Shawn Fitzsimmons, who has served as trustee on the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board since 2006, will chair the board for another year after he was acclaimed at its organizational meeting held on Tuesday, Nov. 28. He also held the vice-chair position during the 2011–12 school year.
“I am honoured to continue in the role of Chair for the upcoming year,” Fitzsimmons said. “And I look forward to working with the Board of Trustees and the Senior Administration Team to promote and nurture the great gift of Catholic Education, so that our students may experience a high degree of success.”
The role of Vice-Chair goes to Jacques Bégin, who “brings a wealth of experience” to the position, the board explained after the vote. He has been a trustee for 26 years and has served as a trustee member on the Special Education Advisory Committee and the First Nations Advisory Committee.
“I am deeply humbled to serve in the role of Vice-Chair as we journey into the second year of our term,” Bégin said. “I look forward to continuing our collaborative work as a Board of Trustees and senior administration team to foster the success of our students in a manner that is truly Rooted in Faith and Alive in Spirit."
Trustees Leo de Jourdan (North Bay), Barbara McCool (North Bay), Mike Sawyer (Nipissing First Nation), Shelly Warren (North Bay), and John Willemsen (West Nipissing) also serve on the Board, as well as Cheyney Chevrier (Indigenous Student Trustee) and Lauren Hards, Student Trustee.
The Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board serves approximately 3,100 students in 11 elementary schools across North Bay, West Nipissing, Mattawa, Powassan and Callander, St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Catholic Secondary School and St. Joseph Adult Education campus, in North Bay.
“Our Board of Trustees looks forward to supporting the achievement of our strategic commitments focused on Catholic Faith, student achievement, well-being, equity, Indigenous education and innovation through continued leadership in and exercise of exemplary governance,” Fitzsimmons said.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
