Ottawa-Carleton District School Board


The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board refers to both the institution responsible for the operation of all English public schools in the city of Ottawa, Ontario and its governing body. Like most school boards, the OCDSB is administered by a group of elected trustees and one director selected and appointed by the Board itself. Additionally, annually, two student trustees are selected per provincial regulation.
Every four years, within the context of the Ottawa municipal elections, an election is held within each of Ottawa's twelve trustee electoral zones to elect each trustee. Following election and annually thereafter, the board of trustees holds its organizational meeting, where the Board membership elects two of its members to the positions of chair and vice-chair of the Board. Chairs and membership of each of the Board's committees are also determined as part of the organizational meeting. In addition to the twelve trustees, two student trustees are elected by their peers, providing opportunities for the student body to become informed and involved in Board governance.

History

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board was created on 1 January 1998 in accordance with Ontario provincial government legislation including merging of the former adjacent Carleton Board of Education and the Ottawa Board of Education. The headquarters of the amalgamated school district is located at the former headquarters of the Carleton Board of Education at 133 Greenbank Road, Nepean.
Historically, and to this day, the OCDSB is one of the very few school boards in Ontario with an advisory council on the arts providing input and annual reports to the board of trustees.
In 2009–2010 the OCDSB tried to shut down the Alternative program. A group of students and parents from Lady Evelyn Alt teamed up with a trustee and won the Review.
In 2022 a disciplinary panel with the Ontario College of Teachers found former OCDSB teacher Peter Des Brisay guilty of professional misconduct after sexually abusing a former student in the late 1990s.
In June 2025, the provincial government took over the school board, appointing a supervisor in the process. The government cited "mismanagement and poor decision-making", and that the board had "completely depleted its reserves, incurred an accumulated deficit, and plans to use unsustainable proceeds from asset sales to balance its books" as reasons for the takeover. The move came after two trustees had resigned their positions.

Lawsuits

In 2017 a family was awarded approximately $3,000 after winning a lawsuit against the OCDSB over the board's failure to take a student's complaints about bullying seriously.
In 2018 two former students filed lawsuits against the OCDSB for failing its "legal duty to provide for the safety of its students".
In 2019 an investigation was launched to look into what ultimately resulted in three sex offence charges against OCDSB teacher Majed Turk in July 2020. The alleged incidents occurred between September and November 2019.
As of 2020, there were ongoing lawsuits filed against the OCDSB for the sexual abuse of its students by now deceased teacher and Bell High School basketball coach, Donald Greenham.

Organization

The OCDSB has 147 school sites. Schools within the OCDSB provide English with Core French, Alternative, Early French Immersion, Middle French Immersion, Late French Immersion, Special Education, IEP's and gifted program.

Finances

The OCDSB has an operating budget of $784.8 million for the 2010–2011 school year. In 2007, the school busses belonging to the OCDSB and the coterminous catholic school board were taken over by a new corporation: The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority

Demographics

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is the largest school board in Eastern Ontario, serving students within the City of Ottawa, covering an area of. The OCDSB is the seventh largest district by school population in the province of Ontario. Enrolment as of 31 October 2007 totalled 72,388 students.
The District has 2,711 full-time equivalent elementary teachers and 1,337 secondary teachers, as of 31 October 2007, with 238 principals and vice-principals. In addition to the full-time teachers, approximately 2,494 teachers are on the district's occasional teachers list. The OCDSB also has 2,059 administrative and support staff of whom 1,817 work in the schools.
The chair of the OCDSB is Lyra Evans.

Trustees

The following is a list of trustees elected to the school board since its creation.
ElectionZone 1Zone 2Zone 3Zone 4Zone 5Zone 6Zone 7Zone 8Zone 9Zone 10Zone 11Zone 12
1997Lynn ScottJim LibbeyNorm MacDonaldAlex GettyPatty Anne HillRuss JacksonPam MorseSheryl MacDonaldLynn GrahamAlbert ChambersAndrew LamCynthia Bled
2000Lynn ScottJim LibbeyNorm MacDonaldMargaret LangeMyrna LaurencesonRuss JacksonPam MorseSheryl MacDonaldLynn GrahamJoan SpiceBrian GiffordDavid Moen

2003		Lynn ScottJim LibbeyNorm MacDonaldMargaret LangeAlex GettyBronwyn FunicielloGreg LawsSheryl MacDonaldLynn GrahamJoan SpiceRiley BrockingtonDavid Moen

2003		Lynn ScottJim LibbeyNorm MacDonaldMargaret LangeAlex GettyBronwyn FunicielloGreg LawsDavid PrimeauLynn GrahamJoan SpiceRiley BrockingtonDavid Moen
2006Lynn ScottCathy CurryAlex GettyMargaret LangePam FitzGeraldBronwyn FunicielloGreg LawsJohn SheaRob CampbellJennifer McKenzieRiley BrockingtonDavid Moen
2006Lynn ScottCathy CurryMark FisherDouglas LloydPam FitzGeraldBronwyn FunicielloPam MorseJohn SheaRob CampbellJennifer McKenzieRiley BrockingtonDavid Moen
2010Lynn ScottCathy CurryDonna BlackburnTheresa KavanaghPam FitzGeraldBronwyn FunicielloMark FisherJohn SheaRob CampbellJennifer McKenzieShirley SewardKatie Holtzhauer
2010Lynn ScottChristine BoothbyDonna BlackburnTheresa KavanaghPam FitzGeraldBronwyn FunicielloMark FisherJohn SheaRob CampbellJennifer McKenzieShirley SewardKatie Holtzhauer
2014Lynn ScottChristine BoothbyDonna BlackburnTheresa KavanaghAnita Olsen HarperChris EllisMark FisherKeith PennyShawn MenardErica BraunovanShirley SewardSandra Schwartz
2018Lynn ScottChristine BoothbyDonna BlackburnWendy HoughRob CampbellChris EllisJennifer JennekensKeith PennyLyra EvansErica BraunovanMark FisherSandra Schwartz
2018Lynn ScottChristine BoothbyDonna BlackburnWendy HoughRob CampbellChris EllisJennifer JennekensKeith PennyLyra EvansJustine BellMark FisherSandra Schwartz
2022Lynn ScottAlysha AzizDonna BlackburnSuzanne NashAmanda PresleyLyra EvansJennifer JennekensDonna DicksonNili Kaplan-MyrthJustine BellMatthew LeeCathryne Milburn
2022Lynn ScottJulia ForteyDonna BlackburnSuzanne NashAmanda PresleyLyra EvansJennifer JennekensDonna DicksonNili Kaplan-MyrthJustine BellMatthew LeeCathryne Milburn

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