Over the last couple of years I have spoken periodically about what trustees do and what it takes to be a trustee. “In a nutshell,” I have said, “the two main parts to being a trustee are Representation and Governance. To be an effective trustee, in my opinion, takes time, a willingness to listen and understand multiple perspectives, an ability to be a critical thinker, and most importantly, a passion for public education and the vital role it plays in creating the democratic, compassionate, and prosperous society we have in Canada.” Further information is contained in Resources on Running for Trustee for Edmonton Public Schools, a document that I have created for anyone considering running for trustee in Edmonton. Finally, I recommend that you read through the Edmonton Public Schools Board’s policy on the Board Role and Responsibilities as well as reviewing the various sections of the Board’s School Board Governance and Operations section of its policy book. Questions? I am happy to expand! Please contact me at any time.
You might also want to check out:
- Rules and Regulations for Trustee Candidates in Edmonton
- Election Action 2010: A School Board Election Plan, published by the ATA. The section called The Nuts and Bolts of Evaluation gives some good food for thought about Board and individual trustee responsibilities.
- Association for Responsive Trusteeship in Edmonton Schools.
- Dalton Sherman spoke to the National School Boards Association in April 2009 and inspired trustees across North America with a similar speech given here in Texas in Fall 2008. He begins by saying “I believe in me. Do you believe in me?”
- Leading Local Learning Communities Public School Boards Association of Alberta
- Leading Change in Your School — Douglas Reeves
- Understanding Trusteeship from a Polictical Perspective (2004) by David King, Executive Director of the Public School Boards Association of Alberta
- The Role of the Trustee, Alberta School Boards Association
- Education Depends on Good Trustees, Edmonton Journal editorial, October 12, 2004
