WINDSOR-ESSEX CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Valentinis acclaimed as Chair - Trustee Mary DiMenna named Vice-Chair

Trustee Fulvio Valentinis will remain as the Chair of the WECDSB for another year while Trustee Mary DiMenna will become the new Vice-Chair. Both were acclaimed to their respective positions at tonight's annual organizational meeting.

"I'm humbled and grateful that my fellow trustees have placed their trust in me," said Valentinis, a former Windsor City Councillor who was first elected to the WECDSB in Wards 1 and 10 in 2014 and is now serving his third term as Trustee. "We're beginning this term in an enviable position. Enrollment is up, which means our staffing is increasing and our student achievement is very strong. Those are all great news stories, however we do have a number of challenges ahead in the coming year and I'll be looking forward to working with my fellow trustees and our board's administration on dealing with those issues so that our students may continue to succeed."

Elections for the position of Chair and Vice-Chair are held on an annual basis, and Trustees cast their votes for these positions at the Board's yearly organizational meeting.

Mary DiMenna, who has represented Catholic ratepayers, parents and students in Essex, Kingsville and Leamington since 2003, replaces Trustee Lisa Soulliere as Vice-Chair of the Board. A retired WECDSB elementary teacher who spent 33 years in the classroom, she was Vice-Chair from 2009-17, and has been active on a number of Board committees including the Audit Committee, Special Education Advisory Committee, Discipline Committee and Employee Wellness Committee.

"I'll be looking forward to working with Chair Valentinis, my fellow trustees and our board's administration in making sure that we deliver on our strategic goals and continue to provide the level of excellence in Catholic education that our students, families and communities have come to expect," she said.

In addition to electing the Chair and Vice Chair, the Board welcomed two new Trustees: Joe Iacono, who replaces Tony Polifroni in Wards 2 & 9, and Jason Lazarus who replaces Fred Alexander in Wards 5 & 8. Both were elected in the recent municipal election. Alexander and Polifroni both chose to not seek re-election.