Three decades with the UCDSB
- 1996 to 2026 supporting students and families
- Knows the board, its schools and its staff from the inside
Election day is Monday, October 26
Vote Katherine (Kate) Vrastak
Candidate for English Public School Board Trustee
Upper Canada District School Board, Cornwall
"Our children are not simply our future. They are tomorrow's leaders."
- Students first
- Staff matters
- Mental health
- Youth leadership
- Stronger schools
Meet Katherine Vrastak
I am Katherine Vrastak — a lifelong educator, Registered Social Service Worker, community advocate, grief educator, tutor, Learning Specialist at St. Lawrence College, and passionate believer in the potential of every person.
From 1996 to 2026, I dedicated three decades to supporting students and families through the Upper Canada District School Board. Those years strengthened my belief that education is about far more than academics. It is about relationships, belonging, advocacy, compassion, and helping young people discover their own voice and potential.
My commitment to community continues through my involvement with Bereaved Families and the Seaway Valley Community Centre, supporting individuals and families through grief, life transitions, connection, and healing. I also continue to work directly with students in our community through tutoring, providing individualized encouragement and learning support so they can build confidence from the roots up.
Today I work as a Learning Specialist at St. Lawrence College here in Cornwall, helping students find the strategies and supports that let them succeed.
Whether I am supporting a grieving family, encouraging a student, volunteering in the community, or advocating for stronger systems of care and education, my purpose remains the same: to meet people where they are, help them recognize their strengths, and create opportunities for them to rise.
For me, service has never simply been something I do. It is part of who I am.
Registered Social Service Worker
- Grief educator with Bereaved Families
- Volunteer at the Seaway Valley Community Centre
- Supporting families through grief, transitions and healing
Still working with students today
- Learning Specialist at St. Lawrence College, Cornwall
- Tutoring students across our community
- Individualized encouragement and learning support
- Helping young people build confidence from the roots up
Schools I worked at
Three decades across Cornwall and area, in the hallways and classrooms these decisions actually affect.
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Eamer's Corners Public School
Central Public School
Viscount Alexander Public School
Gladstone Public School
Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School
St. Lawrence Secondary School
Glengarry District High School
My commitment
Strong schools where every child can thrive. Here's what I'll stand up for at the board table.
First thing I'll bring to the board table
A future without portables at Eamer's Corners
Students at Eamer's Corners shouldn't have to walk outside in the cold to reach a portable classroom. I'll advocate for one complete new school, built for safety and inclusion, with no portables.
Alongside it, I'll push for responsible class-size caps so educators can meet each student's academic and emotional needs.
Smaller class sizes and stronger student support
Manageable classes let educators notice what each child needs. I'll push for early intervention and strong literacy and numeracy supports.
Mental health and student well-being first
Safety and emotional well-being come before learning, not after it. I want earlier intervention and stronger supports inside our schools.
Safe, inclusive, welcoming schools for every learner
Every child should walk into a school where they feel they belong, and where families are welcomed as partners.
Student leadership, voice, and family advocacy
Our students are tomorrow's leaders. I'll make room for their voices, and for parents' voices, in the decisions that affect them.
Special education without the fight
Families shouldn't have to battle for support. I'll push for timely assessments, proper staffing, inclusive programs and clear communication.
Supporting the people who support our students
I believe strong schools begin by supporting the people who show up for students every day — our teachers, educational assistants, support staff, and specialized professionals.
My commitment is to advocate for stronger access to resources, training, and government-supported programs that help staff respond effectively to the mental health, learning, behavioural, and developmental needs of every student. This includes meaningful support for students with ADHD, learning disabilities, special education needs, neurodiversity, and diverse abilities and backgrounds.
Our educators should never feel they are expected to meet increasingly complex needs without the proper tools, staffing, and resources behind them. When staff are supported, students are better positioned to feel safe, understood, included, and ready to learn.
I am equally committed to advocating for safe, reliable, and accessible student transportation. Parents should be able to send their children from home to school with confidence, knowing that transportation is dependable, well-coordinated, and centred on student safety.
My approach is simple: listen first, collaborate thoughtfully, and advocate responsibly. Stronger supports for staff create stronger outcomes for students — from the roots up.
Stronger supports for staff create stronger outcomes for students, from the roots up.
Our children are not simply our future. They are tomorrow's leaders.
Together, from the roots up.
- We rise.
- We lead.
- We speak.
- We create change.
Where I stand
Straight answers on the questions Cornwall families are asking.
Read my full interview in The SeekerWill you protect school busing?
I'm committed to advocating for safe, reliable, and accessible student transportation. Parents should be able to send their children from home to school with confidence, knowing that transportation is dependable, well-coordinated, and centred on student safety.
How will you treat rural and smaller schools?
Every community deserves to be heard. Decisions about funding, programs, consolidation or closure should weigh student well-being, transportation, community impact and long-term quality of education, not the budget alone.
What about cellphones in class?
Technology can help students learn, but it should never get in the way of safety, focus or healthy relationships. I support clear, age-appropriate limits, with room for teachers to use devices when there's a real learning purpose.
Where should the board draw the line on AI?
We shouldn't fear AI or ignore it. Students need to learn to use it ethically, think critically, protect their privacy and keep their work honest. Teachers need clear policies and training to guide them.
How to vote in Cornwall
Cornwall elects one English Public trustee to the Upper Canada District School Board. If you're an English public school supporter, Kate's name is on your ballot.
46days until election day
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October 12 to 26
Opens 8 a.m. October 12, closes 8 p.m. October 26
Vote online from home, any time during the voting period.
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October 21 to 23
8 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day
Advance voting in person at the Cornwall Square.
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Monday, October 26
Election day
Your last chance to vote. The City's How to Vote page lists where to go and what ID to bring.
Before you vote
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Let's build strong schools. Together.
Wear a campaign t-shirt, help on the campaign, or tell me what's happening at your child's school.
Connect with me
Send Kate a message
Navy shirt with Kate's tree design on the front and "Together, We Change." on the back.