Student Leadership

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board recognizes the benefits that accrue when students play an active role in the day to day life of the Board, and in educational planning. The Student Senate enables students to participate in the decision-making process and allows student voices to be heard.

The Student Senate is a committee of students responsible for soliciting, gathering and collating information from secondary school students throughout the jurisdiction of the Board to determine student issues, priorities, and concerns. The Student Senate communicates this information to the Board through the Student Trustee. The Student Senate selects a Student Trustee, for each school year, for appointment to the Board of Trustees of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.

The Student Senate consists of a representative from each secondary school. To qualify for the position of student government leader, a student must be registered full time at a Board secondary school and be at least 14 years of age and no more than 21 years of age during the term. Each secondary school has a process for selecting its student government leader. For information on how a specific school selects a student government leader, please contact your current student government leader or school Principal. 

Meet the Student Trustees Student Government in Schools Policy

Championed by student trustees Justine Mackay and Roan Haggerty-Goede (2020-2021), the Menstrual Equity Project (“ME Project”) is an effort to ensure that schools are more welcoming and inclusive to individuals who menstruate, including those who identify as trans, gender non-binary, or genderfluid.

During the 2021-22 school year, dispensing devices for free menstrual products were installed in at least one female washroom and one all-gender washroom in all KPR high schools and 26 pilot elementary schools. In the coming school year, ME will expand to all schools, with product dispensers and waste receptacles also installed in at least one male washroom.

The ME program was developed to serve students who do not feel they fit traditional male/female definitions, transgender students who are transitioning, and students who have difficulty affording menstrual products. In addition, it is to ensure that all individuals are able to fully participate within the school environment regardless of their socio-economic status. We believe Menstrual Equity is important in ensuring that students who menstruate do not face barriers to accessing school, and that menstruation should not carry social stigma.

See the Menstrual Equity Backgrounder for further information.

KPR offers sincere thanks to 2020-21 Student Trustees Roan Haggerty-Goede and Justine Mackay for championing the introduction of this important project.