Lisa Soulliere (Chair) Jason Lazarus (Vice-Chair) Kim Bouchard Mary DiMenna Frank DiTomasso Mary Heath Joe Iacono Bernie Mastromattei Fulvio Valentinis [7]
The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB, known as English-language Separate District School Board of Education No. 37 prior to 1999[8]) is the separate school board that oversees Catholic education in Windsor and the surrounding County of Essex, in Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in the Windsor-Essex Catholic Education Centre in Windsor.[9] It provides administration to a total of 44 schools which provide classes from kindergarten to grade 12, where Catholic teachings permeate all areas of the curriculum.
The board was created in 1998 from the merger of the Windsor Separate School Board (WSSB) and the Essex County Separate School Board (ECSSB) as the anglophone and francophone separate school boards.
Overview
The board's budget, spending and activities are directed by trustees who are elected for four-year terms, coincident with municipal elections in Ontario. Five trustees are elected to represent areas of Windsor, and four represent areas of the county. Two student trustees are also elected through by-elections of the Student Senate to represent the student body, and the clergy is also represented through a Board Chaplain.
Schools
As of the 2024–2025 school year, the WECDSB administers 32 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 9 secondary schools.
Citing financial, labour and organizational issues, the Ontario Ministry of Education appointed a Supervisor (similar to the Emergency Managers in the State of Michigan) to help the struggling school system with its fiscal and organizational problems.[10]
The Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board has been in financial disarray for years. It is currently the only school board in Ontario to have an accumulated deficit. And, according to the province, has repeatedly failed to present a balanced budget, which is a violation of the Education Act. The Government of Ontario appointed a supervisor to oversee the financial management and administration of the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board for an indefinite period of time. The province made the move just hours after a report by an independent auditor made the recommendation. According to the Ministry of Education, the supervisor will return the board to fiscal sustainability, ensure there are no labour disruptions in the coming year and to put the best interests of students first. Norbert Hartmann has been appointed under the Education Act, effective Sept. 4, 2012. Ontario Education Minister Laurel Broten said immediately after the appointment that Hartmann's appointment is open ended and that Hartmann will stay as long as needed.[11]
Since Supervision
On November 28, 2013, Ontario's education minister lifted the provincial supervision after the board eliminated its deficit and posted a surplus of $5.4 million.[12] A majority of the savings that contributed to the board eliminating its surplus was the result of removing post-retirement benefits, which according to Mario Iatonna, the board's business manager at the time, saved $4.7 million. An enrolment of an additional 58 students to the projected enrolment brought in $500,000 to help eliminate the deficit as well. While the supervision was lifted, the ministry mentioned they would "continue to work with the board to ensure “it stays on track” to eliminate the capital budget deficit by 2017".[13]
^"Home." Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board. Retrieved on December 7, 2012. "Windsor Essex Catholic Education Centre | 1325 California Ave. | Windsor, Ontario, Canada "
