Ontario Public School Boards' Association

RCDSB Welcomes MPP Billy Denault for Ontario Public School Boards’ Association’s Take Your MPP to School Week at Beachburg Public School

Today, we had the pleasure of hosting MPP Billy Denault (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke) at Beachburg Public School!

The visit allowed RCDSB leadership and local officials to discuss key priorities, including the upcoming September 2026 Kindergarten curriculum and the expansion of childcare spaces in the Whitewater Region.

Board Chair Leo Boland, Vice Chair Roger Clarke, and local leaders joined the visit to showcase the incredible work of our students and staff.

Thank you in for welcoming me during the “Take Your MPP to School” week, a province-wide initiative by Ontario Public School Boards' Association!

This opportunity allowed me to see first hand a local elementary school with a big heart.
I learned about the impact our government’s investment of $37.5 million across Ontario in the Student Nutrition Program (SNP) and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program (FNSNP) has made.

Across Ontario we helped deliver over 140 million healthy meals and snacks under the Student Nutrition Program and more than 1.4 million meals and snacks to students in Indigenous communities.

🔗: https://andreampp.com/ontario-increasing-student-nutrition-investment-to-37-5-million/

It was a productive day for OPSBA’s trustee-led work groups today as they met to discuss Bill 101’s impacts on the sector, the upcoming Municipal and School Board Elections, adult and continuing education, school food programs, e-learning, funding, provincial advocacy and child care regulations.

Many thanks to Paul Cox of the Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School Board Administrators, Jon Proctor of the .caso, and Sarah Keyes of the Ontario Chapter of the for sharing their valuable time and knowledge.

Despite current challenges, Ontario’s dedicated local trustees continue to be your community education champions, keeping decision-making close to home and bringing the concerns of families and schools to the provincial level through our association.

We’re honoured to be a community partner of the 2026 , happening April 16-18 in Toronto.

is Canada’s premier gathering of , welcoming changemakers from coast to coast in driving bold action to strengthen and protect our democracy.

We remember Stephen Lewis today, always a strong supporter of public education.

Lewis knew that an educated world is a more just world. He spent his life fighting to ensure that knowledge and opportunity weren’t privileges, but human rights. Today we remember and honour a true advocate for the next generation.

We are receiving so much support from Ontario‘s municipalities. Thank you to each council member who is supporting local school board governance and community voice in our public education system.

Democracy is not “outdated”. It’s how we make sure every community, from Kenora to Kingston, has a say in shaping the schools that shape our kids. Elected trustees mean open meetings, transparent budgets, and accountability you can see. Eliminating them silences the only direct, elected voice families have in public education. Once that’s gone – it’s gone for good.

Tell the Ontario government to keep education decisions close to home and protect our democratically-elected local school board trustees at www.democracyisnotoutdated.ca.