NEWS RELEASE UPPER GRAND DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
GUELPH – At the November 25, 2025, Board Meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board, Trustee Ralf Mesenbrink was acclaimed as Chair of the Board.
Trustee Mesenbrink is the school board trustee for Wards 2, 3, and 4 in the City of Guelph. This is his fourth time serving as Chair. The position is for a one-year term.
“I’d like to again thank my trustee colleagues for their support and confidence, and in our ability to bring our voices together and collectively make the best decisions for the system.” said Mesenbrink.
He said that while the year ahead will have some challenges, there is so much to celebrate. “We await the release of EQAO data so we can evaluate the continued impact of our investment in foundational learning. We have some major reports coming in the next year or so – the Human Rights Review…and our French Immersion Review, to name two. In the coming Fall, we will celebrate the opening of the new high school in South Guelph. We have expanded, and continue to expand, Alternative [Education] learning offerings across the district. There is lots ahead in the next year,” he said.
Also at the November 25 meeting, Trustee Alethia O’Hara-Stephenson was acclaimed as Vice Chair. This is Trustee O’Hara-Stephenson’s second time serving as Vice Chair after being appointed as Vice-Chair in December 2023.
UGDSB Director of Education Peter Sovran offered his congratulations to Trustees Mesenbrink and O’Hara-Stephenson. “It is a privilege to work alongside you and all Trustees in service of the students and families across the Upper Grand DSB,’ Sovran said.
