Student Senate

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​What is the HDSB Student Senate?​​​

We're a group of passionate leaders from public schools across the Halton District School Board. We meet once a month to provide the student perspective on board issues and to voice the questions and concerns of Halton students. The Student Trustees relay these perspectives to the Board of Trustees to ensure that students are being represented. Each year, we also organize and run the Halton Youth Leadership Symposium, a conference for Halton students.  ​

HDSB Student Senate - Learn More​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interested in being a Student Senator for the 2021-22 school year?​​

The Halton District School Board is once again asking our schools to select representatives for the Student Senate.  We are looking for students in Grades 7 to ­12 from every school – a maximum of one student per elementary school, and a maximum of two students per secondary school.  

School principals have been asked to select student representatives (date to be posted later). Students interested in this opportunity should reach out to their principal to put themselves forward as a candidate. 

If you have any questions, please email Student Trustees.

Vandy Widyalankara
widyalankarv@hdsb.ca

Evan Taylor
taylorev@hdsb.ca​​​​​

​What is a Student Senator ? 

The role of each Student Senator is to represent your school's student body. Student Senators will be dedicated individuals who are passionate in creating and maintaining a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment for all students within their school and the HDSB. Successful Student Senators are mature and responsible individuals capable of taking on large-scale projects, completing tasks in an efficient manner, and willing to commit 5-10 hours per week to representing Halton youth.

​​​The HDSB student senate is a forum​ for students  in the Halton District School Board to discuss issues that relate to their education in the Halton District School Board. Student opinions are represented by two student ​trustees​ at the bi-weekly board meetings of HDSB. 

The opinio​n of more than 60,000 Halton students are conveyed to the provincial government through the Student Trustees via the Ontario Student Trustees Association. This association collaborates with the province and the Minister of Education on legislation to solve youth issues in Ontario

The local senate hosts Halton's ann​ual Youth Leaders​hip Symposium as well as other projects, providing feedback to the Student Trustees.

How do I join Student Senate?

• Talk to your principal in September

Do I have to be in student council to be in student senate?

No. Student Senate offers the opportunity for all students from Grades 7-12 to be a member, in order to diversify our student voice, and provide leadership opportunities to all students.  All schools will be asked to choose student representatives – a maximum of one (1) per elementary school, and a maximum of two (2) per secondary school.​  Administrators email the names of students who will be representing your school to:

Vandy W​idyalankara​​, Evan Taylor​​​

Timelines for Student Trustee Elections 

• ​The Student Trustee Election Letter​ to Principals  can be found here​
  

• Presentation delivered on February 1, 2021 - click here ​
  

• Feb. 12, 2021 - Deadline for Candidate Applications to Director's Office, including: 

• ​Student Trustee Nomination form, which can be found on Appendix A of the StudentTrustee Policy
  
  ​Instructions on Submitting your Form
  

If able to print the form...

1. Download the form, complete the editable fields and save the form to your computer with this format: “STUDENT-TRUSTEE-2021_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME.pdf”
2. Print the form, sign it and ask a parent/guardian to sign it 
3. Scan the form and email it to your principal. Ask for their approval and signature
4. Confirm with your Principal whether they or you will forward the form to Susan Thrasher at thrashers@hdsb.ca​ 

If unable to print the form…

1. Download the form, complete the editable fields and save the form to your computer with this format: “STUDENT-TRUSTEE-2021_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME.pdf”
2. Get parent/guardian permission and have them write an email to your Principal stating their support of your candidacy
3. Email your form to your Principal, ask for their approval and signature (remind them to look for the email from your parent/guardian)
4. Confirm with your Principal whether they or you will forward the form and email from your parent/guardian to Susan Thrasher at thrashers@hdsb.ca 
   

• ​​4 minute mp4 video
  

• One 8.5 x 11" campaign poster for the Senate social media account
  
• Photograph for ballot
• Feb. 23, 2021 - Candidate Speeches available by video link for all HDSB students
• Feb. 25, 2021 - Student Trustee Election (online voting 12:00-6:00 pm)​
  

Student Trustees 2020-2021

Vandy Widyalankara
Tel: 905-335-3663
​or Toll free 1-877-618-2345
widyalankarv​@hdsb.ca