SGDSB Holds Organizational Meeting
MARATHON, Ontario – The Superior-Greenstone District School Board held its 2021 Annual Organizational and Regular Board Meeting on Monday, November 30, 2020.
Trustee Pinky McRae was acclaimed as the 2021 Board Chair and Trustee Mark Mannisto was acclaimed as the Board Vice-Chair. Two other executive positions of the Board determined by acclamation were Allison Pelletier as Education Chair and Mark Mannisto as Chair of the Business/Negotiation Committee.
The other returning Trustees are Michael Groulx (Red Rock, Dorion, Hurkett), Christine Major (Manitouwadge), Jason Nesbitt (Schreiber, Terrace Bay), Margaret McIntyre (Marathon), Dr. Paul Cormier (First Nations Trustee), Kal Pristanski (Nipigon), Student Trustees Erin Couture and Sydney Schwantz. Together this group will represent their constituents and work with Superior-Greenstone DSB Senior Administration in the delivery of quality education.
Upon the completion of the organizational portion of the meeting and the task of appointing Trustees to the various statutory and standing committees such as the Board Policy Review and Parent Involvement Committees, the Regular section of the Board meeting began. During this section of the agenda, the Board Chair Pinky McRae, Vice-Chair Mark Mannisto and Trustee Allison Pelletier were presented with Ten-Year Service Awards in recognition of their service as Trustees for the Superior-Greenstone District School Board.
Director of Education Nicole Morden Cormier stated that, “we are grateful to this dynamic group of elected officials for their commitment to our communities, students and to public education. The service awards are presented in recognition of their years of service and provide an opportunity to celebrate the significant achievement and dedication demonstrated by these outstanding individuals. Superior-Greenstone District School Board is grateful for their many years of service. Each of our Trustees are champions for quality public education, for the children of our district and across the province.”
Trustee Pinky McRae representing the Marathon ward will now be entering into her eleventh consecutive year in the position of Board Chair. The Director stated that McRae is “recognized across the province as a strong advocate for education and a steward of good governance. Her leadership has been instrumental in the school Board’s success.”
Trustee Allison Pelletier first joined the Board in August 2010 in the role of Student Trustee and is also entering her eleventh consecutive year of service representing the Greenstone Ward. The Director expressed her gratitude for Pelletier’s “ongoing advocation for student voice and for consistently demonstrating the importance of supporting strong student leadership within our schools. Her leadership embodies our Board motto of inspiring our students to succeed and make a difference.”
For seventeen consecutive years, Trustee Mark Mannisto has served as a Trustee and held various roles on the Board. Mannisto has represented the Greenstone Ward since 2003 and has also represented Northern Ontario as the Director with the Ontario Public School Board Association. The Director commended on his “passion for advocating the voice of the North and his continued dedication to helping our small schools make a difference.
The Organizational/Regular Board meeting also included a presentation of the Director’s Annual Report for the 2019/2020 school year. The Annual Report, titled “Continuing to Make a Difference: Resilience in Challenging Times”, focused on the Board’s key actions taken towards implementing their Strategic Plan objectives of student learning, well-being, stewardship and relationships. The report is a celebration of all that the school Board has accomplished and the resilience demonstrated by staff and students through the challenges within the previous school year. To further articulate the information provided within the
report, a presentation was provided by the System Leads outlining the activities and system changes implemented to enhance their equitable and inclusive learning environments.
To learn more about the Superior-Greenstone District School Board and to review the Director’s Annual Report for the 2019/2020 School Year, you are encouraged to visit their website.