The Rainy River District School Board (RRDSB) has elected Lori-Ann Shortreed as the new trustee to fill the position for former trustee Michael Graham who resigned earlier this year.
Shortreed was sworn in as trustee at the RRDSB board meeting on April 2, 2024.
The applicant interview took place last week at the special board meeting on March 27.
For the interview process, Shortreed shared why she believes she will be a great trustee for the board by highlighting her former experiences as municipal councillor for the Township of Emo and her constant involvement in the education system.
Shortreed has lived in Emo, Ontario, for most of her life where she currently raises her family. She has always been interested in academics and how schools are run. When her kids were in the local education system, she was an active parent that stayed in touch with what was happening at school.
Although her kids have moved onto higher education elsewhere, Shortreed says she finds herself in the same position, always wondering and learning about the local school system, because she works as a daycare provider.
“I do have a lot of information and feel that that helps me to stay in touch with what’s happening in the local schools, from the parents and from the children themselves who come here after school,” she said during her applicant interview.
Furthermore, her past experiences as a town councillor for the Township of Emo has equipped her with understanding about how policies and procedures are developed, and how important it is to be accountable for your decisions.
“I also am aware of the policies that the board tries to have in place to guide trustees along in this matter,” she said, adding that her knowledge will be even more helpful to the RRDSB board once she has more time to review them.
Well-versed in the process of forming budgets for the Township of Emo and in previous boards she has served, Shortreed says the process can be tedious but when people work together for the betterment of the community, it becomes less daunting.
“When we’re doing it for the betterment of our community, our schools and the children who go to them, it makes the process worthwhile in the end,” she said.
Shortreed has an understanding of all levels of government that education comes under and has also been in attendance in meetings with Stephen Lecce, the Minister of Education from the Ontario government.
I’ve met him via Zoom—this happened all during COVID times,” she said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to meet him face to face, but I understand how his office works and how his policies and procedures trickle down into our local board. And I feel that my understanding of that will be beneficial to the decisions that have to be made at the local level.”
Shortreed says her understanding of local municipal government has grown into an interest to learn more about how the education system works, which was one reason why she decided to apply to become a trustee.
Shortreed joins the board part way through a term, making her situation unique to most trustees, although not for Shortreed who joined the municipal council in the Township of Emo part way through as well.
Shortreed told the board that she had already reviewed some of the agendas and minutes to gain an understanding of what the board has been working on the past few months.
“So that was very helpful so far in also my decision to apply to be a trustee,” she said. “I think a lot of reading will be ahead of me to try and understand exactly where you’re going for the next for the rest of this term and also being able to talk with people about what has been happening.”
“I’m a pretty outgoing person, so I have no problem calling somebody up and asking them a question about what might be happening next or why they made this decision previously. So I would look forward to that challenge,” Shortreed said.
In response to an interview question about knowledge of a trustee’s key roles and responsibilities, Shortreed noted three factors she felt are most important—listening to families and parents, staying accountable to the public, and being informed about board policies and mandates.
Families and parents are the grassroots of what is happening in the education system for their children, she said. Regarding accountability, Shortreed highlighted the importance of making decisions that benefit all children and families under the jurisdiction. She sees that being able to hold open conversations with anybody while maintaining confidentiality is important.
In response to a question about characteristics of an effective school board, Shortreed said that board members should understand the diversity that is in each school and always strive to do their best.
“I think throughout our whole lives we are always constantly learning and growing,” she said. “And being able to do that makes for making decisions that are very important to the future of children and our communities a lot easier if we all have that ability to work together and be understanding of each other and the work that a board has to carry out.”
“I look forward to being able to meet everyone and to help the students in our district to achieve and believe and grow into the best people that they can be,” Shortreed said.
