WRDSB Trustee Scott Piatkowski won’t seek another term as chairperson

Trustee Scott Piatkowski says he will not be seeking the chairperson’s seat when the Waterloo Region District School Board returns later this month.

The Waterloo-Wilmot trustee had served as chair since December of 2021 after having served as vice-chair.

“I have advised my colleagues that I will not be seeking re-election as Chair, nor will I be running for Vice-Chair,” Piatkowski said in a statement issued over the weekend

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“I think that it is in the best interests of the WRDSB that the focus continue to be on students, not on the relationship between Trustees.”

There were several contentious moments which arose during Piatkowski’s run as chair, including the decision to cut off Carolyn Burjoski during a virtual meeting in January and the suspension of fellow Trustee Mike Ramsey at the end of last school year.

Piatkowski also noted that he is hoping that future disagreements among trustees will be handled in a less acrimonious fashion.

“I’ve concluded that stepping back from the role of Chair is one way in which I can contribute to that goal,” he stated.

Both Piatkowski and Ramsey will be among five returning trustees who were re-elected in September, a list which includes Kathleen Woodcock, Cindy Watson and Joanne Weston.

They will be joined by six fresh faces including Marie Snyder, Bill Cody, Carla Johnson, Meena Waseem, Maedith Radlein and Fred Meissner.

WRDSB trustees will select a new vice-chair and chairperson during their first meeting since the election on Nov. 21.