Catholic school division superintendent delivers keynote address at symposium

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on February 27, 2025.

Superintendent Dwayne Zarichny with the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education was among a handful of keynote speakers at the 2025 Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association Symposium in Edmonton over the weekend.

The two-day symposium, which started Fed. 21, focused on providing clarity around the role of a school board trustee, including legal responsibilities and their capacity to fulfil these responsibilities while maintaining constitutionally established Catholic education.

Zarichny’s speech, titled “Trusteeship in Action: Elevating Catholic Education through Leadership and Effective Governance,” covered practical strategies for trusteeship, focusing on governance, leadership and fostering faith-centred school communities.

The two-day symposium also included an address from Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, who served as a former Catholic school trustee, and Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Cardinal Collins, who spoke about the “profound moral responsibility” Catholic trustees carry.

According to an article published by the Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association, the keynote discussion affirmed the crucial role school trustees play in preserving the integrity of Catholic separate schools and in advocating for constitutional rights.

The symposium also included keynote speeches from Dean Sarnecki and Justice Anna Loparco.