Peterborough’s KPR School Board Race Takes Shape with Three Candidates for Two Seats!
Jack Henry brings months of community preparation, endorsement from outgoing trustee, and platform grounded in KPR’s own data to competitive race.
Peterborough, ON (August 24th 2026) — With the close of the municipal nomination period, Peterborough City’s two KPR District School Board Trustee seats will be decided by voters on October 26, 2026. Three candidates have entered the race: Jack Henry, Julie Chatten, and Shawna Blackwood.
Henry, a graphic designer and owner of Peterborough-based studio Loon in the Mist Creative, has been running since July and has spent the summer knocking on doors across all five city wards, planned parent roundtables, and building community relationships ahead of the final stretch for nominations.
“I’m glad this race has three candidates,” said Henry. “Peterborough’s school board trustees make consequential decisions about $552 million of public money and the schools that serve thousands of families in this city. The more voices in this conversation the better.”
Henry enters the final phase of the campaign with several notable distinctions:
He is the only candidate in the race who has been actively canvassing Peterborough neighbourhoods since mid-summer covering Monaghan, Northcrest, Ashburnham, and Town wards, with plans to meet Otonabee Ward residents this week, and conducting door-to-door outreach alongside council candidates including Chris Potter, Jen Lacey and Gavin Muir.
He is the only candidate who has received a public endorsement from an sitting KPR trustee. That of outgoing City of Peterborough Trustee Rose Kitney, who chose not to seek re-election and is instead running for Monaghan Ward City Council, endorsed Henry’s candidacy earlier this month.
“As an outgoing trustee of Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB, it is exciting to know that Jack has put his name forward as a candidate, willing to bring his youthful energy to the board table and as a trustee would continue to make a difference for students in the public board.” Kitney said in her endorsement. “I absolutely support Jack Henry for Trustee, City of Peterborough, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.”
Henry’s platform is built directly from KPR’s own data, including the board’s 2025 Annual Report, its $552 million operating budget, and the Ontario Auditor General’s 2026 special education report. His three primary commitments are making arts education a distinct and visible line item in KPR’s budget, pushing for proper resourcing of special education supports in response to the Auditor General’s findings, and bringing genuine financial transparency to board spending decisions.
“I’ve been doing the homework since before I filed,” said Henry. “I’ve read the budget documents, the board minutes, the strategic plan, and the Auditor General’s report. I’ve knocked on hundreds of doors and listened to what Peterborough families actually need from their school board. That preparation doesn’t stop when the campaign ends, it’s how I intend to govern.”
Henry, who is pursuing a formal assessment for autism and ADHD as an adult, said his lived experience navigating systems not designed for neurodivergent people directly informs his advocacy for special education students.
“The Auditor General found that only 21 per cent of classroom teachers feel equipped to meet the needs of special education students in their class,” said Henry. “That number is not acceptable. I know firsthand what it means to need someone at the board table who sees you and fights for you. That’s the trustee I intend to be.”
“Most people don’t know they have two votes in this race,” said Henry. “And most people don’t know this race is happening at all. My job between now and October 26 is to change both of those things.”
Online voting opens October 5. Election Day is October 26, 2026. Voters must be designated as English Public school supporters with MPAC to vote in the KPR trustee race. More information about Jack Henry’s platform and campaign is available at jackhenryforkpr.ca.
Authorized by the official agent of Jack Henry, candidate for KPR District School Board Trustee for the City of Peterborough
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About Jack Henry
Jack Henry is a Peterborough-based graphic designer, writer, and civic advocate. He is the owner of Loon in the Mist Creative, a design and communications studio serving tourism, civic, and community organizations across Peterborough, the Kawarthas, and Northumberland. He is a contributor to civic discourse in Peterborough through his Substack publication. He is running for KPR School Board Trustee for the City of Peterborough in the October 26, 2026 municipal election.
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