Candidate Frequently Asked Questions - Public School Trustee

School board trustees are the members of a school board. They are locally-elected representatives of the public, and they are the community's advocate for public education. They are required to carry out their responsibilities in a manner that assists the board in fulfilling its duties under the Education Act.

Trustees play a key leadership role in ensuring that schools operate within the standards established by the province, and that programs and services remain responsive to the diverse communities they serve.  

School boards are responsible to student achievement and well-being, safe and inclusive school climates, ensuring effective stewardship of the board’s resources, and delivering effective and appropriate education programs for their students. 

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For school board elections, electors are identified by a school board’s support designation.   For example, if you are a designated English-language Catholic school board supporter, you are not eligible to be an English-language public school board trustee.

Upon receipt of your Notice of Application and Declaration of Qualification, the Greater Essex County District School Board will work with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation to verify that you are an English-language public school board supporter.   In the event that you are not an English-language public school board supporter, you will be DISQUALIFIED. 

• A completed Notice of Application form to a maximum of two pages/1000 words;
• A resume; and,
• A signed Declaration of Qualification for the office of public school board trustee.

Signed applications must be submitted online or delivered to 451 Park Street West no later than 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 10, 2025. Please note that applications who do not meet the qualifications by the deadline will be disqualified. 

• any person not eligible to vote for the GECDSB election;
• an employee of any district school board or school authority in Ontario, or clerk, deputy clerk, treasurer or deputy treasurer of a municipality or upper-tier municipality within the jurisdiction of the GECDSB, unless they
• take an unpaid leave of absence before being nominated, and
• resign, if elected to the office; (See additional note below)
• a member of any other district school board in Ontario, a member of a school authority in Ontario, a member of the council of a municipality or an upper-tier municipality, all or part of which is included in the area of jurisdiction of the GECDSB, an elected member of a local board, as defined in the Municipal Affairs Act, or a municipality or an upper-tier municipality, all or part of which is included in the area of jurisdiction of the GECDSB, unless the person has filed their resignation with the secretary of the other district school board or school authority or with the clerk of the municipality or upper-tier municipality, as the case may be;
• a judge of any court;
• a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (MPP), a Senator or a member of the House of Commons (MP); or
• an inmate of a penal or correctional institution under sentence of imprisonment.

Note: An employee of a school board in Ontario who wishes to run for office on any school board in Ontario must take an unpaid leave of absence prior to being nominated.  If elected, the employee must resign.  A person may not be employed by one school board and hold office on a different school board.   A clerk, treasurer, deputy clerk, deputy treasurer of a municipality with the jurisdiction of the GECDSB wishing to run for office as a trustee of the GECDSB must also take unpaid leave prior to being nominated and resign if elected.  An employer is required to grant a leave of absence.

The Declaration of Qualification form must be signed in the presence of a Commissioner of Oaths.   A Commissioner of Oaths is any lawyer in Ontario, a notary outside of Ontario, or an individual who has been named a Commissioner by the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General and may include a lawyer, a professional engineer or municipal Clerk or a member of City Council.  Applications that do not have a signature of a Commissioner of Oaths will be considered incomplete and will not be considered.  

The names of all qualified candidates and the Notice of Application Form will be posted on the Greater Essex County District School Board website as they are received. The Declaration of Qualification and personal resumes will NOT be posted or made available publicly.

Selected qualified candidates will be interviewed at a Special Public Board Meeting, December 15^th, 2025.

The process will be as follows:

• Staff will contact the candidates to arrange an interview time;
• The order of interviews will be determined alphabetically by surname;
• Candidates will be sequestered prior to their interview and will not be permitted to use electronic communicating devices, which may include but are not limited to cell phones devices;
• Each interview will be timed and conducted using a maximum of three standardized questions posed in person for the first time.   The duration of any interview shall not exceed 15 minutes.  
• Distribution of additional printed materials during the interview will not be permitted;
• There shall be no candidate nomination material in the meeting (other than the application documentation distributed to members of the Board for the meeting);
• At the conclusion of all interviews, there will be a brief recess and then the full slate of candidates will be nominated and duly seconded;
• A vote to appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy will be held by secret ballot in accordance with the process for elections outlined in the Board’s By-laws.   The Chair will disclose the results but not declare the count.

Greater Essex County District School Board Trustees currently receive an honorarium of approximately $12, 219.00 per year. For this year, the salary of the successful candidate would be pro-rated. 

General information about the school district and the responsibilities of a school board trustee are available on our website. The Greater Essex County District School Board has prepared a Candidate Information Package. Copies of this package may be picked up from the Greater Essex County District School Board Administration Building at 451 Park Street West during regular business hours through the Director’s Office.