Local Government Week

HWCDSB celebrates its Catholic School Trustees

October 14-20, 2025 has been designated by the province as Local Government Week, and was established to increase youth and public awareness about the role local government plays in our communities. 

This week is a wonderful opportunity for the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board to promote and celebrate the distinct and crucial service provided by locally elected Catholic School Trustees/Boards. 

Being a Catholic School Trustee is a call to service. “He or she who seeks the office of trustee is seeking an honourable office,” commented Cardinal G. Emmett Carter in The Challenge of Trusteeship.

As the democratically elected representatives of the Catholic Community, Catholic school trustees not only serve as stewards and advocates for publicly funded Catholic Education but as well govern the Catholic School Systems in Ontario which have ever more increasingly become an important part of the teaching ministry of our Church. This week provides Catholic School Boards with an opportunity and platform to communicate the role of Catholic school trustees and as well to promote the enduring gift of Catholic Education. 

Catholic School Board Trustees:

• School board trustees are the oldest form of elected representation in Ontario
• The first Catholic school in Ontario was built in Glengarry County in 1826
• Catholic school board trustees are the only publicly elected official with direct responsibility for the education of children in Ontario’s publicly funded Catholic schools

A Distinctive Focus – Catholic Trustees:

• have a vision of Catholic education that is Christ-centred
• are committed to educating students in the Catholic faith tradition
• work collaboratively with all partners in education for the betterment of all
• embrace the knowledge that their service is an investment in the future leadership of our communities, our Catholic schools, our country and our Church

Catholic School Board Responsibilities

• Establish the Catholic school board’s vision, mission and goals
• Develop school board policies that protect and promote the constitutional right of the Catholic community to govern Catholic schools
• Set and monitor the annual budget
• Develop and monitor the HWCDSB’s multi-year strategic plan
• Select the Director of Education and other staff
• Communicate the views and decisions of the board to constituents
• Represent the school board as a whole to the Catholic community
• Uphold the implementation of resolutions passed by the board

Elected Representation:

• Catholic Trustees are elected every four years during municipal and school board elections
• There are 9 publicly elected Catholic trustees representing 56 schools in 15 wards across Hamilton

Catholic Trustees are the stewards, advocates, servant leaders and political representatives for Catholic education in Ontario

HWCDSB Board of Trustees 2023-2024:

Ward 1, 2 & 15: Mark Valvasori
Ward 3 & 4: Josie Angelini
Ward 5: Aldo D'Intino
Ward 6: Ellen Agostino
Ward 7: Patrick J. Daly
Ward 8 & 14: John Valvasori
Ward 9 & 11: Louis Agro
Ward 10: Mary Nardini
Ward 12 & 13: Phil Homerski