Board of Trustees

The Committee evaluates the Board’s educational programs, seeks community input and opinions, and receives research and reports on curriculum development, assessments and implementation. It also makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees as required. 

• Chair: Deb Oldfield 
• Vice Chair: Kelly Miller 

Membership: 

All members of the Board of Trustees are members of the Committee of the Whole – Standing 

Cycle of Meetings: 

The Committee of the Whole – Standing typically meets on the first Monday of each month, except July, August and December. 

• Emma Cunningham 
• Donna Edwards 
• Mark Jacula 
• Stephen Linton 
• Kelly Miller 
• Carolyn Morton 
• Deb Oldfield 
• Shailene Panylo 

Membership (from July 2026): 

• Donna Edwards 
• Stephen Linton 
• Kelly Miller 
• Carolyn Morton 

Cycle of Meetings: 

Meetings are scheduled on an as needed basis. 

As set out in the Director of Education Performance Appraisal Policy and Ontario Regulation 83/24, the Committee works with an external consultant to carry out the Director of Education Performance Appraisal and develop the self-assessment performance evaluation tools for the Director. 

• Chair: Carolyn Morton (through to June 2026) 
• Chair: Carolyn Morton (from July 2026) 

Membership (current through June 2026): 

• Tracy Brown 
• Emma Cunningham 
• Donna Edwards 
• Stephen Linton 
• Kelly Miller 
• Carolyn Morton 
• Christine Thatcher 

Membership (from July 2026): 

• Tracy Brown 
• Donna Edwards 
• Stephen Linton 
• Kelly Miller 
• Carolyn Morton 
• Christine Thatcher 

Cycle of Meetings:

The Director of Education performance appraisal is confidential. All meetings are conducted in private, in accordance with the provisions of Section 207(2)(b) of the Education Act.

The Education Finance Committee oversees the Board’s financial governance responsibilities by developing, and monitoring the annual budget, including transportation. It also advises the Board on expenditures outside the approved budget and provides informed recommendations to the Board of Trustees to approve the annual budget and support sound fiscal decision‑making. 

• Chair: Carolyn Morton 
• Vice Chair: Donna Edwards 

Membership: 

• Michelle Arseneault 
• Tracy Brown 
• Chad Cowie 
• Emma Cunningham 
• Donna Edwards 
• Kelly Miller 
• Carolyn Morton 
• Christine Thatcher 

Cycle of Meetings: 

The Education Finance Committee typically meets a minimum of 4-6 times between April and June each year. 

The Governance and Policy Committee ensures that all Board policies remain current, accurate, compliant, and aligned with legislation, government requirements, and the Board’s strategic plan. It oversees the review and monitoring of existing policies and development of new policies and makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees. 

• Chair: Kelly Miller 
• Vice Chair: Donna Edwards 

Membership: 

• Michelle Arseneault 
• Tracy Brown 
• Chad Cowie 
• Emma Cunningham 
• Donna Edwards 
• Mark Jacula 
• Stephen Linton 
• Kelly Miller 
• Carolyn Morton 
• Deb Oldfield 
• Shailene Panylo 
• Christine Thatcher 

Cycle of Meetings: 

The Governance and Policy Committee meets monthly throughout the school year, typically on the last Wednesday of the month, with some exceptions. 

The Audit Committee is required by Ontario Regulation 361/10 under the Education Act, which sets out the mandate of the Committee.  

Membership  

The Audit Committee is comprised of three Trustees and two External Members and meetings include the Director, Associate Director of Corporate Services, Business staff, External Auditors and Regional Internal Auditors.   

Trustee Members (elected to a two-year term through November 2026): 

• Michelle Arseneault 
• Mark Jacula 
• Carolyn Morton 

Cycle of Meetings 

The Audit Committee meets quarterly. 

The Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) is required by Ontario Regulation 464/97 under the Education Act, which sets out the mandate of the Committee. SEAC helps the Board protect the rights of students with special learning needs. It provides advice, support and information to parents and guardians of students who require extra support.

Membership 

SEAC is comprised of three Trustees and representatives from local associations with an interest in special education.  

Trustee Members: 

• Stephen Linton 
• Donna Edwards 
• Kelly Miller 

Cycle of Meetings

The Special Education Advisory Committee meets monthly throughout the school year, typically on the first Thursday.

For more detailed information on the SEAC and their associations, please visit their webpage at Special Education Advisory Committee.

The Supervised Alternative Learning Committee (SAL) is required by Ontario Regulation 374/10 under the Education Act, which sets out the mandate of the Committee. 

Trustee Members: 

• Michelle Arseneault 
• Carolyn Morton 
• Alternates: 
• Donna Edwards 
• Christine Thatcher

The Parent Involvement Committee is required by Ontario Regulation 612/00 under the Education Act, which sets out the mandate of the Committee. 

Trustee Members: 

• Stephen Linton 

Alternate: 

• Shailene Panylo 

Meeting Cycle: 

The Parent Involvement Committee typically meets every other month during the school year beginning in September. 

For more detailed information on the PIC and their engagements, please visit their webpage at; Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) 

The Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee acts in a strategic advisory role to the Board of Trustees to support the DDSB in addressing intersectional anti-Black racism and to support student achievement and well-being for Black students, as is required under the DDSB’s Human Rights, Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Racism Policy. 

Trustee Members: 

• Tracy Brown 
• Stephen Linton 

Cycle of Meetings 

The Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee sets its own schedule of meetings as needed. 

The Human Rights Advisory Committee acts in a strategic advisory role to the Board of Trustees to support the DDSB in upholding commitments, objectives and responsibilities under the Human Rights, Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Racism Policy.   

Trustee Members: 

• Emma Cunningham 
• Shailene Panylo  

Cycle of Meetings 

The Human Rights Advisory Committee sets its own schedule of meetings as needed. 

The Committee’s mandate is to develop a clear, system‑wide understanding of the nature and extent of violence in schools, along with the structures currently in place to address it. It also examines the practices used to mitigate violence and assesses their impact on school environments. 

• Deb Oldfield, Chair 
• Shailene Panylo, Vice Chair 

Membership: 

All members of the Board of Trustees are members of the Violence in Schools Ad Hoc Committee. 

Cycle of Meetings

The Committee’s Terms of Reference mandate that it meet a minimum of 4 times. Meetings are scheduled as needed. 

Board of Directors Member and Voting Director: Donna Edwards 

Board of Directors Member and Alternate-Voting Director: Kelly Miller

Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)

Michelle Arseneault

Ignite Durham Learning Foundation (IDLF)

Shailene Panylo 

Deb Oldfield