Chair and Vice-Chair of LDSB announced for 2020-2021 term

Suzanne Ruttan was re-elected as Chair of the Limestone District School Board (LDSB) for the 2020-2021 term. First-time Trustee Tom Gingrich was elected as Vice Chair.

Trustees voted by secret ballot at their Initial Board Meeting on Wednesday Dec. 9, 2020, according to a release from LDSB dated Thursday Dec. 10, 2020.

Chair Ruttan and Trustee Garrett Elliott were both nominated for the role of Chair of the Board. Trustees Gingrich and Robin Hutcheon were nominated for the Vice Chair position. Trustees elect a Chair and Vice-Chair each year of their four-year mandate.

This is Chair Ruttan’s third term as Chair of the Limestone District School Board. According to the release, she was first elected to the school board in October 2010 as the representative for the Township of South Frontenac. She served as Vice Chair of the Board for the 2017-2018 school year and Chair for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years.

Chair Ruttan expressed her appreciation upon being elected to the role of Chair for a third time this term. “It is a privilege to continue to serve as Chair of the Limestone District School Board. I will serve and fulfill my duties with integrity and mutual respect for students, staff, each other, and the broader communities we serve.”

She said she is committed to keeping the Board focused on its role which includes formulating policy, approving budgets and monitoring the Board’s strategic plan while ensuring every student succeeds in a safe and inclusive environment. “As a Board, we have started the necessary and critical work of confronting anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. We know there is a lot of work to do in our system, and in our communities. The LDSB Equity Action Plan is one of many steps the board is taking to work toward a more equitable district.”

Vice Chair Gingrich, who represents the Kingscourt-Rideau & King’s Town districts, was first elected in 2018. According to the release, he serves as the Trustee representative of The Food Sharing Project Board of Directors and has served as the alternate Limestone representative on the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association. In his new role, Vice Chair Gingrich will chair the Education Policy and Operations Committee.

Trustees also selected their committee roles for the 2021 year. Trustees must serve on at least one committee in addition to the Whole Board (Caucus) and Education Policy and Operations Committee.