What is a Governing Board?

A governing board is a body established in each school according to the Education Act. It is composed of the principal, parents, teachers, representatives of both the non-teaching professionals and support staff, daycare, and students in cycle 2 of secondary school, and community representatives who work in partnership to ensure that all students receive the best possible learning opportunities.

What does a Governing Board do?

The powers and functions of the governing board are related to four areas: general, educational services, community services and physical and financial resources.

Governing Board Elections

Each September, the chair of the governing board or the school principal calls a general assembly of the parents of the students who attend the school to elect parent representatives to the governing board.

At the meeting, the parents also elect a representative to the EMSB Parents Committee from among their representatives on the governing board.

Terms of Office and Vacancies

The term of office for parent representatives is two years except for the first year a governing board is established when half the parents elected serve one year. The term of office for other members is one year.

If a parent representative leaves the governing board before completing his or her mandate, the other parent representatives on the governing board appoint a parent to fill the vacancy and complete the mandate. A parent representative whose child no longer attends the school may remain a member of the governing board until the next general assembly held before September 30 of the new school year.