Role Description for the Position of Trustee

Catholic Trustees, as representatives of the Catholic community, must ensure that the mission of the Church is fulfilled. Because of this unique and distinctive mission, Catholic Trustees honour a set of additional expectations that have been set for them by their Church, by the Catholic community, by the traditional understanding of the Catholic Trustee’s role and by the Ministry’s Education Act. For the Catholic Trustee, the Church’s mission to proclaim, teach and witness to the Gospel finds its particular expression in the mission of the Catholic school. And the mission of the Catholic school is to evangelize youth so that they will become not only well-developed persons and good citizens but also faithful disciples of Christ and “witnesses to the faith.”

Purpose:

It is every Trustee's responsibility to familiarize themselves with their duties and any requirements of them as prescribed by the Education Act, the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and any other Act or Regulation that may be applicable to the Trustee's duties from time-to-time, and/or Ministry of Education requirements and the Board's By-Laws, Policies and General Administrative Procedures.

1.0 Principles:

All Trustees are expected to comply with the duties of board members as set out in section

218.1 of the Education Act and the Trustee Code of Conduct (Policy Code A 5.0)

The Board of Trustees has the responsibility to competently protect the interests, image and credibility of the school board.
The Board of Trustees has a responsibility to ensure its financial viability, and to act in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and policies governing the board or enacted by the government.
Trustees agree to work hard to achieve consensus and once a decision has been made, Trustees are expected to support that majority decision and to refrain from discussing divisions of Board of Trustees’ opinion outside the Boardroom.

As an elected member of the Board of Trustees for the London District Catholic School Board, Trustees have the following responsibilities:

Accountability for Student Achievement and Well-being

Make decisions that reflect the London District Catholic School Board’s focus to support all students in achieving their full potential.

Promote a culture of equity to ensure that an appropriate educational program is available for all students in the district.

Approve measures that promote student well-being.

Responsibility to Catholic Education

Focus policy on the teaching and mission of the Catholic faith and the gospel call to serve one another;

Develop a shared vision of the system that reflects and promotes the board’s distinctive mission and that articulates in specific terms what Catholic education will look like when it is operating according to its faith-filled purpose and mission and how it will fulfill the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations;

Ensure that Catholicity and faith formation are addressed across all subjects and disciplines so that students may realize that all learning speaks to the integration of faith and life and the integration of faith and culture;

Promote the welfare, well-being and dignity of all in the educational community;

Allocate human and financial resources to align with and support the board’s mission, vision, policies, strategic goals, system priorities and implementation plans; and

Hire a director of education who embodies gospel values in appropriately and effectively implementing government and board policy and curricular programs, exercising sound stewardship, and developing effective management and labour relation practices.

Accountability to the Provincial Government

Act in accordance with the Education Act, Regulations, and other statutory requirements to ensure the implementation of provincial and education standards and policy.

Provide advice to the Ministry of Education and the provincial Trustee association regarding regional and local implications of new policy recommendations.

Accountability to the Community

Make decisions that reflect the London District Catholic School Board’s mission, vision and multiyear strategic plan which represents the interests of the entire board.

Establish processes that provide the community with opportunities for input appropriate to their role.

Consult and engage with parents, students and supporters of the board on the board’s multiyear plan.

Provide two way communications between the London District Catholic School Board and School Councils/Parent Involvement Committee

Provide reports outlining board results in accordance with Provincial policy.

Develop procedures to receive and hear appeals in accordance with appropriate statutes and board policies.

Model a culture that reflects the board’s Code of Conduct.

System Leadership and Planning

Provide overall direction for the London District Catholic School Board by establishing the purpose mission and vision.

Develop and approve a Multi-Year Strategic Plan in conjunction with the Director of Education aimed at achieving the Board’s goals.

Annually set priorities with outcomes

Annually approve the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement

Annually use the Multi-Year Board Strategic Plan to drive the budget process.

Annually review the Multi-Year Strategic Plan with the board’s Director of Education.

Annually evaluate the effectiveness of the Board in relation to the Multi-Year Strategic Board Plan.

Monitor progress toward the improvement of student achievement.

Communicate regularly with supporters and employees of the board about progress made in implementation.

Policy Development, Implementation and Evaluation

Develop policies that outline how the Board will successfully function, and that promote the board’s goals and encourage pupils to pursue their educational goals.

Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of policies developed by the board in achieving the board’s goals and the efficiency of the implementation of those policies.

Hold the Director of Education accountable for the implementation and review of board policies.

Director/District School Board Relations

Select the Director of Education.

Provide the Director with a clear job description and corporate direction. Delegate through policy, administrative authority and responsibility subject to the provisions and restrictions of the Education Act and Regulations.

Monitor and evaluate the performance of the Director in meeting his/her duties under the Act including related policies, guidelines and regulations as well as duties under the multiyear plan and any other duties assigned by the board.

Promote the professional growth of the Director in continuing to provide quality district leadership.

Ensure ongoing capacity building and succession planning for key positions.

Promote a positive working relationship with the Director of Education.

Fiscal Responsibility

Develop a budget review process to determine annual resource allocations.

Annually approve the budget to ensure that the financial resources are allocated to achieve the desired results.

Approve as per legislation all Capital Plans and other planning documents that will drive budget decisions.

Have in place an Audit Committee, in accordance with provincial regulations.

Set parameters for collective bargaining and ratify Memoranda of Agreements with all bargaining units and non-union groups.

Board Development

Formally evaluate the board’s effectiveness and performance on a regular basis.

Develop an annual action plan for both collective and individual trustee development by increasing knowledge of: trustee role; processes, issues; and board vision and mission.

Seek opportunities to network with other school boards.

Political Advocacy and Communication

Develop and maintain positive and effective relationships with the Minister of Education, members of provincial parliament and counterparts in municipal government.

Annually develop a plan for Board advocacy that aligns with the board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan. Consider in the plan the focus, key messages and advocacy mechanisms.

Recognition

Develop mechanisms to ensure that the Board recognizes students and student achievement.

Develop mechanisms to ensure that the Board recognizes staff and staff achievement.

Develop mechanisms to ensure that the Board recognizes community members and volunteers.

2.0 Requirements

2.1 Responsibilities of Individual Trustees

Fulfill the role consistent with the faith-based values and the Code of Conduct articulated by the Board.

Carry out his or her responsibilities in a manner that assists the board in fulfilling its duties under the Education Act, and under related regulations and guidelines;

Attend and participate in meetings of the board, including meetings of board committees of which he or she is a member; consult with parents, students and supporters of the board on the board’s multi-year plan; bring concerns of parents, students and supporters of the board to the attention of the board;

Uphold the implementation of any board resolution after it is passed by the board. Trustees are expected to support the majority decision and to refrain from discussing divisions of Board of Trustee’s opinions outside the Boardroom.

Entrust the day to day management of the board to its staff through the board’s Director of Education;

Maintain focus on student achievement and well-being;

Recognize that it is the role of the Chair of the Board of Trustees to officially speak on behalf of the Board, unless otherwise determined.

Act collectively to steward the organization and not take action as individuals.

2.2 Responsibilities of the Board Chair

As required by the Education Act the Board of Trustees elects a chair from among its members to serve a term of one year. The Act sets out specific duties for this role as follows:

preside over meetings of the board;

conduct the meetings in accordance with the board’s procedures and practices for the conduct of board meetings;

establish agendas for board meetings, in consultation with the board’s Director of Education or the supervisory officer acting as the board’s Director of Education;

ensure that members of the board have the information needed for informed discussion of the agenda items;

act as spokesperson to the public on behalf of the board, unless otherwise determined by the board;

convey the decisions of the board to the board’s Director of Education or the supervisory officer acting as the board’s Director of Education;

provide leadership to the board in maintaining the board’s focus on the multi-year plan;

provide leadership to the board in maintaining the board’s focus on the board’s mission and vision;

assume such other responsibilities as may be specified by the board.

provide for representation of trustees on board standing and ad hoc committees as well as external committees.

Be ex officio on all board committees

2.3 Responsibilities of the Board Vice Chair

The Board Vice Chair will fulfil the duties of the Chair in the event that the Chair is unable to do so as outlined in the bylaws of the Board.

3.0 Expected Outcomes of Policy:

The Role Description for the position of Catholic Trustee should achieve the following outcomes:

Bring clarity on the moral purpose of Catholic education: student faith formation, achievement and well-being;

Promote stronger understanding of governance as a collective leadership act;

Provide greater understanding of the role of the Board of Trustees and the Director of Education related to student faith formation, learning, achievement and well-being.