At Tuesday’s initial meeting of the Board of Trustees, John Van Heck was acclaimed to the position of Chair of the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.
Trustee Michelle Parks was acclaimed Vice Chair, a position she had previously held for the past year.
Van Heck is a former Vice Chair of the Board and has been a trustee since 2006. In accepting the office of Chair for the first time, he thanked his fellow trustees for the privilege of serving the Board in this new capacity.
He also paid tribute to out-going Chair, Carol Bryden.
“Carol has served our Board with distinction. She has been a strong Catholic leader, not only within St. Clair, but across the province,” said Mr. Van Heck.
In his address to the Board, Mr. Van Heck stressed the importance of maintaining a school system with a strong Catholic faith component.
“I want our faith, a real Catholic faith, to shine through all that we do. That is what makes our school system unique and it is why I am a Catholic trustee,” he said.
Michelle Parks was first elected as a Catholic trustee ten years ago. In her remarks to the Board tonight, she pledged to continue to work with her fellow trustees and senior administration to always put the best interests of the students first.
“I know that student achievement and well being will always be our first priority, as we meet our mission objectives of living our faith; promoting educational achievement and innovation; and fostering stewardship, leadership and social justice,” said Mrs. Parks.
Elections for the positions of Chair and Vice Chair are held annually at the Board’s December meeting.
The term of office for both positions expires at the end of November 2016.
The evening began with Mass, which was celebrated in the chapel of the Ursuline Boardroom. Father Dan Vere was celebrant, assisted by Board Chaplain, Deacon Jerry Lozon. A blessing of the newly refurbished Catholic Education Centre followed Mass.
