Trustees committed to serve despite provincial supervision

Newly elected school board trustees in boards under provincial supervision will be serving under terms of Ontario’s Ministry of Education, limiting what they will be able to do in their roles. 

Eight school boards remain under provincial supervision, three of them Catholic boards in the Greater Toronto Area — the Toronto, Dufferin-Peel and York Catholic District School Boards.

The Toronto board has been under provincial supervision since June 27, 2025, when Minister of Education Paul Calandra initiated provincial oversight over concerns about rising deficits and financial management. Frank Benedetto has since taken over governance, financial management and operational oversight. 

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When newly elected trustees take office, they will not be able to immediately assume the same full governance powers had boards not been placed under supervision. Roles like board meeting governance and regular decision-making authority will be suspended so long as trustees remain stripped of their powers. 

Long-serving Ward 2 trustee Markus de Domenico, who was re-elected for a third term to serve the Etobicoke community, offered his views on what this limited role may look like in practice.

“ The ministry has maintained so far that until supervision is lifted and the supervisor is relieved of his or her duties, there will not be board meetings,  governance responsibilities, things of that sort,” he said. 

“However, the important caveat here is in a constitutional difference between TCDSB and (Toronto District School Board, also under supervision), in which we've been given certain rights of a denominational, religious nature — and we believe it will be very soon that the board will be reconvened to deal with certain issues that are certainly denominational. At that point, the trustees will be sworn in, there will be a public meeting and we'll see where it goes from there.”  

A written response to the Register from Angelina Covino, issues advisor and junior press secretary for Calandra, confirmed that newly elected trustees would normally hold their first meeting shortly after their term begins and complete their declaration of office; this process is different for supervised boards, where “governance and decision-making responsibilities already rest with the appointed supervisor.”

It continues, saying for Catholic boards under supervision, trustees will continue to exercise their responsibilities for denominational matters and may meet as needed to address those matters during supervision. 

The Ministry of Education did not respond to the Register’s request to speak with a current supervisor or Calandra. 

For de Domenico, the issue rests in the lack of clarity on what denominational matters specifically entail. 

“There has never been a list or an explanation of what the definition of those denominational rights is, and so that leaves a vacuum filled by each individual trustee to say, 'I believe this is a denominational right,’ ” he said. “We are here to protect Catholic education because we live and breathe the right to have publicly funded Catholic education, and so my belief is that if you're going to have rules and protocols and procedures, that is fine (as it is how) big systems operate, but when you do have those policies and procedures, there's an explanation for them — this is sort of (like) the Wild West.” 

None of those seeking office went in blind on this circumstance. A letter from the ministry reminded candidates running for trustee positions at supervised boards that governance and decision-making responsibilities would remain with the appointed supervisor.

Marissa Largo is now set to serve Ward 7 of the TCDSB. She spoke about why, despite the realities trustees are facing, she chose to put her name forward. 

“ I understand the supervision to be something temporary,” she said, noting the last time the board was under supervision was from 2008 through January 2011.

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“I decided to run nonetheless because I believe that the democratic process needs to be respected and that duly elected trustees will be reinstated. When they are, our board will need strong governance in order to reinitiate our good work, and I wanted to be part of that work because of my experience in education and Catholic education,” the former teacher said. 

Born and raised Catholic, having completed her entire education in the Toronto Catholic board, and a teacher of visual arts and Religion at Toronto's Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School, it is a mission and vocation the mother of two believes in wholeheartedly. 

Admitting that it was a “difficult” decision to run due to the uncertainty of the now 16-month supervision, her belief that trustees must engage with the provincial government so their voices, and those of families and parish communities, are respected again took precedence. 

As for her role regarding denominational matters, Largo still sees a multitude of ways to work towards making her beliefs visible once again. 

“ I have one child who will be preparing for sacraments, and so that is an important role where trustees can still be active participants in the faith formation of our children. A trustee can be involved with the parishes, schools and families to ensure preparation still takes place with the highest quality,” she said. 

“Our Catholic schools still celebrate Mass, and I know I can be part of those celebrations as a Catholic, mother and as a trustee, while being mindful of the provincial supervision.” 

Jonathan Santos, trustee-elect for Ward 9, largely agrees with Largo. He also believes that full trustee rights will eventually return and hopes for constructive dialogue rather than confrontation as a means of gradually restoring influence and strengthening faith formation in Toronto Catholic schools.

“ I think it's just a matter of having the trustees, school communities and the archdiocese come together to say, ‘how can we do this together?’ ” he said. “Let (the minister) focus on all he has to do. We've been elected for a reason, and to have a sit-down and ask what we can do to help the ministry find a plan for success is what I am  hoping and praying for.”

Ward 10 trustee-elect Teresa Colonna shares a determination to serve despite the limits of supervision. 

“ I do believe that we need to respect the democratic right of people voting, and that parents need a voice at the table. They will be heard no matter what. You can't silence someone who is truly standing up with conviction for the right things,” said Colonna. 

Much like Santos, she is especially keen to strengthen the TCDSB's partnership between home, school and parish.

“ If that triangle isn’t working together, the system will fail these children,” she said. 

Largo, Santos and Colonna all remain interested in diplomatic dialogue with the province to gain additional clarity on a timeline of supervision, its exact parameters and a way forward that benefits parents and students at the forefront. While conversations are ongoing, due to the newly elected trustees not yet having been sworn in, there is nothing official that can be done at present. 

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Neil MacCarthy, the Archdiocese of Toronto’s director of public relations and communications, echoed their hopes and expressed best wishes for each trustee as the door for engagement between them and the ministry remains open.

“We congratulate all newly elected and returning Catholic school trustees and thank all those who put their name forward for consideration. We look forward to working with trustees to ensure that faith remains at the heart of Catholic education,” MacCarthy said.