Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) trustees heard from the community this week through the results of a study on how their strategic plan is being implemented.
The Strategic Plan Update, completed by Kitchener consulting firm Overlap Associates, was commissioned by the WRDSB in March 2025 following the abrupt departure of former Director of Education jeewan chanicka.
Reasons for chanicka’s sudden departure from the public school board in December 2024 remain unclear.
The consultants gathered data from students, faculty, parents, and the broader public through nearly 2,000 completed surveys, four community consultations, 108 submissions, and seven focus groups.
When it comes to the school board’s strategic plan, the report indicates that those they engaged with are “generally aligned with the intent” of the board’s plans, but “confidence depends on clearer language, prioritization, accountability, and visible implementation.”
The current strategic plan was created under the stewardship of the former director of education.
The report recommends that the WRDSB create a new strategic plan with guidance from the engagement conducted by the consulting firm.
Generally, the public believed that the wording in the strategic plan was vague and repetitive, and questioned whether it could deliver “visible, resourced action in schools and for their children.”
“The plan’s breadth and language make it hard for many audiences to understand what the priorities are and what change to expect,” reads the report.
Additionally, results show mixed opinions about how themes of equity in the strategic plan are approached.
“Some see equity framing as essential and overdue; others see language as ideological, unclear, or misaligned with educational purpose. Across perspectives, the recurring signal is that clearer definitions and concrete examples would help keep focus on shared goals, including student learning, well-being, and belonging,” reads the report.
WRDSB trustees accepted the report’s findings. Trustee Mike Ramsay suggested that the board should “slow walk” changes to the current strategic plan, as the board could change drastically following this October’s municipal election.
Additionally, the provincial government is proposing sweeping changes to the role of schoolboard trustees aimed at increasing oversight and accountability.
