The Waterloo Region District School Board is committed to strengthening connections through family and community engagement. One opportunity for engagement is through delegations. 

Delegations have two (2) options: 

  1. Delegate in person at 51 Ardelt Avenue, Kitchener, Ontario.
  2. Attend the meeting virtually via Zoom.

Effective July 1, 2024: Changes have been made to the WRDSB Bylaws pertaining to Delegations. Please review the below information carefully.

You may register as a delegation by completing and submitting the online delegation form. You should register by noon on the Thursday prior to the meeting in order for your information to appear on the Agenda and to be permitted visual aids.  Delegations not making prior arrangements by noon on Thursday may still register until noon on Monday and may be added to the agenda only on the approval of a majority vote of the trustees, and if there are not already the maximum of ten (10) delegates. 

The form requires you to confirm your eligibility and submit your full script. Once this form has been received your delegation request will be confirmed during business hours.

Please note that a maximum of ten (10) delegates will be scheduled per Committee of the Whole or Board Meeting. The exception to this rule is Special Delegation Meetings, which the Board has the option of scheduling to hear from the public on specific matters such as budget or accommodation reviews.

You may register for one place on the agenda. Once registered, your place is not transferable to another party unless extenuating circumstances exist (e.g. illness of delegate). Multiple registrations (registering for other people besides yourself) are not permitted under the Board’s Bylaws.

At regular Board meetings, delegations may speak only to matters relevant to those items listed on the agenda. All other presentations will be referred to the Committee of the Whole meetings.

Eligibility

Delegations must be:

  • WRDSB students or their caregivers and families;
  • Region of Waterloo residents who direct property taxes to support WRDSB; or
  • Bona fide experts on a topic under consideration by the board for information only.

Any request to delegate at a Committee of Whole or Board meeting may be approved at the good faith discretion of the Chair who shall, in considering whether to grant approval:

  • Consider if the individual has followed the appropriate steps to resolve the concern through The Process for Addressing Concerns outlined on the WRDSB Website including:
    • Step 1: Talk with Your Child’s Teacher
    • Step 2: Talk with Your School Principal
    • Step 3: Talk with Your School Superintendent of Student Achievement & Well-Being
    • Step 4: Talk with the Associate Director of Education
  • Consider if the matter is within the scope and authority of the Board of Trustees or whether the matter is operational in nature or within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education or some other entity;
  • Consider whether the proposed delegation would be consistent with the Board’s commitments and statutory duties and responsibilities under the Education Act, the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Board’s Human Rights Policy. 

A delegation can speak to the same topic, or one deemed substantially the same, only once within a 12-month period unless the delegation has substantial new information.

If there is a concern with the manner in which a proposed delegation is designed or framed, the requester is to be given an opportunity to rectify the issues prior to any denial. If the denial is maintained, the proposed delegation shall be circulated to all trustees by email with a summary note as to the nature of the denial.

Visuals

Delegates are permitted to use visual presentations to aid in the delegation. Visual presentations must adhere to relevant legislations including, but not limited to, the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). This presentation must be provided to the Manager of Corporate Services by noon on the Thursday before the meeting in a format agreed to in advance.

 

The WRDSB will provide appropriate accommodations based on any of the human rights protected grounds to support delegations.

If you have any questions regarding the delegation process contact Stephanie Reidel, Manager of Corporate Services at stephanie_reidel@wrdsb.ca.

Register your delegation!