TCDSB Policy Register 

Policy: 

In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act, the Toronto Catholic District School Board will establish and maintain a Student Trustee position(s) on its Board of Trustees.  

The Toronto Catholic District School Board recognizes the benefits accrued when students have an opportunity to share and represent the perspectives and insights of their various school communities. To assist the Student Trustee in garnering these perspectives and insights, the Catholic Student Leadership Impact Team (CSLIT) is established. Each Secondary School shall have a representative elected by the local student body.  

Regulations  

1.         The Toronto Catholic District School Board shall establish one student trustee position to represent the interests of students in the last two years of the intermediate division and in the senior division of the board.  

2.         The term of a student trustee runs from March 1st of the year of election through July 31^st of the following year.  March 1^st to August 1^st is intended to familiarize the Student Trustee Elect with the duties of the Office of Student Trustee and the issues which are before the Board and which are of concern to and have impact on the student population of the Board.  The transition period is for mentorship and is not meant to usurp the rights and responsibilities of the Student Trustee Incumbent.  Following election process, the Student Trustee(s) Elect will be entitled to attend Board and Committee meetings in March, April, May, June and July along with the Student Trustee Incumbent(s) in order to familiarize themselves with the duties of the Office of Student trustee and the issues which are before the Board and which are of concern to and have impact on the student population of the Board.  The Student Trustee Elect will be entitled to per meeting diem and miscellaneous costs arising from Out-of-Pocket expenses.  The Student Trustee Elect is to act in the role as a mentee and does not hold all of the same rights and responsibilities as the Student Trustee Incumbent.  The Student Trustee Elect will assume their official position as Student Trustee on August 1^st of their election year. 

3.          Each secondary school will be entitled to put forward one candidate for election for the position of Student Trustee.   

4.          Each candidate for the position of Student Trustee shall meet the following qualification criteria:   

(i)         The student trustee must be a Roman Catholic student enrolled at a Toronto Catholic District School Board secondary school, and during his or her term of office must be a full-time student enrolled in grade eleven by the commencement of his or her term;

(ii)         Must be elected by the local student body;

(iii)        Must receive the written approval of his/her parent(s)/guardian(s), unless 18 years of age, to stand for election and also present a letter of reference from a teacher, guidance counsellor or Principal.

(iv)        Must be maintaining a grade average that will contribute to his/her successful graduation at the time of becoming a candidate for the position; and

(v)         Must meet the eligibility requirements within the Education Act related to Catholic District School Board Trustees, excluding those related to age and residence.   

5.         The Superintendent of Education, Curriculum and Accountability Department or designate, shall establish procedures to assist the student trustee in fulfilling his/her roles and responsibilities.  

6.         A student trustee shall be entitled to reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses as if they were members of the board. 

7.          A student trustee shall be paid an honorarium of $2,500 per term which shall be prorated if the trustee holds office for less than a full term. 

8.          A student trustee has the same status as a board member with respect to access to board resources and opportunities for training.  

9.          The  successful candidate elected/appointed to the position of Student Trustee will have the following rights/responsibilities:  

Rights: 

(i)          to receive public session materials for all Board and Standing Committee meetings; attend and participate  in all public session meetings of the Board and Standing Committees;

(ii)         to receive private session materials for all Board and Standing Committee meetings  and to attend and participate in private session meeting except where such materials and meetings involve the disclosure of intimate, personal or financial information in respect of a member of the board or committee, an employee or prospective employee of the board or a pupil or his or her parent or guardian; 

(iii)        A student trustee is entitled to require that a matter before the board or one of its committees on which the student trustee sits be put to a recorded vote, and in that case there shall be, 

(a)                a recorded non-binding vote that includes the student trustee’s vote; and

(b)               a recorded binding vote that does not include the student trustee’s vote. 

(iv)         A student trustee is not entitled to move a motion, but is entitled to suggest a motion on any matter at a meeting of the board or of one of its committees on which the student trustee sits, and if no member of the board or committee, as the case may be, moves the suggested motion, the record shall show the suggested motion.  

Responsibilities: 

(i)                 to promote a voice for students in the last two years of the intermediate division and those in the senior division on the TCDSB;

(ii)               to inform the student body at large through liaison with and seeking advice from TCDSB Student Councils, and with the Toronto inter-board council of the Ontario Catholic Student Council Federation (OCSCF);

(iii)             attend public and permitted private session meetings of the Board and its Standing committees;

(iv)             demonstrate confidentiality and discretion where required and act in accordance with the Board’s Policies, By-laws, and Rules-of-Order; and

(v)               uphold and promote the Board’s Mission and Vision in performance of his/her duties.

(vi)             The student trustee, once sworn in by the Board, the student trustee shall be the Chair of the Catholic Student Leadership Impact Team. The CSLIT will hold at least one meeting per month.

(vii)           The Student Trustee will report regularly to the Board of Trustees and to the CSLIT on their respective activities. At the end of his/her term, the student trustee will provide a report re: issues of concern to students. 

(viii)         The student trustee will participate in Catholic student leadership development activities associated with the fulfillment of the roles and responsibilities of the student trustee including the organization of the “Voices That Challenge” student trustee conference.

(ix)             The student trustee will participate in Catholic student leadership development activities associated with the fulfillment of the roles and responsibilities of the student trustee.

(x)               The student trustee will hold membership in the English Catholic Board Council of the Ontario Student Trustees' Association.  

10.              Process for election of Student Trustee Elect  

(a)        The student trustee will be elected by representatives of each secondary school at a Catholic Student Leadership Impact Team meeting no later than February 28^th in each school year. For the election to be valid, there must be at least 17 secondary schools present at the meeting where the student trustee is elected. Each secondary school is entitled to nominate one representative to run for the position of student trustee. Each secondary school is allowed to have one vote in the election of student trustee but must be represented at the election meeting. The voting delegate must be selected by the school principal in September and must regularly attend Catholic Student Leadership Impact Team meetings throughout the school year as a student council or student leadership delegate.

(b)         Notice seeking the nomination of one candidate for the position of student trustee from each TCDSB Catholic secondary school is sent to each school principal and Student Councils for posting and communication to students in November of each school year.  

(c)        Each Secondary School, via the Principal and Student Council, must appoint either the President of the Student Council or his/her designate to sit on a Student Trustee Selection Committee for the purpose of reviewing applications for the position of Student Trustee and nominating a candidate for the position.  If a secondary school is nominating a candidate for the position of student trustee, it is the responsibility of the Principal to ensure that the process is fair and equitable.

(d)         Applications will first be received and pre-screened by staff assigned by the Office the Director of Education to ensure each applicant its eligible under the requirements of the Board Policy, Education Act and Regulations.

(e)         An all-candidates/election meeting will be held in February of each school year at which time a presentation will be made by the nominees and a vote by the school representatives will be conducted under the supervision and guidance of staff.

(f)          Where a vacancy occurs, the CSLIT will recommend to the Board, a student for the balance of the student trustee's term. 

11.        The TCDSB Student Trustee shall be required to wear a uniform which is representative of all TCDSB schools, when in attendance at Board or Board Committee meetings, when representing the Board at either internal or external board-related business meetings, or when meeting with other students in the Board in the capacity of student trustee. When representing the School Board, the Student Trustee should be expected to wear suitable attire which is appropriate to the occasion: e.g. school uniform, Student Trustee uniform or business casual.  

The Student Trustee uniform shall consist of:  

(i)                 Grey or black school uniform type pants of the student's choice, or optionally the local school kilt for female student trustee;

(ii)               A pullover for use in cooler conditions, or a short-sleeve golf-style shirt for warmer conditions, designed to encompass one or both of the Board approved logo's in either the circular or horizontal design as shown below:

(iii)             variety of vests, pullovers and shirts are available for this purpose which include the Board logo for use by the Student Trustee

(iv)             The pullover may be worn with a white shirt or blouse of the student's choice;

(v)               Appropriate dress shoes of the student’s choice.  

The Board shall provide annually for a budget from the Trustee Services budget for the purchase of Student Trustee uniform items for use and retention by the student trustee during his/her term of office.