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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2012-12-20, Page 45THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2012. PAGE 45.As the board’s longest serving trustee, Colleen Schenk hopes that her experience will help lead the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) through an uncertain year. With ongoing labour negotiations and job actions by teachers, 2013 is sure to present challenges for the Board of Trustees. Schenk was elected chair of the board, at the inaugural meeting held on Dec. 11. Also nominated was past chair Jenny Versteeg and another trustee, who did not let their name stand. Schenk is in her sixth term with the school board, representing the municipalities of North Huron, Morris-Turnberry and Howick. This will be her second time as chair, also serving once as vice-chair. She has also served two terms as president of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA). “This upcoming year may proveto be challenging with labour unrest,however I have met challenges in thepast and my experience in that regard may help in the upcoming months,” she said, adding “Our board, through the OPSBA, has discussed with the government at length about Bill 115.” The OPSBA is the best way the school boards can get the attention of the government because it is a collaborative effort, she noted. Schenk said she also has a plan for board improvement. “We may benefit from structuring our meetings a little differently, more time is needed for clear, open and free discussion in open session,” she said. She noted that some trustees are overwhelmed by the length of meetings and expressed interest in shortening the meeting schedule and perhaps support moving to a few Saturday meeting or alternate days during the week over the course of the year to accommodate the shortened agenda.“Trustees feel that we just don’thave time to discuss some issuesbecause by the end of the night you get tired. If we cut down on the number of presentations at each meeting by adding a few meetings throughout the year or having a different arrangement for presentations, then meetings won’t be quite so long and onerous,” said Schenk, adding, “After a certain number of hours, you fade out and it would be better for us to be more awake and more open to the presentations because those people have worked long and hard to give us the information and we need to be able to give them the attention they deserve.” She charged each trustee to come up with a list of other board improvements they would like to see happen in the coming year. But it will not all be change, said Schenk. “I hope to continue to build on the foundation laid by many who have Taking over Long-time trustee with the Avon Maitland District School Board Colleen Schenk, left, was elected as the chair of the board for 2013 at their Dec. 11 meeting. Trustee Lynette Geddes, right, was declared vice-chair. 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