair, Eastern
Renfrew County District School BoardJennifer Jennekens
Eastern
Ottawa-Carleton District School BoardElaine Johnston
Chair, Indigenous Trustees’ Council
Algoma District School BoardJan Johnstone
Western
Bluewater District School BoardJaine Klassen Jeninga
Regional Chair, Central East
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School BoardJudy Kosmerly
Northern (East)
Rainbow District School BoardJeff Lehman
Northern (West)
Rainy River District School BoardDiane Lloyd
Central East
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School BoardJodi Lloyd
Central East
Simcoe County District School BoardMartha MacNeil
Central West
Upper Grand District School BoardNadeem Mahmood
Central East
York Region District School BoardDavid McDonald
Eastern
Upper Canada District School BoardKathy McDonald
Chair, Black Trustees’ Caucus
Peel District School BoardKaren McGregor
Eastern
Limestone District School BoardMarilyn McLeod
School Authorities
Moose Factory Island DSABKelly Miller
Central East
Durham District School BoardSherri Moore
Western
Thames Valley District School BoardArlene Morell
Regional Chair, Western
Thames Valley District School BoardJason Nesbitt
Northern (West)
Superior-Greenstone District School BoardZakir Patel
Central East
Toronto District School BoardScott Piatkowski
Central West
Waterloo Region District School BoardKathryn Pierroz
First Vice-President
Rainy River District School BoardLori-Ann Pizzolato
Western
Thames Valley District School BoardRosemary Pochopsky
Northern (East)
District School Board Ontario North EastKarthi Rajamani
Eastern
Renfrew County District School BoardKelley Robertson
Western
Lambton Kent District School BoardNeethan Shan
Central East
Toronto District School BoardLynn Scott
Eastern
Ottawa-Carleton District School BoardElizabeth Sinclair
Central East
York Region District School BoardRyan Sitch
Northern (West)
Lakehead District School BoardPatricia Smith
Western
Avon Maitland District School BoardBill Steer
Regional Chair, Northern
Near North District School BoardClaudine VanEvery-Albert
Central West
Grand Erie District School BoardDeborah Williams
Enrolment Representative
Toronto District School BoardKathleen Woodcock
President
Waterloo Region District School Board -
Work Groups
Members of OPSBA’s two core Work Groups play a meaningful role in advancing the Association’s identified priorities through the initiatives they accomplish. These Work Groups focus on OPSBA’s identified priorities and take on tasks that are aimed at action on the Association’s priorities.
EDUCATION PROGRAM WORK GROUP
This work group provides recommendations to the Board of Directors/Executive Council on issues related to education program reform, children’s services and social policy, including, but not restricted to: program restructuring, secondary school reform; curriculum; information technology; special education programs; College of Teachers, teacher training; early learning; school to work/college/university linkages; Education Quality and Accountability Office; quality, accountability, testing and assessment; immigration, poverty and settlement and any additional needs and services in this area.
Staff Resource
Erin Kelly, Director of Program Policy
Work Group Members (2024-25)
Kelly Miller, Durham, Central East
Debbie King, Toronto, Central East (also serves as Black Trustees’ Caucus Representative)
Kathy McDonald, Peel, Central West
Carol Ann Sloat, Grand Erie, Central West
Lynn Scott, Ottawa-Carleton, Eastern
Karen McGregor, Limestone, Eastern
Marie Murphy-Foran, Algoma, Northern (E)
Dave Cornish, Keewatin-Patricia, Northern (W)
Patricia Smith, Avon Maitland, Western
Jan Johnstone, Bluewater, Western (Chair)
Lisa Corbiere-Addison, Rainbow, Indigenous Trustees’ Council RepresentativeExecutive Council Liaison
Michelle Aarts, Second Vice-President, Toronto
Alternates
Vacancy, Central East
Amanda Fehrman, Hamilton-Wentworth, Central West
Carole Dufort, Upper Canada, Eastern
Rosemary Pochopsky, Ontario North East, Northern (E)
Leah Vanderwey, Lakehead, Northern (W)
Jane Thomson, Bluewater, Western
Roberta Northmore, Lambton Kent, Indigenous Trustees’ Council Representative
Alexis Dawson, Toronto, Black Trustees’ Caucus RepresentativePOLICY DEVELOPMENT WORK GROUP
This work group provides recommendations to the Board of Directors/Executive Council on issues related to the analysis of legislation and the development of OPSBA policy in areas affecting education finance and governance, including, but not restricted to: education finance and education finance reform; assessment, revenue and taxation, operating grants; school capital; financial accounting and reporting; the role of the Ministry, school boards, school councils; municipal election issues; education restructuring, deregulation and privatization; and any additional needs and services in this area.
Staff Resource
Jennifer McIntyre, Director of Policy
Work Group Members (2024-25)
Donna Edwards, Durham, Central East
Shelley Laskin, Toronto, Central East
Kate Baggott, Niagara, Central West
Karla Bailey, Peel, Central West
Amanda Robertson, Hastings and Prince Edward, Eastern
Michel LaBonte, Upper Canada, Eastern
Jennifer Sarlo, Algoma, Northern (E)
Pat Johansen, Lakehead, Northern (W)
Julia Burgess, Greater Essex County, Western (Vice-Chair)
Robert Hunking, Avon Maitland, Western
Howard Archibald, Ontario North East, Indigenous Trustees’ Council Representative
Kelly Miller, Durham, Black Trustees’ Caucus RepresentativeExecutive Council Liaison
Kathryn Pierroz, First Vice-President, Rainy River
Alternates
Diane Lloyd, Kawartha Pine Ridge, Central East
Katherine Hauser, Upper Grand DSB, Central West
Shannon Binder, Hastings and Prince Edward, Eastern
Judy Kosmerly, Rainbow, Northern (E)
George Saarinen, Lakehead, Northern (W)
Sherri Moore, Thames Valley, Western
Denise Baxter, Indigenous Trustees’ Council Representative
Stephen Linton, Durham, Black Trustees’ Caucus Representative -
Indigenous Trustees’ Council
OPSBA’s Indigenous Trustees’ Council (ITC) is composed of First Nations trustees appointed to school boards, and other Indigenous trustees elected through the municipal electoral process.
One of OPSBA’s multi-year strategic priorities is Advancing Reconciliation: First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education. We believe that through education we will move towards a Canada where the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians is founded on mutual respect and OPSBA, therefore, supports the Calls to Action of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
The ITC has engaged in a range of initiatives to support the education of Indigenous students, and to ensure all students are educated about the history and culture of Indigenous peoples. Council members have successfully worked on revisions to the mandatory curriculum to include treaty education, the history and legacy of residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, the High Arctic relocation, the Powley Decision, and the impact of the Indian Act.
For the 2024-25 school year, Algoma DSB Trustee Elaine Johnston serves as the Chair of the Indigenous Trustees’ Council (ITC) and sits as the Council’s representative on the OPSBA Board of Directors and Executive Council.
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Black Trustees’ Caucus
OPSBA’s Black Trustees’ Caucus (BTC) brings together publicly elected or appointed trustees who identify as Black, in a supportive environment where they may collaborate to influence change.
One of OPSBA’s multi-year strategic priorities is Student Success, Equity, and Well-Being in order to promote and advance high-quality, equitable, and inclusive learning environments to support student success and well-being. The BTC engages in a range of initiatives and partnerships to support this priority.
Established in 2022, the Caucus focuses on the educational experiences of Black students, mentors Black student trustees, works to ensure all students, families, and school boards are aware of the issues that currently and historically impact student achievement, and highlights practices that have positive impacts. Caucus members use data to support the Ontario education system in making informed recommendations on various educational outcomes and teachings for Black students.
For the 2024-25 school year, Peel DSB Trustee Kathy McDonald serves as the Chair of the Black Trustees’ Caucus (BTC) and York Region DSB’s Trustee Dr. Elizabeth Sinclair serves as the Vice-Chair of BTC.
For more information, contact inquiry@opsba.org.
Recent Submissions
September 29, 2023 – OPSBA Black Trustees’ Caucus Submission to the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Consultation on Anti-Black Racism in Education