“He or she who seeks the office of trustee is seeking an honourable office.”
- Cardinal G. Emmett Carter, The Challenge of Trusteeship
A Vital Role in Our Communities
During Local Government Week, October 19-25, 2025, we celebrate the vital work of Catholic school trustees. These elected local leaders exercise excellence in governance, guiding our publicly funded Catholic schools and ensuring that policies and sound financial stewardship illuminate the values of our faith and the needs of students, families, and communities.
Ontario’s Catholic schools have a long and proud history, dating back to the first school in Glengarry County in 1826. Today, they educate nearly 600,000 students across the province each year, supported by 237 publicly elected Catholic trustees representing 29 school boards.
What Trustees Do
Catholic school trustees are multifaceted leaders in both education and local government. They:
- Steward the mission of Catholic education – give witness to our shared commitment to place Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church at the center of students’ learning experiences.
- Advocate for students, families, and communities – representing the Catholic perspective in municipal and provincial discussions.
- Provide leadership and oversight – setting our Board’s future-focused Multi-Year Strategic Plan (ENDs), ensuring fiscal responsibility, and guiding school board decisions.
- Serve as public representatives – connecting local communities, families, and parish partners to the governance of Catholic education.
- Hold a unique responsibility — Catholic school trustees are the only publicly elected officials with direct responsibility for the education of children in Ontario’s publicly funded Catholic schools, reflecting a constitutionally protected right.
Why Trustees Matter
Trustees play a critical role in linking education and local government. Their work:
- Strengthens the Catholic presence in our communities
- Supports student achievement academically, spiritually, and socially
- Safeguards the rights of Catholic communities under Ontario’s constitution
- Shapes policies that affect learning and the well-being of students for generations
Get Involved During Local Government Week
Catholic trustees are elected every four years during municipal and school board elections. The next municipal election will take place on October 26, 2026.
By voting and engaging with your trustees, you help ensure that your community’s voice is heard in local government decisions that impact Catholic education. Discover more about the important responsibilities and vital contributions of Catholic school trustees through the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association’s PowerPoint presentation.
Visit our Support Catholic Education webpage for steps to check or update your Catholic school support designation before the next election.
Learn more about your Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board trustees on our website.