Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools election of trustees will be held Nov. 13, 2024

A large slate of candidates is running for positions on the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools board of education. (Photo by Royalty Free www.123rf.com)

Posted By: Kiply Lukan Yaworski November 6, 2024

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News

A municipal election will be held Wednesday, Nov. 13 in communities across the province, including the election of Catholic school trustees for two separate school divisions operating schools within the boundaries of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.

Three Catholic school trustees have already been elected by acclamation in those two separate school divisions, Light of Christ Catholic Schools based in North Battleford, which operates one school in Unity, SK, and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) based in Saskatoon, which operates 50 schools in Saskatoon, Humboldt, Biggar, Martensville and Warman, SK.

Gerald Beres has been acclaimed as elected for Subdivision 1 of Light of Christ Catholic Schools, representing St.  Peter,  Unity, SK.

Acclaimed as elected to the GSCS board are Florian Possberg for GSCS Subdivision 2, representing Humboldt, SK. and area, and Bonita Elliott for GSCS Subdivision 3, representing Biggar, SK. and area.

However, elections will be held Nov. 13 for seven GSCS board of education members-at-large in Saskatoon and for one GSCS Subdivision 1 board member to represent rural areas around Saskatoon (including Martensville and Warman).

In Saskatoon, voters will choose from 23 candidates (for the seven at-large positions):

  • Erik Carey
  • Brett Florizone
  • Shane Keating
  • Dana A. Case
  • Tim Jelinski
  • Mike St. Amand
  • Chelsea Jukes
  • Myron Luczka
  • Kate Day (Née McGettigan)
  • J.R. (Ron) Boechler
  • Jacqueline Gress
  • Hudson Byblow
  • Eric Olauson
  • Owen Fortosky
  • Erin Lockert
  • Diane Boyko
  • Richard Kolla
  • Sandra Molyneux
  • Annette Mireau
  • Sharon Zakreski-Werbicki
  • Kim Hoffart
  • Tanya Clarke
  • Michelle Christopher

In rural areas around Saskatoon (including Martensville and Warman), voters will choose from between two candidates for the Subdivision 1 Catholic school trustee:

  • Michael Raney
  • Wayne Stus

Many of the GSCS candidates have submitted their profiles on the GSCS website (LINK)

This year, the non-profit, non-partisan organization Catholic Conscience collaborated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon to develop a questionnaire for Catholic school trustee candidates about their vision and understanding of the mission of Catholic education. A number of the GSCS candidates have responded, with their answers posted on the bottom of the Catholic Conscience Saskatchewan trustees resource page (LINK).

With 50 schools and over 23,000 students, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools is Saskatchewan’s largest Catholic school division, providing Catholic education from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12 in Saskatoon and area, Biggar, Humboldt, Martensville and Warman. The GSCS vision is to be “rooted in faith, growing in knowledge and reaching out to transform the world.” – www.gscs.ca

Voting information:

The City of Saskatoon website has voter information posted online (LINK) including information about the election of Catholic separate school trustees to the GSCS board of education. Voting takes place in Saskatoon at various locations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13.

Voting for GSCS Subdivision 1 Saskatoon rural area Catholic school trustees will take place as part of the municipal election held 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024 at the following polling places:

  • Warman: Brian King Centre, 208 8th Avenue North
  • Martensville: North Ridge Centennial Community Centre, 901 – 3rd Street North
  • Aberdeen: Aberdeen Town Office, 401C Main Street North
  • Viscount: Viscount Village Office, 220 Amherst Avenue
  • Clavet: Clavet Community Hall, #2 Second Avenue
  • South Corman Park: South Corman Park School, 1760 Baker Road, Casa Rio, SK
  • Vonda: Vonda Town Office, 204 Main Street

Who Can Vote:

For a person to be eligible to vote on election day, they must:

  • be a Canadian citizen
  • be at least 18 years of age
  • have resided in Saskatchewan for at least six consecutive months immediately before the election day (Nov. 13)
  • have resided in municipality, or on land now in the municipality, for at least three consecutive months immediately before the election day (Nov. 13); or is the owner of assessable land in the municipality, or land now situated in the City of Saskatoon, for at  least three consecutive months immediately before the election day (Nov. 13)

To be eligible to vote for the separate school division (Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools), a voter must:

  • be of the Catholic faith (any Catholic rite, such as Roman, Ukrainian, Chaldean, etc., that recognizes the pope as the leader of the church)
  • only vote in one school division (if a separate school division voter opts to vote for the public school board, they automatically become ineligible to vote for a separate school trustee)
  • be a resident voter (owners of assessable land in the municipality who are not ordinary residents can only vote for mayor and councillor and are not eligible to vote for a school board trustee).

-30-

Kiply Lukan Yaworski is the communications coordinator for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon – rcdos.ca. Communications and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca.