| President, David C. D'Aoust (New Frontiers School Board) | | | | Prior to becoming the President of QESBA in October 2011 and Chair of the New Frontiers School Board in November, 2007, David D’Aoust served as a commissioner for four years. He joined the Community Table as Executive Director in October 2000 following his brief retirement from education after 33 years of service as an immersion teacher, Principal, Director of Educational Services, Secretary General, Director General and Associate Deputy Minister with the Ministry of Education of Quebec. During his tenure in education, he also served as Executive Director of the Quebec English School Boards Association for four years.A graduate of Loyola College (now Concordia), he received his Masters Degree, French Specialist and Special Education diplomas from McGill University. Although retired from education, David continues to serve as a supply teacher in the French school system and claims to have developed a great deal of respect for today’s teachers as they meet the challenges of educating our youngsters.David is a founding and current member of the Board of Directors of SOFAD (Société pour la formation à distance). He served on the Board of Directors of GRICS (Société de gestion du réseau informatique des commissions scolaires), was a Rotarian, a member of the Board of Directors of International Social Services Canada and a past Governing Board member at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School in Ormstown. As a school commissioner with the NFSB, he feels privileged to witness the many exemplary achievements of school staff members, parents and students. His personal mission in life remains HOPE (helping other people excel) and can often be found sharing his wisdom with others even when, as he says, “…they might not want me to do just that!” | | |
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| | Vice-President, Frank Verrillo (English Montreal School Board) | | | | After a long and successful career in the English sector of a smaller French board in the eastern part of the Island of Montreal, Frank Verrillo joined the much larger English Montreal School Board in 1998. Frank holds a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and has worked at the elementary, high school and in adult education sectors as a teacher and administrator. He retired in 2003 and is serving his second term as commissioner for one of the wards in St. Leonard. He was responsible for initiating a well-received organizational review and efficiency study at the EMSB. He has also co-authored a study conducted on behalf of the Quebec Community Groups Network for Heritage Canada on the vitality of the English-Speaking community on the Island of Montreal. Frank is looking forward to returning to QESBA as Vice-President for the next two years after having served on the Executive and as Vice-President of the Association in a previous mandate. “The next couple of years will be both challenging and difficult for QESBA and its member boards, with the media and some Quebec politicians questioning the relevance of school boards,” Frank notes. “QESBA will need strong and dynamic leadership that is knowledgeable and capable of speaking on behalf of English public education and on those issues that affect our youth and adult learners.” | | |
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| | Member-at-Large, Moira Bell (Riverside School Board) | | | | A long-time resident of St. Lambert, Moira Bell has served as a commissioner for Riverside School Board for the past 12 years. During this time she has shown her commitment to the community by chairing or actively participating in a number of standing Board committees, as well as an ad hoc Special Needs Committee mandated by the Board to examine and make recommendations regarding the delivery of services to special needs students. She is proud to have been an integral part in the development of an innovative, inclusive CEGEP programme for students with developmental disabilities, Adam's PACE, as well as several new vocational options in nursing and construction.Moira’s five children have attended St. Lambert Elementary and Chambly Academy, where a long-awaited plan for major renovation and construction has been recently completed. She is a teacher by profession; Moira is committed to finding solutions, which are both pedagogically sound as well as fiscally responsible.Moira believes that it is privilege to serve as Chair of the Council of Commissioners of Riverside School Board and to have the opportunity to work with people who also have a shared vision of leadership. | | |
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| | Member-at-Large, Stephen Burke (Central Québec School Board) | | | | Stephen Burke is in his sixth term as a school commissioner. In November of 1987, Mr. Burke was elected commissioner in a predominantly French-speaking ward of the Commission scolaire des Découvreurs (CSDD) where he served for 11 years, representing the English-speaking minority as well as the French-speaking majority. In 1998, following the creation of linguistic school boards and after having sat on the Provisional Council, Stephen was elected to the Council of Commissioners of the Central Québec School Board (CQSB), where he is now in his thirteenth year. At the CSDD, Stephen’s experience included that of official delegate to the Fédération des commissions scolaires du Québec for 10 years, member (six years) and Vice-Chair (one year) of the Executive Committee as well as member of the Committee for the Evaluation of the Director General (two years). At the CQSB, Mr. Burke has served on a number of selection committees for the hiring of Principals as well as for the Director General. Mr. Burke has been Chair of the CQSB since December 2009. Stephen was born and raised in Québec City and has been a resident of Sainte-Foy for almost 30 years. His three children are all graduates of schools under the jurisdiction of the CQSB, at the elementary as well as the high school levels. He remains committed to contributing actively to the education of Québec’s greatest natural resource, our children. | | |
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| | Member-at-Large, Michael Chiasson (Western Quebec School Board) | | | | Mike Chiasson is the Chair of the Western Quebec School Board (WQSB) serving the vast territories of Gatineau, up to Val D’or and Rouyn Noranda, and QESBA Director and Member-at-Large.Mike was first elected Commissioner in 1994, and was elected Vice-Chairman of WQSB in 2005. Following the 2007 general election, the Council of Commissioners elected him Chair of the WQSB. Mike has been a member of the QESBA Executive Committee for the last three years. He played a leading role in the organization of the QESBA-AAESQ Spring Conference, hosted by WQSB last year.He believes in a good, simple and open communications policy and therefore, transparency. This creates a trusting atmosphere and good working environment for all. | | |
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| | Member-at-Large, Carolyn Curiale (Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board) | | | | Carolyn Curiale is a commissioner and Vice-Chair of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Her involvement in public education began as a school committee member, then as a Parent Commissioner before running for election as commissioner in 1998 when linguistic school boards were formed. Carolyn is an enthusiastic supporter of a strong public education system, and believes that we can build on our successes when we work together. Throughout her life, she has been involved in community organizations such as Guiding, Scouting (in leadership roles) and continues to be an active member of her church. A life-long learner, Carolyn obtained her B.A. in Applied Human Sciences (Human Relations) in 2005 from Concordia University. In her “other life” she works part-time in a management position in the Faculty of Engineering at McGill.Since she became a member of the QESBA, Carolyn has served on several standing committees, as the representative on the Advisory Board for English Education, and currently chairs the Finance Committee. She is the married mother of two adult children. | | |
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| | Member-at-Large, Keith Eldridge (Eastern Shores School Board) | | | | Keith Eldridge har thirty-three (33) years of Financial and Senior Management experience at divisional and corporate levels, including : Vice-President, Vice-President Administration and Quality, Vice-President Human Resources, Vice-President Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Executive Assistant to the President and Assistant Corporate Secretary, Manager Government and Corporate Affairs, Divisional Controller and General Manager and Controller. | | |
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| | Member-at-Large, Rosemary Murphy (Lester B. Pearson School Board) | | | | Rosemary is the mother of two girls and has been involved in public education since 1987 when her older daughter started school.She has been a member of the school committee, the delegate to the regional parents’ committee (ARPAC), the delegate to the Federation of Parents’ Committee of Montreal (FCPIM) and delegate to the Quebec Federation of Parents’ Committee (FCPPQ). In 1998, just before the mergers, she toured Quebec giving workshops to parents, teachers and principals on the Education Act, in particular, on the roles and functions of the Governing Boards. In 2003, she was elected to represent the constituents of Ward 7 and have been dedicating my time to English public education. In 2005, Rosemary retired from her every day job to her devote time and energy to the schools and constituents in Ward 7. She was acclaimed in the 2007 school board elections and was then elected one of LBPSB’s representatives on the QESBA board of directors and subsequently elected to the QESBA Executive Committee. | | |
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| | Member-at-Large, Michael Murray (Eastern Townships School Board) | | | | Born in Montreal, Michael Murray graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston in economics. After an early career practicing transportation economics including consulting in Africa on CIDA projects, he moved to a hobby-farm in Dunham in the Eastern Townships in 1971 and became an entrepreneur. At various times he has been co-owner/manager of a ski resort, realtor managing several offices and investor in revenue property. He currently owns and manage a number of residential rental properties and a mini-warehouse.His career in public service began in 1972, on the board of directors of a residence for independent elders in Cowansville, Qc. Since then, he has served as the elected provincial chair of the Federation of Quebec Real Estate Boards, Director of the Régie régionale of health and social services for the Monterégie, Chair of La Pommeraie CLSC, and several others. He served as director and vice-Chair of the Townshippers Association and was elected director to the founding Board of Alliance Quebec. He is currently a Governor of Champlain College CEGEP. “At this critical juncture in education in Quebec, English school boards need strong experienced leadership and a credible voice as our spokesperson,” Michael notes. “I have the desire to serve, the availability to dedicate myself to our common objectives, and the experience to work closely with colleagues to achieve common objectives.” Michael has been happily married for 43 years, and is father of three and grandfather of four. | | |
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| | Immediate Past President, Debbie Horrocks (Riverside School Board) | | | | Debbie Horrocks is the Past-President of the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA), having been actively involved in the public education sector since 1990. She has been a school board commissioner since 1996 and Vice Chairman of the Riverside School Board on the South Shore of Montreal since 2003. She believes that a strong public education system is a vital component of a healthy community. Debbie has worked in community development with the English linguistic minority community in Quebec for more than a decade, first with CEDEC, and most recently with the Community Learning Centre (CLC) initiative as Assistant Project Director & Community Liaison Coordinator. She is committed to ensuring that the English community is a vibrant and cohesive component of Quebec society – now and in the future. | | |
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