Welcome to our Media Centre where you'll find news releases and information about OCSTA and Catholic education.
News Releases
If you're a journalist and would like to interview one of our spokespeople, please contact Sharon McMillan, Co-ordinator, Communications and Media Relations, at 416-932-9460, ext. 232 or by e-mail at smcmillan@ocsta.on.ca.
OCSTA Spokespersons
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Nancy Kirby, President
Nancy Kirby is President of OCSTA and Vice Chair of the Catholic District School Board (CDSB) of Eastern Ontario.
An experienced trustee both at the local and provincial level, Nancy served as the first Chair of the CDSB of Eastern Ontario following the amalgamation of school boards in 1998. Nancy has been a member of the OCSTA Board of Directors since April of 2007. She has also served on the Minister of Education's Advisory Council on Special Education and on the Board of Directors for Curriculum Services Canada. |
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Marino Gazzola, Vice President
Marino Gazzola is Vice President of OCSTA and Vice Chair of the Wellington Catholic District School Board. Marino has been a trustee with the Wellington CDSB since 1990 and has held the position of Chair for 6 years and Vice Chair for 10 years. He has been a member of the OCSTA Board of Directors since April of 2007. Marino joined the Guelph Police Force in 1976 and currently holds the rank of Sergeant in Neighbourhood Support Services. In 1992, he was the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor General of Ontario Medal for Community Service and in 2000 he was the recipient of the OECTA Award of Merit. |
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Kevin Kobus, OCSTA Executive Director
Kevin Kobus is the executive director of the OCSTA. His career in education spans more than three decades, starting as a teacher with the Renfrew Country Separate School Board. He moved to Toronto and started teaching with the Toronto Catholic District School Board in 1972 as a secondary school teacher. He later held a variety of positions with the board including: Supervisor of Teacher Personnel, Special Assistant to the Director of Education, Superintendent of Education responsible for schools and as a Superintendent of Employee Relations.
After leaving the Board in 1997, he assumed a one-year position as a Senior Policy Advisor with the Education Improvement Commission before moving on to become director of education with the Simcoe-Muskoka Catholic District School Board. He was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of Education in 2003 and returned to his roots in July 2005 as director of education for the Toronto Catholic District School Board. |
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Dr. Robert Murray, OCSTA Director of Legislative and Political Affairs
Dr. Robert Murray is the Director of Legislative and Political Affairs for OCSTA. He holds a B.A. (Honours) in History and a M.A. in Political Science from Brock University. A recipient of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Doctoral Fellowship, Dr. Murray holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Alberta.
Prior to his appointment at OCSTA, Dr. Murray served as a faculty member in the Department of Political Science at the University of Alberta and often provided media commentary on provincial, national and international political issues. Further to his scholarly work, he has served in multiple consulting roles for various corporations, government bodies and educational institutions both within Canada and abroad.
Dr. Murray's experience in Catholic education includes terms as a Student Trustee for the Niagara Catholic District School Board and as the first Faith Ambassador for the Ontario Student Trustees' Association.
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OCSTA Backgrounder
An Overview
For 75 years, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA) has dedicated itself to the promotion and development of the Catholic school system in Ontario. A major activity of the Association is to represent the point of view, the aspirations and the needs of Catholic school boards to the provincial government and, on occasion, to the federal government.
Roman Catholic trustees elected by Catholic ratepayers carry out their role in a system founded on and nurtured by the convictions and commitments of the Catholic faith. The same distinction guides the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association in providing services to its member boards.
Membership & Organizational Structure
The twenty-nine Roman Catholic District School Boards and five Catholic School Authorities that educate approximately 600,000 students and represent more than one million Catholic school supporters constitute the Association's membership.
OCSTA is managed by a Board of Directors consisting of 17 Catholic trustees elected from across Ontario. A professional staff, headed by the Executive Director, operates the provincial office.
OCSTA & the Government
OCSTA is represented on numerous government committees, advisory councils and commissions. The Association monitors government initiatives, contributes to the decision-making process and responds to government action. OCSTA liaises with the Ontario government and all provincial political parties on matters affecting Catholic education. Responsibilities include:
- presenting briefs on proposed legislation to standing committees of the Legislature;
- submitting an annual finance brief to the Minister of Education and Ministry finance officials;
- assisting in the development of positions and policies;
- monitoring and influencing policy trends;
- working with the government on matters of mutual concern;
- advancing the interests of Catholic education and our member boards; and
- communicating with member boards on all these matters.
Catholic Education Initiatives
Initiatives in support of our distinctively Catholic school system are an integral part of the OCSTA mission. These include:
- faith development and liturgical celebrations for trustees and board of directors;
- professional development programs for trustees;
- co-ordination of provincial professional development for Catholic Student Trustees;
- the development of materials to assist boards in highlighting aspects of the Catholic dimension within the system;
- support of pre-service and in-service Religious Education programs for teachers, including the OECTA/OCSTA Religious Education courses
- development and co-ordination of resource materials for Catholic Education Week;
- documents to support the development and mission of Catholic School Councils;
- materials to assist boards in the hiring of new Catholic teachers;
- participation in partnership committees through the Institute for Catholic Education;
- development of guidelines for Student Trustees on Catholic School Boards; and
- monitoring on-going research regarding Catholic education.
Services
OCSTA provides a number of services and resources for member boards and local Catholic school communities, including:
- analysis of provincial bills and legislation;
- labour relations support, including access to the LabRnet website & information sharing;
- leadership and information in matters of education finance;
- support for boards' communications on issues impacting Catholic education;
- meetings, seminars and information sessions to help boards understand and deal with government initiatives as they occur; and
- timely communications on all matters relating to education.
Facts About Catholic Education in Ontario
Catholic population in Ontario: 3,611,688 (approx. 33%)
Number of Catholic District School Boards: 29
Number of Catholic School Authorities: 5
Number of Catholic trustees: 245
Number of Catholic schools: Approximately 1500
Enrolment in Catholic schools: Over 600,000
Provincial Funding Allocation to Catholic Boards: Approximately $4B in 2000-01