Trustees unanimously voted to approach the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte for them to appoint an Indigenous Trustee to the Board of Trustees.
The issue of representation and having an Indigenous voice at the Board level has been a topic of considerable discussion by Trustees in recent years and previously led to the addition of an Indigenous Student Trustee to start the 2020-2021 school year.
For the past three to four years, Limestone has had an Education Agreement with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte for students from the territory attending Napanee District Secondary School.
The official motion read “That staff develop a process and recommended timeline for an Indigenous Trustee to be appointed by the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte through Regulation 462/97, including a contingency process should the number of students decrease below the regulatory requirement, and identifying policy implications for a 10th Trustee.”
This motion was developed from previous consultations with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte and the Indigenous Education Advisory Council (IEAC). The Indigenous Trustee will be appointed by the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte and ensure an Indigenous voice is at the Board table.
The decision to pursue the appointment of an Indigenous Trustee is a significant milestone for Limestone District School Board. The term of appointment will align with the four-year term served by trustees municipally elected.