Proven Leadership
Jaimie provides proven, non-partisan leadership and experience at the local, provincial and national level.
Putting local priorities into action.
Jaimie is a strong, local leader.
I have served on the Saskatchewan Rivers Board of Education since 2008.
This involves working as part of a board of 10 democratically elected trustees to provide local voice and perspective at the strategic and policy level. The board works collaboratively to allocate resources (funding) and work in partnership with communities to set priorities and deliver high quality education. I believe that professionalism and collaboration in the boardroom are hallmarks of good governance. At the same time, I value and invite change, have the courage to ask critical questions and have high expectations for accountability and transparency to the public. I believe in defining success, measuring results, consultation and collectively problem-solving. Ethical governance, inviting diverse views and asking critical questions in a safe & respectful environment are an essential part of the democratic process. I champion the core values of excellence for every learner, respect for diversity and achievement for all students.
What does it mean to provide local voice in education?
It means working productively with a governance and administrative team, engaging local teachers, staffs, families, communities, Elders and SCCs. It means cultivating partnerships. It means listening to the loudest voices and the less heard voices in our communities. It means taking calls at all hours, during long drives and on weekends. It means thoughtfully responding to emails. It means hearing concerns, clarifying policies and procedures, and being there to celebrate student success in the classroom, on the sidelines, at the concerts and at cultural events. It means creating formal mechanisms where students, staff and communities can inform decisions.
Jaimie is a change agent.
Some Key initiatives:
Developed the annual Board Development Plan (2010-2020). Implemented.
Developed the annual Board Advocacy Plan (2010-2020). Implemented.
Represented the board through the creation of the Kisewatotatawin Partnership and formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Muskoday First Nation (2012-2013). Signed & Implemented.
Brought forward recommendations to implement a board competency matrix to inform board development. Implemented.
Tabled recommendations through the Policy Committee, including: school naming procedures, the renewal of flag protocols to include Treaty and Metis Nations flags, the integration of the Elders Council and Student Voice into governance policies, the renewal of Director of Education Evaluation tools and processes to improve governance practices. Implemented.
Tabled recommendations through the Policy Committee, including: Code of Conduct for trustees, Conflict of Interest for trustees, Safe Disclosure and Harassment Investigations, EDIA, Social Media Guidelines, hiring policy, enhancing the role of SCCs. Committee dissolved by a motion of the board.
Tabled a policy recommendation to develop guidelines for trustees seeking other office (MLA, MP, municipal council). Defeated.
Introduced the potential implementation of an International Baccalaureate Program for the school division. Explored and defeated due to lack of resources.
Supported a strong board focus on enhancing academic enrichment opportunities in the division, including: expanding dual credit options for high school students, Science Enrichment Days, Cree language programming and the Global Sports Academy. Implemented, all.
Tabled a motion supporting the development of an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policy. Passed.
Tabled a motion supporting the development of a Pride logo for the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Board. Passed.
Represented the Saskatchewan Rivers School Board on CUPE and LINC bargaining committees. Ratified, both.
Supported the implementation of Staff Satisfaction Surveys to enhance the voice of teachers and staff. Implemented.
Tabled a motion affirming the board’s commitment to Early Learning. Ratified.
Tabled a provincial resolution to a universal full-time Kindergarten in Saskatchewan. Co-sponsored by Saskatoon Public School Board. Ratified.
Tabled a provincial resolution to seek changes to the Local Government Elections Act and Regulations to enable persons living on First Nations to vote and run in school board elections. Co-sponsored by the Indigenous Council of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association. Ratified.
Tabled a provincial resolution supporting the review of legislative and regulatory barriers to rural school capital planning and renewal. Ratified.
Tabled a provincial resolution together with Trustee Michelle Vickers that supports the co-location of health and education services in schools. Passed.
Tabled a provincial resolution to revise the Saskatchewan School Boards Association’s Employee Benefits Plan. Ratified.
Tabled a provincial resolution that endorses the Saskatchewan Disability Strategy while calling for funding to make schools more accessible. Ratified.
Tabled a provincial level resolution together with former trustees Rod Thompson and Grant Gustafson to advocate for legislative changes to allow for student representation (student trustees) on school boards. Passed, 2x.
Supported the implementation of student representation (student trustees) as a local initiative. Implemented.
Advanced the positions of local student representatives: opposing departmental exams, enhancing school mental health, increasing financial literacy, integrating student voice into decision-making. Amplified.
Tabled a provincial level resolution that resulted in the development of a position statement on Inclusive Education to support related advocacy. Co-sponsored by Prairie Spirit School Board. Ratified.
Supported resolutions that resulted in enhanced advocacy at the federal and provincial level for enhanced support for Syrian refugees transitioning into schools, the province wide declaration of Orange Shirt Day by all 27 boards of education, restoring the authority to recommend a mill rate to the provincial government, a review of the legislative and regulatory framework for Independent Schools that currently operate outside of the publicly funded education system. All ratified.
In 2019 Saskatchewan Rivers School Board won the Premier’s Award for Excellence and Innovation in Education for our Student Voice initiative.
I was part of the founding committee for the Saskatchewan Rivers Students for Change (SRSC) in 2011 and have worked closely with the student council ever since. Comprised of high school students from across the division, the SRSC creates opportunities for student voice and involvement in decision-making.
Through this group, I’ve been able to help amplify student voices and ensure they have a voice and seat at the board table where they can contribute to discussions and influence change. Meaningful, tangible changes to how students experience school have come from this group, including: enhancing financial literacy, reducing the number of departmental exams, setting the school calendar, providing leadership training and mental health first-aid training for students.
Through the SRSC students have raised questions about consent education, career education and received training like Cyber-safety and suicide awareness and prevention.
“This is an innovative program because it allows students to be the building blocks of policy”
I’ve got a lot more to contribute.
“It has been an absolute pleasure working with Jaimie over my last two terms as a trustee. Jaimie is well-versed in education legislation and policy. Her experience as a trustee, business owner and parent has given her a deep understanding of both the celebrations and challenges our division and students face. Jaimie is a strong and compassionate leader. Her passion for education is evident in her unwavering commitment to meeting the diverse needs of our division to ensure that ‘excellence for every learner’ is attainable. Jaimie fosters an environment where open, honest and respectful conversations can happen to find solutions that benefit all. I am pleased to endorse Jamie Smith-Windsor for Trustee of Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division in Subdivision Three.”
Jaimie is a proven, provincial leader.
During my time on the provincial executive, and in my current role as President of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association, I have worked with a tireless SSBA Executive through significant and ongoing changes:
impacts of the removal of school board taxing authority (since 2009)
the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report (2015)
a decade of chronic underfunding (2014-present)
the implementation of LEAN where boards found +$15 million dollars in savings for the sector to free up dollars for classrooms (2016)
the Education Governance Review (2016-2017)
an unprecedented $54 million dollar education funding cut (2017)
an overhaul of the Education Act with Bill 63 (2017)
a global pandemic (2020-2021)
the creation of Registered and Qualified Independent Schools and their expansion (2011-present)
the creation of a new Distance Learning Centre as a Treasury Board Crown Corporation exclusively responsible for the delivery of virtual schooling in the province (2022)
the development of two long-term Provincial Education Plans (2014, 2020)
the creation of a new category of private schools, Certified Independent Schools (2023)
the unprecedented use of the Notwithstanding Clause to amend the Education Act, override human rights in order to pass Bill 137, the Parents’ Bill of Rights (2023)
a prolonged labour dispute and significant job action that surfaced critical issues in education (2023-2024)
increasing use of Ministerial directives to create education policy without local consultation (2022-2024)
Throughout nearly a decade of extensive change I have provided calm, engaged and stable leadership while advocating for school boards, local consultation and keeping decisions student-centred. During times of dissonance and change, our education system needs knowledgeable and experienced elected school trustees and boards to champion and safeguard the future of our publicly funded education system in Saskatchewan.
The Saskatchewan School Boards Association provides valuable services to the education sector and all 27 boards of education in the province, including: General Insurance for all school divisions, employee benefits for non-teaching staff, bargaining and human resources support, communications, legal services, professional development services, policy development and research, advocacy, and more.
Jaimie is proud to support the co-ordination and delivery of high-quality services to all boards of education in the province.
I contribute to good governance by serving on:
Executive Policy Committee
Executive Human Resources Committee
Board Development Committee
General Insurance Plan
Government Trustee Bargaining Committee
Indigenous Council (ally)
Provincial Curriculum Advisory Committee (past)
Vision Project Co-chair (past)
Resolutions and Policy Development Committee (past)
Vision Project (co-chair)
“Jaimie is a steadfast advocate for Saskatchewan’s public school communities, who consistently brings a highly respected perspective to our national table at CSBA. The same ethical leadership and determination which she applies to her work locally in Sask Rivers, has proven invaluable both provincially and across Canada.”
Jaimie has a strong, national presence.
In 2020 I joined the national Board of Directors for the Canadian School Boards Association representing Saskatchewan and in 2024 was elected as Vice-President. The CSBA is the national voice of democratically elected, local school boards that supports student success through strong public education policy.
I work collaboratively to advance national priorities for school boards:
Local Democratic Voice
French Language Teacher Shortage
Indigenous Education, language revitalization and partnerships
A National School Food Program
Comprehensive School Health
Equity Diversity and Inclusion
