What Does a School Board Trustee Do?

School board trustees are elected to represent their communities and provide leadership and oversight for the school board.

​Trustees do not manage individual schools or direct teachers and principals. Their role is governance: establishing priorities and policies, approving budgets, overseeing senior leadership, and ensuring the Board remains focused on students and families.

Represent the Community
  • Trustees listen to students, families, staff, parishes, and community members and bring their perspectives to the Board table.
  • They should be accessible, responsive, and willing to listen—even when people disagree.

Set Priorities and Policy
  • Trustees help establish the Board’s overall direction.
  • They approve policies and strategic priorities affecting areas such as student achievement, well-being, Catholic education, facilities, transportation, human resources, and financial planning.
  • ​Their responsibility is to consider what is best for students and the school system as a whole.

Oversee Public Resources
  • Trustees review and approve the Board’s annual budget.
  • They must ask thoughtful questions, set priorities, and ensure public resources are used responsibly and effectively to support student learning.

​Oversee Senior Leadership
  • Trustees hire and oversee the Director of Education, who manages the school board’s day-to-day operations.
  • ​The Board establishes expectations, reviews performance, and holds senior leadership accountable for carrying out its priorities. Understanding the distinction between governance and administration is essential to effective trustee leadership.

Advocate for Students and Catholic Education
  • Trustees advocate for students, their communities, and strong publicly funded Catholic education.
  • They may also work with other levels of government on matters such as funding, school construction, transportation, and special education.

Work Constructively as a Board
  • No trustee governs alone.
  • Decisions are made collectively, requiring trustees to consider evidence, exercise independent judgment, debate respectfully, and work constructively with their colleagues.

My Approach
  • If elected Trustee for Waterloo, Wellesley, and Woolwich, I will listen to the community, do my homework, ask thoughtful questions, respect the role of professional staff, and make responsible decisions.
  • ​Most importantly, I will keep students at the centre of every decision.