School boards elect chairs, vice-chairs
Putting students first is a key priority for each new chair of Niagara’s English school boards.
Both elected by their trustee peers in recent days, Sue Barnett will lead District School Board of Niagara and Frank Fera has been chosen chair of Niagara Catholic District Catholic School Board.
Fort Erie-Port Colborne trustee Dave Schaubel will serve as DSBN vice-chair and Fort Erie-Port Colborne-Wainfleet trustee Dino Sicoli as Niagara Catholic vice-chair for the next year until trustees vote again on both positions.
Barnett, a trustee for Welland for many years and who was chair in 2015, said the best possible education for students is at the top of her priority list.
“We’re preparing kids for jobs that don’t even exist yet,” she said in an interview.
Aging facilities are not too much of a concern for the new chair.
“We’re on top of it. There’s ongoing maintenance constantly,” she said.
Frank Fera, a Catholic board trustee for Niagara Falls and Niagaraon-the-Lake since 2000, who served as vice-chair in 2009, will lead the board of trustees in 2019. Enhancing Catholicity and positive communication with unions that represent teachers are two main priorities he listed in an interview.
He feels clearing a “rift” with unions will better serve the student experience.
“It’s the students who give us purpose and hope,” he said.