(Quotations taken from the Ontario Catholic School Board Trustees’ Association BECOMING A CATHOLIC SCHOOL TRUSTEE)
1. Page 11
As members of the Catholic community, Catholic trustees are called to serve Christ in an educational system whose mission is to share the person and message of Christ through the curriculum and life of the Catholic school. It is this Christ-centred mission which makes Catholic schools distinctive.
2. Page 1
Catholic schools develop in our youth a love for God and people, an appreciation of prayer and moral foundation to help them as they journey through life. Catholic schools provide a complete academic program in an environment that integrates learning, religious instruction, gospel values, and spiritual formation into all aspects of the curriculum.
3. Page 2
Our distinctive character is in our vision of stewardship, extending God’s presence into society. It is our hope that our graduates will transform society. By their presence and their faith, they will continue the mission of our schools and help bring the gospel message to all [….] parents regard these as the greatest gifts they can give to their children.
4. Page 8
It is the responsibility of the Catholic school board to ensure that the goals of Catholic
education and the religious dimension upon which our schools are founded are maintained as first priorities, always in clear focus, never sacrificed or compromised. It is also the Catholic school board’s responsibility to ensure that these goals are supported adequately by budget and by appropriate human and material resources.
5. Page 9
Given the mission and distinctiveness of Catholic schools, it is simply not enough for a trustee of a Catholic school board to meet only the minimum legal requirements of office. Catholic school boards need trustees who are persons of faith, with a vision of life that is centred in the person of Jesus, and whose life and lifestyle give personal witness and example to the teachings of Christ. Catholic school boards must be served by trustees who have a sense of being called to ministry. They must be trustees who insist on quality academic programs steeped in gospel values and excellence and who publicly promote and defend the religious dimension of our Catholic schools.
6. Page 10
Catholic school boards will benefit from the dedicated contributions of deeply committed
trustees. Trustees must be capable of dealing with the pressures of office and willing to make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions. They must be prepared to devote the time necessary to attend meetings and public functions, to reflect the interests and priorities of constituencies on various board committees and/or advisory bodies and to address the concerns of parents.