The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board refers to both the institution responsible for the operation of all English public schools in the city of Ottawa, Ontario and its governing body. Like most school boards, the OCDSB is administered by a group of elected trustees and one director selected and appointed by the Board itself. Additionally, annually, two student trustees are selected per provincial regulation.Every four years, within the context of the Ottawa municipal elections, an election is held within each of Ottawa's twelve trustee electoral zones to elect each trustee. Following election and annually thereafter, the Board of Trustees holds its organizational meeting, where the Board membership elects two of its members to the positions of chair and vice-chair of the Board. Chairs and membership of each of the Board's committees are also determined as part of the organizational meeting. In addition to the twelve trustees, two student trustees are elected by their peers, providing opportunities for the student body to become informed and involved in Board governance.HistoryThe Ottawa-Carleton District School Board was created on 1 January 1998 in accordance with Ontario provincial government legislation including merging of the former adjacent Carleton Board of Education and the Ottawa Board of Education. The headquarters of the amalgamated school district is located at the former headquarters of the Carleton Board of Education at 133 Greenbank Road, Nepean.Historically, and to this day, the OCDSB is one of the very few school boards in Ontario with an advisory council on the arts providing input and annual reports to the Board of Trustees.
