Skip to content

Collingwood trustee elected vice chair of Catholic school board

Peter Fracassi vows to be a 'community advocate'; Newcomer Joe Zerdin says 'it's a true honour to be elected' as board's chair

NEWS RELEASE
SIMCOE MUSKOKA CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
**************************
At the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board's initial board meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 4, Joe Zerdin and Peter Fracassi were elected as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees, respectively. 

Joe Zerdin represents Ward 1 Barrie (Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and Peter Fracassi represents Ward 7 Clearview, Collingwood, Springwater and Wasaga. Both Zerdin and Fracassi have worked tirelessly for Catholic education prior to becoming trustees for SMCDSB.

Zerdin was recently unanimously appointed as a trustee through a selection and interview process this spring following the resignation of the previous Ward 1 Barrie trustee.

In a short period of time, he has demonstrated a commitment to inclusion, collaboration and community building. He has volunteered for 14 years as a member of Catholic School Community Councils and has two children who attend schools in the board.

“It is a true honour to be elected into this role and I will take on my responsibilities with both pride and dedication,” said Joe Zerdin, Board Chair. “My focus is to work closely and collaboratively with my fellow trustees and board staff to maintain the high standard of faith-based programming that our families have come to expect.

"We are facing trying times in education and so we must be unwavering in our commitment to inclusion, exceptional programming and developing strong partnerships amongst our families and staff," Zerdin added.

Fracassi has worked in education for several decades, serving in a wide variety of roles, and has his Master of Science in Education.

“I have dedicated 38 years of my life to Catholic education - throughout my career I have held a variety of positions with a particular focus on working with students with special education needs. I am looking forward to applying this knowledge to my role as a trustee," said Fracassi, Board Vice-Chair.

"My role is to be a community advocate as well as a promoter and protector of Catholic education and I know the best way to do this is by building partnerships and fostering a sense of community between our families, schools and parishes."

**************************