What is a Student Trustee?
Student trustees represent over 123,000 students in the York Region District School Board. They network with students, staff and the Board of Trustees to share information that gives students a meaningful voice.
What do Student Trustees do?
Student trustees are responsible for:
sharing information from staff and the
Board of Trustees with members of the student community, where appropriate;
hosting the Board’s Annual Celebrating Student Success evening;
speaking at and hosting special events;
participating in York Region Presidents’ Council meetings and fulfilling expectations and job requirements as an executive member;
listening to and addressing questions and concerns raised by the student community through face-to-face interactions, forums or electronic communications;
preparing for, with the other members of the executive and logistics team, and attending the Annual York Region Presidents’ Council Leadership Conference; and
coordinating and conducting elections for the position of student trustee.
Student trustees may also choose to participate in several other regular Board, Advisory and staff committees where they are encouraged to provide input and feedback on the items being discussed. These meetings are generally held at the Education Centre Aurora between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
In addition to regular Board committees, student trustees may be asked to attend other meetings to provided input into events or issues affecting students in York Region.
How are Student Trustees supported in their role?
Each student trustee will be provided with appropriate communication tools so that they are accessible to members of the student community, staff and trustees.
Board and Trustee Services staff are available to support student trustees in a variety of ways, such as, distributing materials to elementary and secondary schools, proofreading student trustee documents, answering questions, addressing concerns and assisting with conference registration.
How will I get to and/or from Board, Advisory and committee meetings?
Student trustees must arrange their own transportation to and/or from meetings and events they attend in their official role. Student trustees are responsible for reviewing the demands of the position with their parents/guardians and wherever possible arranging for their own transportation to and/or from meetings, events and other official obligations. If a student trustee is required to attend an event and is unable to arrange their own transportation they may eligible for reimbursement for transportation costs if they meet the requirements outlined in
Policy and Procedure #221.0, Student Trustees.
Student trustees are encouraged to minimize transportation costs wherever possible. This includes participating in meetings via audio conference, choosing the most cost-effective method of transportation and sharing costs, whenever appropriate. In exceptional circumstances, where time or safety concerns are a factor, student trustees may be authorized to use a pre-approved Board-provisioned taxi service up to a maximum of $150.00 per month.
I have questions, who do I contact?
The current student trustees are always available to address your concerns and/or answer your questions. Please do not hesitate to contact us at:
Claire Zhou, Student Trustee
mustafa.ismail@yrdsb.ca If you have questions about Board policies and/or procedures or student trustee participation in Board and/or Committee meetings, you can contact Lisa Reinhardt, Assistant Manager, Board and Trustee Services, at
lisa.reinhardt@yrdsb.ca or 905-727-0022 ext. 2217.