As another school year wraps up so does the term for Student Trustee, Matthew Favreau. Favreau served as Student Trustee for the 2017 - 2018 School Year, representing students at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and providing a monthly report at the regular Board Meeting.
Favreau reflected on his term as trustee. "It has been an amazing opportunity, and I always feel that nothing prepares you more than actually doing it. I feel that the opportunity to be a student trustee is the best way to get an idea of what really happens at the board office and behind the scenes in the classrooms and schools," said Favreau.
For the 2018 - 2019 School Year there will be two student trustees sitting at the boardroom table. Clareynze Ceria, Grade 11 and Dominique Novelli, Grade 12 will share the role and responsibility of Student Trustee. In 2018, the Ministry of Education implemented regulatory amendments that require all school boards to have either two or three student trustees. The change was based on a 2017 Governance Engagement consultation, where student trustees, involved in the consultation, shared that they could benefit from more time to become familiar with the requirements of the role, accomplish their goals and build relationships. Ceria will be the first student trustee at Kenora Catholic to transition into the new two-year term. She will be able to provide mentorship and support to the incoming student trustee, in the 2019 - 2020 school year.
Favreau shared some advice for the incoming Student Trustees. "Don't be nervous. In this position, you were voted in by your peers so that means your peers thought that you were the best person for the job and they were confident in you and you should use that to be confident in yourself. Be yourself because that is what people voted you to be."
Matthew plans to study music at the University of Ottawa in the fall.
During Matthew Favreau's last board meeting on June 19th, Frank Bastone, Chair presented Favreau with a commemorative plaque and thanked him for his dedicated service as student trustee.
Student trustees serve an important role within the Kenora Catholic District School Board. They represent the voice of students at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, help keep students informed about decisions affecting education, and what is happening at the board and throughout the system.