Welcome to the start of the second half of the school year. 

Congratulations to secondary school students who have completed exams and culminating activities and are ready to start a new semester, and to elementary school students for all their hard work in the first term. I want to remind families that when report cards are available, you can now access your child’s report card through the Family Dashboard. 

For students looking at course selection for next year, the Experience YRDSB pages on our website will let you explore the areas that interest you and learn more about the courses, programs and opportunities available in your secondary school. 

At the end of January, we recognized Lunar New Year, commemorating the first day of the Lunar calendar. Throughout the month, we also recognized Tamil Heritage Month. In February, we recognize Black History Month, I encourage you to check the Board calendar for upcoming events to celebrate Black excellence and recognize the contributions made by Black Canadians. You can also find information about other upcoming significant dates and events for families. 

The Student Trustee election process is underway for the 2025-2026 school year. Student Trustees play an essential role in our system, representing student voices at the Board table when we are making important decisions, and we greatly appreciate their contributions to our discussions. I would like to congratulate all of the students who put their names forward for the position and encourage all students in Grades 5-12 to take the time to vote. 

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank current Student Trustees Hayden Lai and Mitusaan Kugathasan and Indigenous Student Trustee Natalie Pitawanakwat for their hard work, leadership and commitment to student voice. 

As a Board of Trustees, we have several important roles that affect the daily life in our schools and Board. 

One of those responsibilities is to set the policies that govern the operation of schools in YRDSB. Policies cover important topics, such as assessment and evaluation, field trips, homework, dress code, caring and safe schools, health supports, student leadership and more. 

We regularly review Board policies to ensure they are updated and reflect the current context, priorities and needs of our community and system. An important part of this process is inviting feedback from the community, including families. You can find a list of all policies and those currently out for comment on our Board website and I encourage you to take a look. 

Trustees are also responsible for setting the Board budget. As we prepare to plan for the 2025-2026 school year budget, we will be once again reaching out to families and inviting you to share your input and feedback. Please take the time to review this information when you receive it; your voice is an important part of the process. 

We are also working through the District Action Plan to reflect and align with the new Multi-Year Strategic Plan. This plan outlines how we will achieve the priorities set out in the Strategic Plan and focus on serving all students. 

I wish everyone all the best as we go into the second half of the school year.

Carolyn Butterworth

Trustee, Georgina and East Gwillimbury

Carolyn.butterworth@yrdsb.ca