Board Chair Inaugural Speech
I stand before you humbled by the responsibility entrusted to me once again as Chair of the Near North District School Board. First, I extend a sincere thank you to my fellow board members. This is my fourth return to this board, with over a couple of decades of Trustee experience, and I have seen our board through challenges and triumphs. But tonight, I recognize that the challenge before us is unlike we have ever faced before.
The Minister of Education has given us 15 binding directions. They’re not suggestions. They are directions - firm, and necessary…a call to action - to regain public trust and confidence.
As your Chair, I will not shy away from this responsibility. I will lead with clarity, courage, and collaboration in team-like fashion. We will not treat these directions as a burden, but as an opportunity—a chance to rebuild trust, to demonstrate excellence, and to show the public and the Ministry that the Near North District School Board is ready to rise to the noble standards of governance in education."
Our vision must be bold:
- To ensure every decision reflects the best interests of all our students.
- To stabilize and restore confidence in our governance and leadership
- To strengthen our accountability to the public.
- To embrace transparency, so that ALL of our communities see not only what we decide, but how we decide.
- To promote unity among trustees, staff, and families, because divided boards cannot deliver strong schools.
I return to this Trustee role not because it is easy, but I feel it is necessary. I have dedicated over two decades of my life to this board, and I believe in the power of education to transform lives. I believe in the resilience of this board, and I believe in the strength of our communities. Together, we will aim to restore confidence. Together, we aim to ensure that the Near North District School Board is not only compliant but exceptional.
So my fellow Trustees let us move forward as a team with determination. Let us embrace the Minster’s binding directions as our roadmap to renewal. Let us prove—to the public, to our families, and to ourselves—that we are worthy of the trust placed in us.
The work begins right now. As Chair with the immense talent of Trustees around this table, we will not falter, we will not delay… we will succeed!!! Thank you and let’s move forward and meet these challenges together!
