NEWS RELEASE

Catholic School Trustees Honour Service, Elect New Leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toronto—May 1, 2017—The Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) is pleased to announce the results of its Annual General Meeting election held on April 28.

“I want to thank all candidates who stepped forward to be a part of this election. Serving as a Catholic trustee is a call to service that requires significant commitment at the local level. Choosing to serve the mission of Catholic education at the provincial level as a Regional Director is an added commitment that directly contributes to the Association’s success at advancing the priorities of Ontario’s publicly funded Catholic schools,” said OCSTA President Patrick Daly.

OCSTA Regional Directors – Election Results:

Acclamations:

Region 1: Colleen Landers, Northeastern CDSB

Region 2: Paul Landry, Kenora CDSB

Region 3: Michael Bellmore, Sudbury CDSB

Region 5: Linda Ward, St. Clair CDSB

Region 9: Michelle Griepsma, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland & Clarington CDSB

Region 10: Todd Lalonde, CDSB of Eastern Ontario

Region 11: Clifford Casey, Brant Haldimand Norfolk CDSB and Arlene Iantomasi, Halton CDSB

Elections:

Region 4: Marino Gazzola, Wellington CDSB

*CDSB – Catholic District School Board

Trustee Award of Merit

Each year OCSTA selects a trustee who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and service to Catholic education to receive the Association’s Award of Merit. The 2017 recipient is Renfrew County Catholic District School Board Trustee Andrew Bray. Andrew has served his board as a trustee for 33 years and contributed to a number of provincial education initiatives as a former member of OCSTA’s Board of Directors.

Student Trustee Alumnus Award

This year OCSTA introduced a new award that acknowledges former student trustees in Catholic schools who have exemplified through their post graduate pursuits, the values promoted in the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations.

Two student trustee alumni were selected for the 2017 award:

1. York Catholic District School Board alumna and social justice advocate Kristine Soufian. Kristine is a graduate of St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School in Maple and is now a teacher with the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
2. Durham Catholic District School Board alumnus and nationally acclaimed mental health awareness advocate, Ben Verboom. Ben is a graduate of Denis O’Connor Catholic High School in Ajax and is pursuing a PhD in Social Intervention at the University of Oxford.

25-Year Service Award

Many Catholic trustees dedicate a significant part of their lives to the service of their local schools and the goals of Catholic education in this province. To honour that contribution the Association awarded the following trustees with 25-year service awards:

Bruno Iannicca, Dufferin-Peel CDSB

Anita Mallette-Snobelen, St. Clair CDSB

Jim McCafferty, Durham CDSB

Barbara McCool, Nipissing-Parry Sound CDSB

Janice Oldman, Durham CDSB

Esther O’Toole, Dufferin-Peel CDSB

The Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association is the provincial voice for publicly funded Catholic education. Founded in 1930, OCSTA represents the interests of Catholic school boards that collectively educate approximately 550,000 students in Ontario, from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12.

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For more information, please contact:

Sharon McMillan, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations

Tel: 416-932-9460, ext. 232/Cell: 416-460-7937  E-mail: smcmillan@ocsta.on.ca