What is the HDSB Student Senate?
We're a group of passionate leaders from public schools across the Halton District School Board, who represent our 66,000 Halton classmates for the year. Our overarching purpose is to represent and govern the largest stakeholder in the HDSB, the students. This is done through monthly Student Senate meetings where we share student perspectives on board issues and voice the 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. The HDSB Student Senate is committed to ensuring that the policies in place within the board reflect the interests and needs of the students.
HDSB Student Senate
Importance of Voting for HDSB Student Trustees
In this video, HDSB students are encouraged to vote when Student Trustee elections are happening. Former Student Trustees briefly outline their duties in their role and how to stay connected in order to log a vote.
Interested in Being a Student Senator for the 2023-24 School Year?
The Halton District School Board is eager to collaborate with the next generation of leaders to work towards tackling prominent issues impacting students.We are once again asking our schools to select passionate student 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 (three if the student population is over 1,500) per secondary school.
School principals have been asked to select student representatives before the first student senate meeting on October 18th . Students interested in this opportunity are encouraged to contact their school principal to put themselves forward as a candidate.
If you have any questions, please email Student Trustees:
Ethan Ruggiero
Tel: 905-335-3663
Toll free 1-877-618-2345
What is a Student Senator ?
Student Senators provide the framework for student governance within HDSB, thus, they are in-trusted represent the hundreds of voices from a school's student body, articulating their classmates' views at the board level. We look to our senators to connect with students from all grade levels, backgrounds and interests to develop a comprehensive opinion to bring to the senate. 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.
Senators and Non-Senators will have opportunities to join senate subcommittee meetings based on the pillars of the 2020-2024 Multi-Year Strategic Plan. These subcommittees are split into themes of Equity & Inclusion, Mental Health and Well-being, Learning and Achievement, Environmental Leadership, along with Indigenous Perspectives and Awareness. Each of these subcommittees dive deep into their respective topics to create awareness, identify areas of change, and further student voice.
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 HDSB board meetings.
The opinion of more than 66,000 Halton students are conveyed to the provincial government through the Student Trustees via the Ontario Student Trustees Association (OSTA-AECO). 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 annual Youth Leadership Symposium as well as other projects, providing feedback to the Student Trustees.
Do I have to be in student council or participate in extracurriculars to be in the 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. In many instances, students who are unable to participate in extracurricular activities are out of one’s range of control, thus it is not a requirement to be in the student senate. 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: Cindy Wang, Ethan Ruggiero
Timelines for Student Trustee Elections
Student Trustee Nomination Form Submission Instructions
If able to print the form...
- Download the form, complete the editable fields and save the form to your computer with this format: “STUDENT-TRUSTEE-2023_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME.pdf”
- Print the form, sign it and ask a parent/guardian to sign it
- Scan the form and email it to your principal. Ask for their approval and signature
- 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…
- Download the form, complete the editable fields and save the form to your computer with this format: “STUDENT-TRUSTEE-2023_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME.pdf”
- Get parent/guardian permission and have them write an email to your Principal stating their support of your candidacy
- Email your form to your Principal, ask for their approval and signature (remind them to look for the email from your parent/guardian)
- 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
- One 4 minute mp4 video. Please view video recording instructions.
- One 8.5 x 11" campaign poster for the Senate social media account
- Photograph for ballot
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Feb. 10, 2023 - Candidate Speeches available by video link for all HDSB students
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Feb. 23, 2023 - Student Trustee Election - Online voting 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
As we approach election season, more information will be released to support interested students in the candidacy process.
How to Become a Student Trustee
Student Trustees 2022-2023
Ethan Ruggiero
Tel: 905-335-3663
Toll free 1-877-618-2345