Director of Education Director Krishna Burra introduced the Board of Trustees who will serve from November 16, 2022 to November 14, 2026. Members have been officially certified as having been elected or acclaimed by the municipal clerks of municipalities represented across Limestone District School Board.
Three new trustees will join seven incumbents on the Board of Trustees for the new four-year term. This includes the historic addition of the first Indigenous Trustee to be appointed by the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte. The addition of an Indigenous Trustee to the Board, now brings the number of officials to ten.
Representing the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte – Indigenous Trustee Kelly Maracle
Representing the Townships of Central Frontenac, Addington Highlands, and North Frontenac – Karen McGregor
Representing the Town of Greater Napanee – Tiffany Lloyd
Representing the Townships of Loyalist and Stone Mills – Robin Hutcheon
Representing the Township of South Frontenac – Suzanne Ruttan
From the City of Kingston:
Representing Pittsburgh and King’s Town Districts & the Frontenac Islands - Bob Godkin
Representing Portsmouth & Sydenham Districts – Joy Morning
Representing Kingscourt-Rideau & Countryside Districts – Jim Neill
Representing Loyalist-Cataraqui, Collins-Bayridge Districts – Judith Brown
Representing Trillium Lakeside Districts – Garrett Elliott
Student Trustees:
Indigenous Student Trustee Julia Kolosov
Rural Student Trustee Elayna Jackson
Urban Student Trustee Mohammed Elshrief
Director Burra extended his congratulations to trustees for earning the position they now hold. All around this table we have considerable privilege in holding the positions we have, we also hold tremendous responsibility to the students, families and staff we serve. In the field of education, our work is never done, and improvements or growth are always possible, and in many cases needed. Our focus and reason for being must always be focused on the students we serve. This focus will help guide our discussions and decisions. Education is a critical service and greatly matters to all those we serve, and we have important work ahead of us as we continue to navigate this pandemic and labour challenges, but also creating and shaping the next strategic plan for Limestone that will guide our path ahead.
Election of Chair and Vice-Chair
Trustees Robin Hutcheon and Bob Godkin were selected to the roles of Chair and Vice-Chair at the Initial Meeting of the Board. Trustees elect a Chair and Vice-Chair each year of their four-year mandate.
In a historical moment, Chair Hutcheon’s name was drawn to fulfill the role of Chair after a tie between herself and Trustee Suzanne Ruttan for the position. Where there is an equality of votes, the Education Act stipulates candidates will draw lots to determine who will fill the role. Trustee Hutcheon’s name was pulled.
Trustee Godkin and Trustee Judith Brown were both nominated for position of Vice-Chair. Trustee Godkin was elected to serve as Vice-Chair following a secret ballot. This is the first time both Hutcheon and Godkin have served in executive positions.
Chair Hutcheon, who represents the Townships of Loyalist and Stone Mills, pledged her commitment to students and the Board upon being selected to the role of Chair. "I firmly believe in advocating for all students in our Board. Students are the reason why we are here.” She added, “By working collaboratively with staff and our communities we can ensure students have expanding opportunities, in all pathways, to help them achieve success and well-being. As we begin a new term, we must all be committed to working collaboratively to meet these objectives.”
Hutcheon was first elected in October 2018, and this is her second term of office. She has served on several Board committees and provincially through the Ontario Public School Boards Association. Vice-Chair Bob Godkin, who is also in his second term of office, represents the City of Kingston: Pittsburgh and King’s Town Districts and Frontenac Islands. Both will serve in their respective roles of Chair and Vice-Chair for the session November 16, 2022, to November 14, 2023.
First Indigenous Trustee Appointed to Board
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 16, 2022 to November 14, 2026.
Limestone District School Board