INSIGHTS: Welcome back, Remembering Mr. Nicholson, and September 14

Posted on September 2, 2011 by catherine

WELCOME BACK TO A NEW SCHOOL YEAR!

I hope all of you had a restful and rejuvenating summer and for those who have children in school or who are working in schools or with schools,  I hope the first few days of school have gone smoothly. 

I am excited to be kicking off the school year by hosting a meeting with Trustee Michael Janz to bring together people to talk about one of my favourite subjects:  PUBLIC EDUCATION!   This community conversation will look at public education through the lens of the proposed new Education Act, but before I get into the details, I wanted to pause for a moment and reflect on a remarkable life well lived and one passionately committed to public education. 

IN MEMORIAM

For those of who may have missed this news, I regret to let you know that Mr. George Nicholson died mid-summer.  As Ward H trustee for 15 years and Board Chair for several of those years, Mr. Nicholson served his constituents, students,  schools and public education thoughtfully and honorably.  Prior to trusteeship, he had devoted his career to education (largely within Edmonton Public Schools) where he served as teacher, curriculum coordinator, associate superintendent, and the principal of several schools – last but not least, Harry Ainlay. Professionally and as a trustee he made a difference to the quality of education for both students and staff right across the district for well over 50 years, and I know he will be sorely missed by his friends, colleagues and family. I, too, will miss him. After my election, he graciously met with me on several occasions and was generous with his advice and support, and I am deeply grateful for his time and wisdom as well as being thankful for all that he gave to the world, specifically to the world of public education. 

YOU’RE INVITED TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE.

A Community Conversation on the new Education Act

 @ Harry Ainlay, September 14, 7 -9 pm

As mentioned before, the new Education Act is a major piece of legislation that, once passed in the legislature, will impact education for a number of years to come.  Thus, it is worth paying attention to and ensuring “we”  (the Government and the citizens who will live and work, teach and learn under the legislation) get it right. So please … come on our and contribute your thoughts.

Our special guest will be The Honourable Dave Hancock, MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud and the Minister of Education, and the evening will be composed of two parts.  The first half will consist of Table Conversation on the Responsibilities for Students, Parents and School Boards.  The second half will give you a chance to ask a question or make a comment to the Minister.  For full details, please visit www.catherineripley.ca/education-act and if you are excited to attend (and I hope you are!)….

PLEASE RSVP by next Friday, September 9

to me by email or by phone 780-887-1002. Once you do that, you will receive a participant’s package. 

ALSO, UPCOMING

Thursday, September 8

International Literacy Day

Friday, September 9:  Don’t forget to RSVP for Education Act Discussion (mentioned above)

Tuesday, September 13, 2 pm

Organizational Board Meeting (at which the Board will decide on who will serve on what Board committee, Board Chair, Board representatives on external organizations)

Plus there will be discussion of several  policies deferred from June 14 board meeting, namely Guidance & Counselling Services, School Learning Resource Centres, Field Trips, Instructional Fees, Instructional Time and Student Attendance.  To read those policies please visit http://www.epsb.ca/board/june142011_agenda.shtml

 

I am particularly happy that the School Learning Resource Centres (i.e. School Library) policy has been revised and is being reviewed!    What do you think? Did the Board get it right?  Is the policy right/bang on/ perfect? 

 

September 13, 7 – 9 pm 

Moratorium Committee meets to look at   Space Utilization 

McCauley Chambers, Centre for Education, One Kingsway

The public is welcome to attend and/or address the Committee on this issue by registering with the Board Office at 780-429-8021

Saturday, September 17  Community League Day

Get out and see what’s happening in your community!

http://www.efcl.org/NEWS/September17/tabid/268/Default.aspx

 

Tuesday, September 20. 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Moratorium Committee meets to look at  Leasing
McCauley Chambers, Centre for Education, One Kingsway

The public is welcome to attend and/or address the Committee on this issue by registering with the Board Office at 780-429-8021

 

Tuesday, September 27, 2 pm

Public Board Meeting  (details to come)

 

Tuesday, September 27,  7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Moratorium Committee meets to look at   Alternative Programs and Open Boundaries
McCauley Chambers, Centre for Education, One Kingsway

The public is welcome to attend and/or address the Committee on this issue by registering with the Board Office at 780-429-8021

October 3 – 7 READ IN WEEK!  

Monday, October 3, 7 – 9 p.m.

David Bouchard (www.davidbouchard.com) will present on The Gift of Reading – Practical strategies that are real and achievable for every family – a great way to kick off Read-In Week!   Details on place etc. to come.

By October 15:  Nominate someone for a YMCA Peace Medallion Award
Do you know an individuals or group in your local communities who — without any special resources — inspire and affect the lives of others through their peaceful endeavours and commitment? The annual YMCA Peace Medal Awards honour youth and adults who volunteer their time to advancing peace in their own communities or abroad. For more information, contact Joleen Schmitt at JSchmitt@edmonton.ymca.ca.

Monday, November 7 (appetizer reception 5:30 p.m., sessions to follow until 9 p.m.) – School Council training (Centre for Education)  

Thursday, November 24th & Friday, November 25th

“Transcending Barriers: Leveling the Playing Field for All,”  the Annual Conference of the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta, http://www.ldalberta.ca/conference

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Thanks to Ms. Paula Simons for this thought-provoking essay on the value we place on children and public education…. http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2011/08/05/of-peter-pan-ponzi-schemes-and-public-education/   (And thanks to Pat for bringing this to my attention while I was away from Edmonton during the summer.)

DID YOU KNOW?

Edmonton Public Schools and ACCESS Television collaborated to produce a DVD (in English and Somali) that explains basic facts about the education system and Edmonton Public Schools for Somalian families.  Accompanying print resources were developed to complement the DVD. EPSB appreciates the partnership with ACCESS that allowed for the production of this DVD and hopes that viewers will find it useful.  http://www.epsb.ca/familiescommunity/families.shtml

You can stay up to date with all the great things happening in our district by subscribing to the Edmonton Public Schools news site. http://news.epsb.ca/category/in-the-news/

You can keep tabs on what is happening at the Community Sustainability Task Force (on which I serve as a representative for the Board) by visiting this page:  http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/city_wide_initiatives/newsletters-and-updates.aspx

As always, I am happy to receive any comments, great ideas, or experience you may wish to share! 

Catherine

 

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INSIGHTS: Summer Reading!

Posted on June 30, 2011 by catherine

Welcome to Summer!

 Summer is a great time for reading – ideally under the shade of a lovely big old tree, a hot cup of tea, and no mosquitoes… .ahhh!  

 I invite you to join with me in diving into the following –

 Bill 18, the new Education Act

A great place to start is online at http://ideas.education.alberta.ca/engage/current-initiatives/action-on-legislation  You can read about the Act here and if you look at the menu bar on the left, you can zero in on certain parts of the Act such as Community Engagement, Governance, Student Success. 

 There are many, many positive things contained in this legislation but will it, for sure,  “underpin the transformation of the education system…enhance student access to education and empower local school boards to be more responsive to the diverse learning needs of students and their communities”?  We (the village it takes to raise a child) will have until about mid-October to register our views with the Minister of Education.   

 This is a critical piece of legislation that affects the future for all of us.  I encourage you to take the time to see what’s inside. 

 ****ALSO, please save the date: 

September 14 @ Harry Ainlay, 7 -9 pm

“Let’s Talk … the New Education Act (Part 2)!”   

What does the Act say about YOUR role and responsibilities with respect to education?  What questions do you have? 

Honoured guest:   Dave Hancock, MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud and the Minister of Education.

 

The Narcissism Epidemic by Jean Twenge

Thanks to the Learning Our Way initiative co-sponsored by the ATA, Cambridge Strategies and James Murgatroyd ( http://learningourway.ca/ ), I was privileged to hear author Jean Twenge speak to this subject earlier this year. I am looking forward to reading her book. In an age of increasing narcissism in our youth, how will we (trustees, teachers, parents, community members) focus on “instilling empathy and an understanding of equity as key citizenship traits in our students”  over the next couple of years?  This is one of the priorities passed in the late winter.    

Common Purpose by Lisbeth Schorr

I am almost done this book, which I have been reading in conjunction with my work as the Board’s rep on the Community Sustainability Task Force.  There is much food for thought here on how true collaboration works (and what impedes it), how bureaucracies can better and more flexibly serve the public (Edmonton Public Schools is doing so much right), and how we measure and evaluate progress in any social endeavor – all of which are complex by nature and thus not easily measured by simple measures. 

The Leader in Me:  How Schools and Parents around the World are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time by Stephen R. Covey

Some of our Ward H schools are implementing The Leader in Me student leadership program  — find out what it’s all about!  Are there lessons for all of us here?  Could parents and councils also follow this program in their work? 

PLUS
I will take this opportunity to thank everyone for a great school year. Thank you to all the skilled, dedicated and caring staff who serve our children in our schools every day. … Thank you to the wonderful parents who support the work of teaching and learning in our schools through volunteering or doing homework with their children or getting kids to bed on time or coming out to school council meetings….  Thank you to the supportive community that keeps an eye on what is happening around and in our schools…. And thank you to our children for their joy, their curiosity, and their inspiration! 

A wonderful summer to you all…

Catherine

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INSIGHTS: Public Education = You are Welcome!

Posted on June 13, 2011 by catherine

 Happy Monday!

Today as I share the agenda for the public board meeting tomorrow night, I wanted to let you know that I have been reflecting a lot lately on the fundamental core value of public education and how we express that in our district, our schools, our classrooms.  Former trustee Don Fleming often said that Public Education = “You are Welcome” and I have also heard the Superintendent say on a number of occasions, “At Edmonton Public Schools, everyone is in.” 

This core value of inclusivity has been captured in various ways by past Boards (beginning in 1881 when all kids in the Edmonton settlement were acknowledged as being important to educate through to the establishment of programs of choice through to recent policies on Aboriginal and Multicultural Education, etc.) and it has been re-confirmed through the new Vision, Mission and Priorities (http://www.epsb.ca/about/mission.shtml ) passed by the Board in early March. I am looking forward to focusing the Board’s governance, advocacy and community work in these specific priority areas with my fellow trustee colleagues over the next two years of our term. 

One of the major annual governance tasks we undertake is to allocate resources to support the success of our students, the work of our staff, and our priorities, and we will be having our final discussion on the budget tomorrow night.  You can see the budget at http://www.epsb.ca/board/june14_2011/item10.pdf and I encourage you to look at Appendix 6 (page 16) to see how the budget supports the directions set by the Board.  You may also find Appendix 7 (Q&A on the Budget) interesting, too. I did!  If you have any comments to make on the proposed budget, please let me know. It is not an easy budget to be considering given the expected cutbacks to staffing, and I take my hat off to all those district leaders who dug deep into their reserves to help boost our allocation budget by over $18 million.  This means that they will be putting some of their projects on hold; it also means we can retain more staff than originally expected.    

I digress, and back to my original train of thought — how does the value of “you are welcome” play out, exactly, for each and every student? 

Earlier this year I was fortunate to attend the U.S. National School Boards Conference. While there I took in some sessions on creating a positive school climate in every school as well as creating “welcoming schools” (particularly with reference to LGBTQ students and families). Then last week I attended the Public School Boards Association of Alberta’s (PSBAA) Spring General Meeting and the Alberta School Boards Association’s (ASBA) Spring General Meeting in Red Deer. The PSBAA theme was Designing our Future and the ASBA theme was Walk a Mile in My Shoes.  Both were thought-provoking, and I especially appreciated the opportunity to listen to several key note addresses from Hutterite author Mary Ann Kirkby and First Nations speaker and educator Bee Calliou Shadeck,  and a workshop put on by iHuman called Uncensored Youth (street kids and their challenges with school). 

 These experiences were followed up at the end of last week with my attendance at Day 2 & 3 of some anti-racism and equity education provided to Edmonton Public Schools senior executive staff and some trustees by the Center for Race and Culture & Zenev Consulting.  Our three days of training were challenging – and full of hope.  The challenge for me was about understanding the place of privilege that I have enjoyed during my life simply because I am white, and considering the dynamics of “power” and privilege at play in my current position of trustee. My hope lies in the fact at a leadership level we have been willing to take an honest look in the mirror – to both recognize the many good things that are happening in the district with respect to equity and diversity and to acknowledge that we still have lots of work to do to ensure the “system” is flexible and open and fair for all, and that we can truly value the differences  and be enriched by them.  I look forward to the continued work here at the policy and governance level, and it is great to see our Superintendent so committed to this work.  

 By the way, the leadership team is not the only group in Edmonton Public Schools working on anti-racism.  You can read about what else has been happening across the district to support the Racism Free Edmonton campaign — http://www.epsb.ca/board/june14_2011/item11.pdf

 With respect to serving the needs of ALL children in an excellent and responsive way, there are two other very important reports coming to Public Board on Tuesday night. One report is from the Inclusion Working Group http://www.epsb.ca/board/june14_2011/item07.pdf , and the other is a series of recommendations from the Special Needs Task Force http://www.epsb.ca/board/june14_2011/item08.pdf . The Task Force (and the Advisory Group it established) has worked hard to listen, absorb, and chart a path forward for Edmonton Public Schools in the area of special education.  Please take a peek and let me know if you have ideas or thoughts to add. 

 There are a host of other items on Tuesday’s agenda, and you can access the full agenda (and the corresponding reports) here:  http://www.epsb.ca/board/june142011_agenda.shtml  As always you are welcome to join us either in person or online  http://www.livestream.com/edmontonpublicschools.  We will begin at 6 pm with a special recognition item for National Aboriginal Day, and then other items include motions to receive certain annual reports each year, to leave the Public School Boards Association of Alberta, to appoint an external member to our Audit Committee, to approve non-resident fees for 2011-12, and to hear the first reading on a variety of policies ( Guidance and Counselling Services, Integrated School Library Learning Commons, School Attendance, Instructional Fees, Instructional Time. Field Trips).

 UPCOMING

 Tuesday, June 14  2 -4 pm

Moratorium Committee Meeting (open to public) on District Enrollment Trends, McCauley Chambers

 Ongoing:  Share your thoughts on Community Sustainability (and how education and schools play into that) with the Task Force at www.CommunitySustainability.ca

 Until June 30, help TSNAP raise $$$ for the Esther Starkman/Monsigneur William Irwin playground.

Everyone is encouraged to visit http://www.refresheverything.ca/tsnapplaygroundproject and vote once a day. The TSNAP playground is now in #19 position.  Aiming for the  top position to gain the $5000 prize!   Apparently, you don’t need to live in the area to vote for the project

 CONGRATS to…

 ….Kyril Mueller (Greenfield) and Corrie Yuspychuk (Ainlay) for being recognized among the top teachers in Alberta in the Excellence in Teaching Awards program this year!

… Sameer Dhar, recent graduate of Harry Ainlay, for being recognized by the Globe and Mail, for his work to support families in need.  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/managing/top-20-under-20-tackle-big-issues-with-creative-ideas/article2043348/page2/

…to the fledgling Greenfield DADS MATTER group for having their initial meeting and taking flight.

….to the Southwest Edmonton Mapping Group, Newcomers Committee, for  bringing together a variety of service agencies and groups in one place for people to connect with. It was a great resource day for families, which speaks to taking action on a key community-identified way to move forward on developing great schools and great communities – aka STRENGTHEN FAMILIES….

 As always, I am happy to receive any comments, great ideas, or experience you may wish to share!  (Contact information above, or please leave a comment! )

Catherine

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Insights: Happy Victoria Day!

Posted on May 23, 2011 by catherine

 Hello and Happy Victoria Day! 

 FIRST, BOARD MEETING ON TUESDAY

 First, I wanted to let you know what is upcoming at the Board meeting this coming Tuesday night, starting at 6 pm.    You can access all reports here: http://www.epsb.ca/board/may242011_agenda.shtml . And as ALWAYS…your comments are welcomed OR even better, your presence at the meeting.   (Underground parking is accessible from Kingsway – although please note that you can only access Kingsway from the east/ 101 Street.)

It will be a pleasure to recognize this year’s winner of the Margaret T. Stevenson Award for Young Writers and to receive a presentation from Evansdale School on its multi-cultural work (in advance honour of Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27).

In addition, there is a lot up for discussion and consideration and decision, including….

The Introduction of the Budget.  Now that all the schools and central units have worked with the allocations that came out to them after the Board’s preliminary approval of the expenditure budget, this will be a chance for the Board to consider the impacts of the budget (for example, on staff levels) and understand how the Superintendent and his leaders propose allocating our dollars to achieve the 2011-14 Priorities. 

NOTE:  this report will be posted on Tuesday afternoon, and the ultimate approval of said budget will be made at our June 14th meeting.  I am happy to receive any comments you might have on the proposed budget between now and then.

Transportation Fees for 2011-12  

Third Reading on our Community Use of District Buildings policy that now includes two amendments – 1) to exclude publicly funded corporations from providing day care or child care services in our buildings and 2) to ensure all businesses or groups leasing space are pursuing socially responsible and ethical practices.  I voted against the first two readings of the policy with these amendments, and I will be asking my colleagues to consider removing the first as well as modifying and/or removing the latter. Possible implications of the “exclusion” addition are found within the report at http://www.epsb.ca/board/may10_11/item06.pdf  You can also the implications and the challenges of the second amendment. http://www.epsb.ca/board/may10_11/item15.pdf  (Trustee Request 82, page 2). Thoughts? 

Report on the first year of implementation of our Multicultural Education Plan.  (There are many good things happening here – check it out!)

Update from the Special Needs Task Force (what people said during the recent consultations)  Based on all this input I am looking forward to the recommendations from the Task Force, which are tentatively on track to come forward on June 14. 

Motion that a series of annual reports should come to Board to monitor outcomes and improve student success. 

Recommendation to support the advocacy of the Strategic Alliance for the Advancement of Immigrant and Refugee Children, Sub-Committee on Refugee Transportation Loans with respect to cancelling the outstanding loans of refugees related to transportation and cease requesting repayment of loans in this regard. 

Recommendations re: Motions coming forward to ASBA Spring General Meeting (first week of June) (Budget, staggered appointment of trustees to Board of Directors, transparent voting on motions at meetings)

SECOND, UPDATE ON DECISIONS MADE LAST TIME

The Board will try out a district membership in the Alberta School Councils Association for one year and ask for feedback from Councils in a year before proceeding with a permanent membership.

We approved the Capital Plan, with new construction projects moved further down the list. The  additional modulars for Johnny Bright and Esther Starkman  remain at the top of the priority list, and  the Board will be eagerly waiting to hear news of a commitment to all of our capital projects from the Provincial Government.  

We will try out a new time for Board meetings for the 2011-12 year – 2-6 pm on second and fourth Tuesday – to be evaluated in a year.   Although several people contacted me with concerns that this change in time would negatively impact the participation of  those working in the daytime and also, disenfranchise people working fulltime from being able to put forward themselves forward as trustee candidates, I voted for this motion.  I believe this is worth a try.

The main purpose of our Board meetings is to make decisions, and this will permit us to be making those decisions during the day when people are fresher. The bulk of our most loyal attendees are actually senior staff  and staff group representatives,  and this timing will mean that this will be part of their working day, not additional to it.  There are also some cost savings due to not having to provide dinner in advance of evening meetings. 

With respect to engaging the public in our decision-making work, the reports for the meetings are posted almost a week in advance of the meeting for all to access and then send comments to their trustees, and the webcasting of Board meetings allows anyone and everyone to see how we make our decisions 24-7. I recognize that if someone (who works fulltime during the day) wishes to make a comment at the board meeting itself, this will present challenges (such as our staff in schools, for example).  However, conversely, the new timing will allow others to attend who have been unable to in the past due to shift work or other evening commitments.  With respect to engaging the public more fully in the work of public education, I believe there are better ways to do this than through the public board meeting format. 

With respect to this timing making it more difficult for people to consider running for trusteeship, I respectfully suggest that the ability to attend meetings and events during the day during part of the week (as well as many evening engagements) comes with the territory, but I will think some more about this as we work our way through next year.

THIRD, “READY FOR LIFE” BREAKFAST A SUCCESS

At the recent Edmonton Public School Foundation’s Ready for Life Breakfast over $200,000 was raised.  One hundred per cent of funds raised by the Foundation will be used to subsidize full-day Kindergarten programs in schools with the most vulnerable student populations, meaning that the original investment into Tipaskan School can continue this year…and then some. Yeah!  An inspirational video about the work at Tipaskan this past year can be seen on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs044_glnqg.  Check it out … and think about contributing to help more children “get ready for life” – Donations accepted year-round.

FOURTH, UPCOMING…

Until Thursday, May 26, provide feedback on a definition of bullying and help out the Anti-Bullying Advisory Committee with its work. The survey can be accessed at : http://viawebsurvey.epsb.net/vws/Surveys_aI1.cfm?A=2213&B=4221   

Saturday, May 28  Community Resource Fair For Newcomers

11:00am – 3:00pm @ Riverbend Junior High School. The fair will be an opportunity for all community residents in southwest Edmonton, but especially newcomers to Canada, to gather information regarding mentorship opportunities and other services. Sponsored by the Southwest Edmonton Mapping Project (SWEMP), Newcomers Sub-Committee.  Please let your neighbours know! 

May 29, Noon.  Don’t Drop the Ball on Alberta’s Future Rally

Holyrood School Council is leading a rally for parents and councils at noon on Sunday, May 29, 2011 on the steps of the Legislature. Everyone is encouraged to come out and voice their concerns about the levels and stability of education funding. Bring a lunch and a ball! For more information contact holyroodschoolcouncil@gmail.com.  

Tuesday, May 31  Moratorium Committee meeting on PO&M funding and Student Instructional Funding

2 – 4 pm, McCauley Chambers. All are welcome

Tuesday, May 31, 7 pm  Action on Inclusion:  Where are we now?  Where are we going?

Yearly Update and Conversation with Alberta Education hosted by the Edmonton Regional Coalition for Inclusive Education.  For details, email gritprog@gritprogram.com

Until June 9,   Three Policies Up for Review

  • Students Programs (do you think the considerations for the Board in establishing a program or deleting it are the right ones?)
  • Student Admission to the District
  • Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

http://www.epsb.ca/policy/policyReviewListings.shtml

Until June 30, help TSNAP raise $$$ for the Esther Starkman/Monsigneur William Irwin playground.

Everyone is encouraged to visit http://www.refresheverything.ca/tsnapplaygroundproject and vote once a day. The TSNAP playground is now in #19 position.  Aiming for the  top position to gain the $5000 prize!   Apparently, you don’t need to live in the area to vote for the project

Have a wonderful holiday, and as always, I am happy to receive any comments, great ideas, or experience you may wish to share!  I am still away, but will be glad to respond upon my return.

Catherine

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INSIGHTS: New Education Act, the Capital Plan revisited, etc!

Posted on May 6, 2011 by catherine

First, BIG (now OLD) NEWS! 

The proposed new Education Act is out for consideration and deliberation!  It was my honour to be in the Gallery for the tabling of this new piece of legislation on April 27, and also my privilege to join the Board Chair, Vice Chair and Superintendent in an informative Primer session on the Act with other school boards in Nisku on Wednesday.  You can see what the changes are here: http://www.education.alberta.ca/department/policy/education-act/new.aspx  and you can contribute your thoughts on some key strands of  “change” directly to Alberta Education by visiting http://ideas.education.alberta.ca/engage/current-initiatives/action-on-legislation

As another way to start thinking about the implications of these changes, I encourage you to revisit the ideas and questions posed by SW residents in early January on a draft version of the Act. http://catherineripley.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Questions-on-the-New-Education-Act-FINAL.pdf

The Minister has made it clear that there is now lots of time for discussion and further deliberation and improvements, and stay tuned for a Ward H session (probably early fall). 

Second, KUDOS….   

….to Rideau Park’s Principal Brenda Giourmetakis!  On Tuesday Ms. Giourmetakis will be confirmed as a principal to the district after the traditional two-year trial period that all new principals undergo.

…and also to Principal Heather Kennedy, who used to the AP at Steinhauer, who will also be confirmed on Tuesday.   

…to Naeem Nanji, a Grade 11 Lillian Osborne student, who did a super job at the recent Junior Achievement Alberta Business Hall of Fame banquet introducing Ms. Audrey Luft (one of this year’s inductees to the Hall of Fame).

….to the Rideau Park choir who sang O Canada beautifully at the same event

…to the Harry Ainlay Fashion teams (and all the teams from the district) who strutted their fabulous creations down the runway at the first Ready to Shine? Fashion Show sponsored by the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation and Kingsway Garden Mall. http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Designed+shine/4702600/story.html

…to Ms. Kerri Neitsch of Lillian Osborne who choreographed a Flash Mob event at the City Centre today at lunch time – featuring students from four schools (J Percy Page, Florence Hallock, Victoria and Lillian Osborne).. and The Honourable Dave Hancock.  See some pics at http://twitter.com/#!/gopublic_  This was a joint initiative of Alberta Education and Edmonton Public Schools to raise awareness about the importance of completing high school and how it takes everybody to encourage high school completion…  It was great to see the enthusiasm and energy of all the dancers!

Third, UPCOMING

 

Until May 9, Submit your feedback on the following policies. 

Instructional Time,  School Library Learning Commons, Field Trips, Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Programs and Services, Student Attendance, and Instructional Fees.    You can access the surveys on these policies here:  http://www.epsb.ca/policy/policyReviewListings.shtml

 

Public Board Meeting Tuesday, May 10,  6 pm, Centre for Education, One Kingsway.  A busy agenda!  Background reports and all materials related to the meeting can be found here:  http://www.epsb.ca/board/may1011_agenda.shtml

Three recommendations are coming back from previous meetings for a final discussion:

1)      Taking out a district membership in the Alberta School Councils Association so that all our school councils may become members in this organization. Thanks to those who sent me some feedback on this…. http://catherineripley.ca/2011/04/22/insights-budget-capital-plan-thoughts-needed/#comments  (see second strand under comments).  Any more wisdom?

2)      Three Year Capital Plan.  There was an amendment made to remove all capital projects in new areas from the aggregated list of capital projects, and the decision was then deferred to get information on the implications of doing so as well as the implications of an alternative idea around re-ordering the aggregated list (this would see Terwillegar & Heritage Valley Schools drop from Priority 7 & 8 to 13 & 14, a Windemere school go from #19 to #25, and another Heritage Valley School from #29  to #36.  You can see the additional information and the original recommendation here: http://www.epsb.ca/board/may10_11/item03.pdf.  Thoughts?

3)      Community Use of District Buildings policy.  There is an amendment (in italics) on the floor for this item as well – that “Members of the community, excluding publicly-traded companies providing day care and early education, can access space through the following methods: …”  Possible implications of the addition are found within the report at http://www.epsb.ca/board/may10_11/item06.pdf  You can also the implications of another amendment, which was already passed, about ensuring that all leasers follow ethical and sustainable practices. http://www.epsb.ca/board/may10_11/item15.pdf  (Trustee Request 82, page 2)

Two new motions on the floor:

1)      To change the time of Board meetings to 2 – 6 pm (rather than 6 – 9 pm)

2)      To add a regular item to the Board agenda titled “Tracking Progress and Excellence in the 2011-14 District Priorities” 

We will welcome four presenters:  Edleun;  the Strategic Alliance for the Advancement of Immigrant and Refugee Children, Sub-Committee on Refugee Transportation Loans; the Canadian Cancer Society (on pesticides); and the YMCA (one of EPSB’s valued partners).

And finally, there will be some information presented on the progress of the 2020 Cohort of Children (i.e. those who entered K in 2007) as well as information on the Opportunity and RAP programs and the stats on our district libraries. 

May 10, 7 pm, EFCL Community Sustainability Workshop

Contribute to the Community Sustainability Task Force by participating in this EFCL event.  Register by contacting Bev.Zubot@efcl.org or 780-437-6930. Additional information will be sent to you.

May 11 & 12, 9 am – 3 pm  19th Annual Provincial Skills Canada Competition, open to the public @ Northlands.

With the support of hundreds of teachers, industry contacts and government partners 700 Alberta students will showcase their skills in an experience of a lifetime. Check it out!

Monday, May 16:  6:30 – 8:30 pm Ward H School Council Network meeting

I will be sharing information on the Budget, District Plan, Central Reorganization, Education Act, Policy Work of the Board with reps… and most importantly, hearing their thoughts, comments and ideas.   

Wednesday, May 18, 5:30 pm:  SW Farmer’s Market’s Opening Day (Lillian Osborne Parking Lot)  Congratulations to all involved from Terwillegar and Aspen Gardens (and others I may not know about), but especially to Corrina Chetley-Irwin (Chair) and Cynthia Reckhard.  A great addition to the SW scene (and full of fresh healthy fresh fruits and veggies, I am thinking)!

Tuesday, May 24, 6 pm, Public Board

Tuesday, May 31  Moratorium Committee meeting on PO&M funding and Student Instructional Funding

2 – 4 pm, McCauley Chambers. All are welcome

Until June 9,   Three Policies Up for Review

  • Students Programs (do you think the considerations for the Board in establishing a program or deleting it are the right ones?)
  • Student Admission to the District
  • Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

http://www.epsb.ca/policy/policyReviewListings.shtml

Until June 30, help TSNAP raise $$$ for the Esther Starkman/Monsigneur William Irwin playground.

Everyone is encouraged to visit http://www.refresheverything.ca/tsnapplaygroundproject and vote once a day. The TSNAP playground is now in #19 position.  Aiming for the  top position to gain the $5000 prize!   Apparently, you don’t need to live in the area to vote for the project

OTHER

Contribute your Thoughts to the  Community Sustainability Task Force on School Revitalization Zones and other topics

http://edmonton.ca/city_government/city_wide_initiatives/community-sustainability.aspx

(Look under Public Input)

 

Here is a thought a Ward H resident sent to me on “Local Schools” that is connected to what the Community Sustainability Task Force is looking into:   “I understand that budget pressures will continue to challenge the use of smaller, community-based schools in favour of larger schools with more economies of scale. I hope the board will maintain its new position of preserving existing small schools, and that you will further look for ways to include smaller schools in the city’s growth plan. The neighbourhood school offers significant advantages to communities, to our city, and in many cases to students, which are worth the sacrifice in operating costs. We are willing to see compromises in other areas before more closures of community schools are considered.”

You may also be interested in the Presentation on Aging Infrastructure that was given last Tuesday, which paints a pretty grim picture of our current situation with respect to maintaining school buildings.  http://epsb.ca/datafiles/AgeOfBuildings_4May2011.pdf

Looking Back

Thanks to those who sent their opinions on Lowering Speed Limits and the idea of consulting with the public about the idea of changing the School Calendar (i.e. to start back to school in the last week of August and take a week off in November).  The Board voted in favour of both items.  You can see the comments I received on my website here:

http://catherineripley.ca/2011/04/22/insights-budget-capital-plan-thoughts-needed/#comments  (first and third strands of comments). I will let you know when the Calendar Consultation happens. 

Finally, the Budget .   At our last meeting the Board voted in support of the Superintendent’s recommendation to live within our allocation of $818 million from the Province, to allocate funds out to the schools that are 1.2% less than their allocation last year and funds to Central departments that are 3.7% less than last year.  With increases in costs in both staffing and operations, this means our leaders across the district are in the midst of some very challenging decisions.  We will hear more about how this budget will play out “on the ground” from the Superintendent at our May 24 public board meeting. 

Have a great weekend!  And as always, I am happy to receive any comment, great ideas, or experience you may wish to share!  You can post directly on my website as a comment to this e-letter (which is also posted there) or by email to me. 

Catherine

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Insights: Budget, Capital Plan… Thoughts needed!

Posted on April 22, 2011 by catherine

Happy Earth Day!  

At our last Board meeting, the Board Chair spoke about the ways in which the district uses Earth Day/Earth Month to raise the environmental awareness of our students, staff and families.  For example, this year, all schools and district departments were encouraged to participate in the third annual Lights Out Challenge, held yesterday on April 21.  Last year, 58 district sites participating in the one-day event managed to turn off 46,700 lights, over 1650 computers and monitors, as well as 445 Smartboards to reduce the district’s energy consumption by 7300 kilo-watt hours. This was the equivalent of planting over 990 trees to help reduce CO2.  We’ll see what transpires this year!  To check out Edmonton Public Schools environmental footprint and other activities it is supporting, visit:  http://enviromatters.epsb.ca/

The Edmonton Public Schools Foundation “Ready for Life” Breakfast is almost here…. Three weeks and counting down to May 12!  As the Board rep on the Foundation’s Board of Governors, I was pleased to tour McNally High School last night and get an understanding of how the Breakfast will unfold. Would you like to attend and find out more about what the Foundation is doing to support vulnerable kids with respect to early learning?  If so, please let me know !

 

UPCOMING

Public Board Meeting WEDNESDAY. April 26.  6 pm, Centre for Education, One Kingsway. As always, everyone is welcome – either in person or by webcast.  If you decide to attend in person, please let me know!  I would love to say hello. Background reports and all materials related to the meeting can be found here:  http://www.epsb.ca/board/april2611_agenda.shtml

There are several motions on the table from Trustees:

1)      Support the EFCL initiative to lobby for reduced speed zones to increase safety and walkability of our neighbourhoods,

2)       Take out a district membership in the Alberta School Councils Association so that all our school councils may become members in this organization,

3)      Defer the decision about our 2012-13 calendar and undertake consultation to discover what the reaction of staff, students and parents would be to starting the school earlier (late August) so that we could take one week off in November (probably connected with Remembrance Day). 

Any thoughts on these ideas?  Please let me know by Tuesday morning.

 In addition, we will be discussing two very important recommendations: 

1)      Proposed Distribution of 2011-12 Funds (based on our projected revenue) (aka THE PROPOSED BUDGET)  

2)      Three Year Capital Plan.

Finally, in “Trustee Requests for Information” you may wish to read

1)      The results of the survey about moving our board meetings from the evening to the daytime.  

2)      What it would take to bring our class size levels at the K-3 level down to the ideal size of 17.  “Thus to move to the ACOL suggested class size for K-3 of 17.0 would require a significant increase in funding, ($22.7 million) for Division I classrooms.”

With respect to the Planning/Budget discussion, a couple of things to mention.

http://www.epsb.ca/board/april26_11/item07.pdf

Included  in the Budget report is the Superintendent’s District Plan “at a glance,” which Mr. Schmidt and his leaders have been working hard on.  This plan – very exciting, I think! — will bring to life the Vision, Mission, and Priorities recently set by the board. Please take a look at it!  And now that the plan is set, the Superintendent has taken the projected revenue and thought carefully about how to allocate the funds to support the plan, which supports the achievement of the Priorities. 

 This has been challenging.  You will note that, overall, our revenue is down 0.6%.  Last year the Board supplemented the revenue from our Operating Reserve. This year the Superintendent is recommending a balanced budget – i.e. that we not use any operating reserve money (which is held by schools across the district to support their plans).  This means that we are actually going to operating the budget with 1.7% less revenue than this year (or on about $14.4 million less). The Superintendent is recommending that schools will receive 1.2% less than last year and central departments will receive 3.7% less. 

 The fundamental premise has been to minimize the impact on students and classrooms.

 It is not yet known what will happen re: staffing.  Once the Board approves the planned distribution of funds, then the funds will be allocated out to schools and central departments for their decision-making on how best to meet student needs within the context of the District Plan/Priorities.  It is at that time that the staffing picture will become clearer.

 If you have thoughts on the Plan or the budget, please let me know.

 With respect to the Capital Plan 

http://www.epsb.ca/board/april26_11/item08.pdf

Of particular interest is an aggregated list of capital priorities – please see Appendix II.  You will note that four projects in the top ten priorities are related to the southwest sector (basically Ward H) including additional portables for Esther Starkman (Priority #1)  and Johnny Bright(#2) , K-9 school for Terwillegar Heights (#7), K-6 School for Heritage Valley (#8) .  A K-9 school for Windemere falls as Priority 19 and a K-6 school for Heritage Valley as Priority 29. 

 Everyone should also note the comment in the covering report that the investment by the Alberta Government into school infrastructure is significantly reduced going forward – from $729 million in 2009-10 to $177 million expected in 2013-14, and that with respect to our Preservation/Renewal Projects – no funding has been received since 2007. So, once the Capital Plan is approved by the Board, which will signify our readiness to move ahead on all our plans for new schools, preservation/modernization projects, and leases and other projects (such as asbestos remediation), we are dependent on funding from the government to do so.

 April 27:  Minister of Education Dave Hancock will introduce the new Education Act in the Legislature.   Hope to be there!  Looking forward to seeing what will is proposed officially for the new legislation. 

 April 29 (3:30 – 7 pm) and April 30 (11 am – 4 pm):  Art in the Heart

Support the City Centre Education Partnership Schools by visiting the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts:  9225 – 118 Avenue. See some great student art! Buy some!   

 May 1 – 7  EDUCATION WEEK   

May 1-7  MENTAL HEALTH WEEK.

Thanks to Keheewin for bringing this week to my attention.  On May 4, there will be a Hats On! Event at the school to raise awareness about the mental health needs of our students. One of our new priorities is to promote health and wellness for all students and staff, so hats off to Keheewin! 

Tuesday, May 3  Moratorium Committee meeting on Aging School Buildings and Plant Operations & Maintenance (PO&M) Funding

2 – 4 pm, McCauley Chambers. All are welcome.

 Until May 9, Submit your feedback on the following policies. 

Instructional Time,  School Library Learning Commons, Field Trips, Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Programs and Services, Student Attendance, and Instructional Fees.    Access the surveys on these policies here:  http://www.epsb.ca/policy/policyReviewListings.shtml

 May 10, 7 pm, EFCL Community Sustainability Workshop

Contribute to the Community Sustainability Task Force by participating in this EFCL event.  Register by contacting Bev.Zubot@efcl.org or 780-437-6930. Additional information will be sent to you.

 May 11 & 12, 9 am – 3 pm  19th Annual Provincial Skills Canada Competition, open to the public @ Northlands.

With the support of hundreds of teachers, industry contacts and government partners 700 Alberta students will showcase their skills in an experience of a lifetime. Check it out!

 Tuesday, May 31  Moratorium Committee meeting on PO&M funding and Student Instructional Funding

2 – 4 pm, McCauley Chambers. All are welcome

 OTHER

 Update on My Work on the Community Sustainability Task Force

 

In my last e-letter I asked for people to why they chose the schools they did for their children.  Thanks to Colleen for her thoughtful response. I have posted this as a comment to my last Insights e-letter blog posting. If you have a story to share about your reasons for choosing a school, please visit my website and add it to this conversation thread! 

http://catherineripley.ca/2011/04/10/insights-needed-including-what-attracts-you-to-a-school/#comment-220

At the last School Revitalization Working Group meeting (for the Community Sustainability Task Force), five successful EPSB community schools and five ECSD schools were presented and discussed. Two of the EPSB schools cited as strong community supported schools were George P. Nicholson and Westbrook.  No firm conclusions yet from these presentations but one common underlying contributing factor to all ten schools appears to be the strong involvement by parents and community. This makes me want to say THANK YOU once again to all those who are actively involved in supporting public schools.

 Finally, I attended the Board’s Moratorium Committee’s first public meeting last Tuesday.  The subject was Urban Growth (or Urban Sprawl, depending on how you look at it!)  You can see the presentation provided by the Administration here: 

http://epsb.ca/datafiles/UrbanGrowthPatterns_19apr2011.pdf

 Until next time, all the best!   Happy Easter!

 Catherine

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INSIGHTS NEEDED, including What attracts you to a school?

Posted on April 10, 2011 by catherine

Hello from the National School Boards Conference!

 It is great to be here in San Francisco learning and gathering ideas about how to improve board policymaking, how boards can support the all-important work on student achievement, how to develop a positive and welcoming school climate, etc.  On Friday I joined the Council of Urban Education Boards (CUBE) for a tour of a successful K-6  in San Francisco and then heard about the types of budget decisions boards (primarily in the USA) are making to weather  tough economic times .

Your input is needed!

There are a number of feedback and input opportunities mentioned below (with dates attached) for you related to current Board work including the idea of moving Board meetings to the daytime, six policies up for review (including one on School Libraries, a subject close to my heart!), and building an inclusive education system. I encourage you to provide your views.  

 Also, please check out the agenda for next week’s Board meeting.  There are a couple of polices coming to the Board (Assisting Community Organizations, Community Use of District Buildings), a proposal to take forward the idea of all school boards creating LGBTQ policy across Alberta to ASBA, and a motion about changing the parameters about what gets discussed within our Conference (in camera) meetings.  The Alberta School Council Association will also be presenting to us.  Looking forward to it!

  As always, if you have thoughts to share on any item please let me know. 

 Attractors/Detractors to Successful Schools?

Next week the School Revitalization Zone Working Group (supporting the work of the Community Sustainability Task Force) will be looking at what makes a successful school. What made you choose the school that your child attends (or attended)?  Please let me know! 

 Congratulations!

And last but not least, congratulations to three staff members, working in Ward H, who are semi-finalists in the 2011 Excellence in Teaching Awards Program:  Karen Linden and Kyril Mueller of Greenfield School and Corrie Yusypchuk of Harry Ainlay.  I look forward to celebrating their nomination with them in a few weeks at a district celebration (along with all those other teachers and principals nominated). 

 UPCOMING

Public Board Meeting WEDNESDAY. April 13.  6 pm, Centre for Education, One Kingsway.  http://www.epsb.ca/board/april1311_agenda.shtml

April 12, Speed Limit Reduction Report being presented

Those interested in Student Pedestrian Safety may be interested in attending the April 12 meeting of the Transportation and Public Works Committee of City Council, which will look at Speed Limit Reduction pilot/work that has been underway (among other items). The meeting starts at 9 a.m. at City Hall in the Committee Room and at that time the agenda is set.  This means that this item may be set to be presented at any time of the day.  If someone wishes to speak on the item they must register in advance with the City Clerk’s Office.  The report that will be presented is found here  http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/OTS_Speed_Limit_Reduction_Report.pdf

Until April 12,  submit your input on Improving Special Needs Education

There was a fantastic turnout for the consultation sessions organized by the Board’s Special Needs Task Force but if you were unable to attend, there is one more chance to contribute your thoughts and ideas about how the district can effectively support the Minister of Education’s goal of an inclusive education  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SpecialNeedsTaskForce

Until April 13, submit your input on the time of Public Board Meetings

The Board of Trustees currently holds its regular Board meetings in public every second and fourth Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. during the school year. The Board is considering holding its regular Board meetings during the day and is seeking your input. http://viawebsurvey.epsb.net/vws/Surveys_aI1.cfm?A=2213&B=4197

Tuesday, April 19, Moratorium Committee meeting on Urban Sprawl

2 – 4 pm, McCauley Chambers, Centre for Education 

Wednesday, April 27, 7 pm

Let Your Light Shine!  Fashion Show

An Edmonton Public Schools Foundation/Kingsway Garden Mall event 

See what student teams from district high schools have designed and created!  Can’t wait to see what comes strutting down the runway!  Would you like to attend with me?  Let me know and maybe we can carpool. 

EDUCATION WEEK  May 1 – 7

 

Tuesday, May 3  Moratorium Committee meeting on Aging School Buildings and Plant Operations & Maintenance (PO&M) Funding

2 – 4 pm, McCauley Chambers. All are welcome.

Until May 9, Submit your feedback on the following policies. 

Instructional Time,  School Library Learning Commons, Field Trips, Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Programs and Services, Student Attendance, and Instructional Fees.    Access the surveys on these policies here:  http://www.epsb.ca/policy/policyReviewListings.shtml

May 10, 7 pm, EFCL Community Sustainability Workshop

Contribute to the Community Sustainability Task Force by participating in this EFCL event.  Register by contacting Bev.Zubot@efcl.org or 780-437-6930. Additional information will be sent to you.

 

Thursday, May 12, 7:30 am   Edmonton Public Schools Foundation’s  Get Ready for Life” Fundraising Breakfast 

Would you like to join me at my table?   It is my privilege to represent the Board on the Foundation’s Board of Governors and I would love for you to join me in supporting the great work the Foundation is doing to support early learning in our district.  The breakfast is free, it is a great way to start your day  (I hosted a table last year), and please note, people will be asked to make a contribution.  Let me know if you are interested.  

Until next time, all the best!

Catherine

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INSIGHTS: Your thoughts on Community Sustainability? Fees? Per Diems?

Posted on March 19, 2011 by catherine

Happy Spring!

 Monday, March 21, marks the first day of spring and it is also the International Day for the Elimination for Racial Discrimination.  And this year, for me, it marks a celebration at DS MacKenzie that I am very much looking forward to. 

 On Monday, the whole school community will be welcoming five students from Fushimi Junior High School, Sapporo, Japan and given the tragedy in Japan, it is an honour that students are able to visit at this time. The official welcoming ceremony will also be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Fushimi Exchange.  This exchange has its beginnings in the twinning of the provinces of Alberta and Hokkaido in 1981 and is the longest running student exchange in Alberta. What a remarkable achievement –one that has flourished thanks to the strong commitment and dedication of teachers, principals and families on both sides of the Pacific. Thank you to all who have been involved over the years! Here’s to 30 more!

 Community Sustainability Task Force – Ideas? Thoughts?

It is my very real honour to be representing the Board on the Community Sustainability Task Force, chaired by Michael Phair. The exploratory and discovery phase of the Task Force’s work will take place during April and May (and possibly into June).  Recommendations are expected to come forward during the Fall. The work is focusing on “mature neighbourhoods” (built before 1972). In Ward H, Westbrook, Aspen Gardens, Royal Gardens, Greenfield, Rideau Park and Duggan fall into this designation.  

 Mr. Peter Wong (who is a Past President of the Edmonton Chinese Bilingual Education Association), Trustee Cindy Olsen, and I are chairing a Working Group focused on School Revitalization Zones.  What do you think the Working Group should investigate? How do you think “school revitalization” should be approached?  Would you like to be involved at all?  Other Working Groups include Businesses in Community and Achieving Mature Neighbourhood Sustainability, and if you have an interest in these groups, I would be happy to pass your name along. 

 UPCOMING

Public Board Meeting on Tuesday night, March 22.  6 pm, Centre for Education, One Kingsway. 

Please note that the agenda and all associated reports can be found at  http://www.epsb.ca/board/march2211_agenda.shtml and includes: 

1)      Celebration of this year’s Edwin Parr nominees. (The Edwin Parr Award is given out by the ASBA to a first year teacher from each zone in the province. Each school board can bring forward one candidate.  On Tuesday we will meet all the nominees in the district and find out which one will go forward as our nominee to Zone 2/3. )

2)      A motion on Trustee Per Diems (to pay trustees for any committee work that exceeds 6 meetings/committee)

3)      A motion to Review the Lunchtime Fees policy  (See background information related to this motion in the Trustees Request for Information item.)

4)      Report from the Moratorium Committee on their work to date and a proposed workplan.  Until October, the Committee will explore seven issues that contribute to school closures. This exploration will be done in a public setting with presentations from Administration, dialogue and the opportunity for the public to speak to the issue of the day.  Great idea!  All are welcome and I will remind you of the upcoming topics closer to the date.  The first one is set for April 19th and will be on Urban Sprawl. (See below)

5)      Recommendation to Dispose of Bellevue School (Bellevue was closed in 2003 and Distinction Employment Counselling Services of Alberta (DECSA), the tenant since that time, would like to purchase the property.)

6)      Presentation from Exempt Staff on their thoughts about the upcoming budget

Your thoughts on any or all of the above are welcome.  And if you are able to attend the meeting in person, great!  Please be sure to let me know you are in attendance.  Parking is available underground or stay warm at home and  watch the webcast of this meeting at  http://www.livestream.com/edmontonpublicschools. 

March 25, 11:50 am,  Information Session on the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation

Come on down to Youngstown School for lunch and some information on what is happening in public schools today and what the Foundation is all about.  No $$$ required!  Just a smile and some curiosity!   Two more sessions will be offered on April 7 and April 21 but at John A. MacDougall School.  Full details here:  http://foundation.epsb.ca/events

 Thursday, April 7 – A Ward F discussion

How do we get more families back into the core of our city?  A Ward F discussion hosted by Trustee Michael Janz. Please RSVP.  For the details, see: http://www.michaeljanz.ca/2011/03/how-do-we-get-more-families-back-into-the-core-of-our-city/

Saturday, April 9

Literacy and Learning Day, http://www.literacyday.ca/ 

Hear Robert Ocker speak on “The Parent Shift  – Empowering Our Children Today and Building the Families of Tomorrow!” and attend your choice of great workshops. This is a FREE event especially for parents. The Literacy and Learning Day Society was recently at Public Board to request help with distribution of materials  and a financial contribution (which was granted).   Donations are key to keeping this event going as are volunteers.  If you can help out in any way, please contact the organizers.   

 Until April 13, submit your input on the time of Public Board Meetings

The Board of Trustees currently holds its regular Board meetings in public every second and fourth Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. during the school year. The Board is considering holding its regular Board meetings during the day and is seeking your input. http://viawebsurvey.epsb.net/vws/Surveys_aI1.cfm?A=2213&B=4197

 Tuesday, April 19, Moratorium Committee meeting on Urban Sprawl

2 – 4 pm, McCauley Chambers, Centre for Education 

 Wednesday, April 27, 7 pm

Let Your Light Shine!  Fashion Show

An Edmonton Public Schools Foundation/Kingsway Garden Mall event  

See what student teams from district high schools have designed and created!  Can’t wait to see what comes strutting down the runway!  Would you like to attend with me?  Let me know and maybe we can carpool. 

 EDUCATION WEEK  May 1 – 7

Tuesday, May 3  Moratorium Committee meeting on Aging School Buildings and Plant Operations & Maintenance (PO&M) Funding

2 – 4 pm, McCauley Chambers. All are welcome.

 Thursday, May 12, 7:30 am   Edmonton Public Schools Foundation’s  Get Ready for Life” Fundraising Breakfast 

Would you like to join me at my table?   It is my privilege to represent the Board on the Foundation’s Board of Governors and I would love for you to join me in supporting the great work the Foundation is doing to support early learning in our district.  The breakfast is free, it is a great way to start your day  (I hosted a table last year), and please note, people will be asked to make a contribution.  Let me know if you are interested.  

 LOOKING BACK on LGBTQ MOTION

On March 3 I mentioned that the Board would be deliberating on a motion to create a new policy to affirm the provision of a welcoming environment for all students and staff who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual/transgendered, or queer (LGBTQ). We did indeed deliberate and the Board voted 8-1 in favour. As such, Edmonton Public Schools is the first in the Prairie Provinces to commit to developing such a policy. 

 I was the vote against and several people have asked me to explain my reasoning. I am happy to do this (or on any other vote, for that matter – never hesitate to ask!).  In November the Board passed the third reading of a policy called Safe, Caring, and Respectful Learning Environments (which is a complementary policy to a similar one focused on staff).  It states that discrimination, harassment, bias and bullying for any reason (including sexual orientation) will not be tolerated, and schools have an obligation to be safe places where these types of issues can be raised and resolved.  The Superintendent is currently developing regulations on how this policy will “come to life” on the ground in schools across the district in a consistent way. I enquired whether the new regulations would have any provisions for LGBTQ issues. The answer was yes.  Believing that we need to be streamlining our policy book, and believing that the current policy is strong in terms of protection for all students and given the new regulations were still in development, I felt a new policy was not necessary. The rest of the Board disagreed, however, and now we move forward. 

 As a member of the Policy Committee I am looking forward to developing a strong policy in this area. The initial draft policy should make an appearance for public input and advice later in the spring/early summer. Stay tuned!  In the interim, if there are elements you feel should be included in this policy, please let me know.

 Until next time, all the best!

 Catherine

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Insights: VISION, MISSION, PRIORITIES and more!

Posted on March 2, 2011 by catherine

 “All students will learn to their full potential and develop the ability, passion, and imagination to pursue their dreams and contribute to their community.”   

 This is the proposed Vision, which the District Priorities Committee will be bringing to the full Board for approval next Tuesday night at Public Board.  What do you think? 

 The full wording for the proposed Vision, Mission and 2011-14 Priorities can be found at  http://www.epsb.ca/board/march08_11/item03.pdf  (See Appendix 1).

Please take a look! I am proud of where we have arrived, but still open to any final comments anyone might have. 

 This Statement is the culmination of several months of thinking, asking, listening, discussing, listening some more, challenging and being challenged, and creating. Thank you so much to all those who took the time to come out to the Centre for Education or Johnny Bright School to provide feedback in person OR participated online in the Board’s consultation efforts.  A summary of what people said can be found attached to the Priorities report in Appendix 3, and if you compare the draft version to the final proposed version, I believe you will see your ideas and comments have made a difference.    

 My personal take is that while we were certainly on the right track conceptually with our original version, there was definite room for improvement! I will rely on you to let me know if this new version is improved … and perfect!

 And we will see what the full Board thinks on Tuesday night.   This decision is one of the most important decisions a Board makes in its term, so I look forward to the discussion.  Why is this decision so important?  Because once approved, all work in the district (including the Board’s own work) is focused around the Priorities. The exact process of how the Priorities become “live on the ground” and how we track our progress is indicated in the Next Steps part of the accompanying Board report. 

 UPCOMING

Public Board Meeting on Tuesday night, March 8.  6 pm, Centre for Education, One Kingsway. 

All are welcome!  Parking is available underground or stay warm at home and  watch the webcast of this meeting at  http://www.livestream.com/edmontonpublicschools. 

In addition to the Vision, Mission, and Priorities recommendation, the following is on the agenda… and you can find all reports here:  http://www.epsb.ca/board/march0811_agenda.shtml

Motion on LGBTQ.  Trustee Spencer has moved that we should develop a policy to affirm the provision of a welcoming environment for all students and staff who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual/transgendered, or queer (LGBTQ).  Attached to the motion are policies and regulations from Victoria and Vancouver and our own Safe, Caring, and Respectful Learning Environments policy.  Informing the debate will also be what is being done in the district already to welcome LGBTQ folks http://www.epsb.ca/board/dec14_10/item06.pdf (starting on page 5) and work underway in other districts in Alberta and in other provinces http://www.epsb.ca/board/february08_11/item08.pdf (starting on page 2). People may also want to read through our Respectful Working Environments policy http://www.epsb.ca/policy/gbca.bp.shtml and the associated regulations:  http://www.epsb.ca/policy/gbca.ar.shtml

 Our Support (CUPE 3550), Custodial (CUPE 474) and Maintenance (CUPE 784) staff group presidents will be sharing their budgeting and planning suggestions with the Board.  Looking forward to it!

 In “Requests for Information” there is   information on 1) operating two standard school calendars in Calgary Public and the advantages and disadvantages of this for EPSB, 2) pool use within the JUA and accessibility for swim teams, etc., 3) Physical Education requirements and practices, 4) Cancellation of Recess practices, and 5) criteria for expanding Chinese Bilingual program into new schools.

 Thursday, March 10 OR Wednesday, March 16, 7 pm.   Special Needs Task Force Consultation

How can we help students thrive in an inclusive education system? Provide your perspectives!   http://epsb.ca/mediareleases/110223_2.shtml

Saturday, March 12, 11:30 am  Dragon’s Den opportunity for young entrepreneurs

This CBC show is on a cross-country audition tour to find new entrepreneurs for Season Six, and this year, teens (13- 19) are being encouraged to audition for the show. For more information, see  http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/audition/

March 18 or March 25, 11:50 am,  Information Session on the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation

Come on down to Youngstown School for lunch and some information on what is happening in public schools today and what the Foundation is all about.  No $$$ required!  Just a smile and some curiosity!   Two more sessions will be offered on April 7 and April 21 but at John A. MacDougall School.  Full details here:  http://foundation.epsb.ca/events

 March 21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  What will you do to mark this important day?  Lots of ideas at http://cfrac.com/  Also, a question for us all — What biases do I have and how can I deal with them?  

 Saturday, April 9  Literacy and Learning Day, http://www.literacyday.ca/ 

Hear Robert Ocker speak on “The Parent Shift  – Empowering Our Children Today and Building the Families of Tomorrow!” and attend your choice of great workshops. This is a FREE event especially for parents. The Literacy and Learning Day Society was recently at Public Board to request help with distribution of materials  and a financial contribution (which was granted).   Donations are key to keeping this event going as are volunteers.  If you can help out in any way, please contact the organizers.   

 Wednesday, April 27, 7 pm   Let Your Light Shine!  Fashion Show

An Edmonton Public Schools Foundation/Kingsway Garden Mall event  

See what student teams from district high schools have designed and created!  Can’t wait to see what comes strutting down the runway!  Would you like to attend with me?  Let me know and maybe we can carpool. 

 EDUCATION WEEK  May 1 – 7

 Thursday, May 12, 7:30 am   Edmonton Public Schools Foundation’s  Get Ready for Life” Fundraising Breakfast  

Would you like to join me at my table?   It is my privilege to represent the Board on the Foundation’s Board of Governors and I would love for you to join me in supporting the great work the Foundation is doing to support early learning in our district.  Providing Early Learning opportunities is critical to helping all kids succeed in school.  This past year the Foundation raised enough money to support a Full Day K class at Tipaskan School in Millwoods. Terrific!  The breakfast is free, it is a great way to start your day  (I hosted a table last year), and please note, people will be asked to make a contribution.  Let me know if you are interested.   

 OTHER

 Speaking of the budget and the provincial government, you may wish to tune in to Legislature Watch to find out what education issues our MLAs are discussing in the Leg during this Winter/Spring session.  http://legwatchblog.public-schools.ab.ca/  Recent topics – Special Education changes/funding,  Cuts to AISI (Alberta Initiative for School Improvement)…  

 MLA Dave Hancock also reproduced a Q&A in the Leg on the safety of WiFi on his blog, which some of you may be interested in…   http://www.davehancock.ca/2011/02/question-period-wi-fi-in-schoo.html

Continued thanks to the Terwillegar Schools Need a Playground group who hosted a jam-packed and successful Wine & Cheese Silent Auction event last Saturday.  The new playground is stepping forward from a dream to a reality thanks to all the hard work of this group. Looking forward to seeing Councillor Bryan Anderson take up his new career of auctioneering when he retires from Council!

 Dads Matter!  Really enjoyed hearing Steve Davies, the Head Teacher (aka Principal) of Coopers Lane School in London, UK speak last night. He challenged us all to think about how male-friendly our schools are. How can we get more dads to get involved with their kids’ education?  The payoffs are huge.  One huge lesson I learned was that we can begin by asking fathers… and that a “Pie and Pint Night” has its appeal!   http://www.theapplecore.co.uk/tvfront.html

Thanks to Keheewin School Council for inviting me to their meeting in mid-February. It was excellent to meet the parents who are advising Principal Crystal Mills on an ongoing basis, and I loved the presentation by two Grade 5 students – a joint project on the Arctic presented on the Smart Board. 

And thanks to Harry Ainlay School Council for letting me listen in last Monday night.  I enjoyed hearing what the students are up to from the Student Union president, seeing a Smart Board in action (thanks to Dan Luchnow, Acting Head of the Math Department), and finding out that the staff leadership group is studying a book entitled I Read It but I Don’t Get It.  We often think of literacy instruction in relationship to elementary school but good literacy skills need to be developed continually – and of course, literacy is critical to being able “to learn to one’s full potential and have the ability, passion, and imagination to pursue dreams and contribute to the community.”

This brings me around to where I began.  Thanks for reading.   Your feedback is welcomed. Please leave a comment!

Catherine

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Posted in Community Engagement, Insights E-letter, Parent Engagement, Student Success | Leave a comment

Setting the Vision, Mission, Beliefs & Priorities for EPSB is Powerful Work

Posted on February 4, 2011 by catherine

The Board is in the midst of working on its Vision, Mission, Beliefs and Priorities statement.  This is exciting work!  And powerful work. Why?  Because once approved by the Board in early March, this statement will guide the work of the Superintendent, schools, and central departments over, at least, the next three years.  All district plans and the allocations of monies and people will focus on achieving these priorities and the ultimate goal (vision). 

So, if you haven’t done so, I encourage you to read through the statement and answer the questions — online now until midnight on Sunday, February 6.  http://epsb.ca/datafiles/PrioritiesConsultation.shtml  Did we get it right? What is missing?

As a member of the District Priorities Committee, I have now attended two student consultation sessions and one district wide community consultation PLUS a session held in Ward H.  Thank you, Principal Miller and Johnny Bright School, for hosting the Ward H session and to the twelve people who attended. Great!  One more distict wide session will be held tomorrow morning, and then all the results (in person and online) will be brought together and we will look for themes in terms of how to improve the Vision, Mission, Beliefs and Priorities.  

 Based on what I have heard so far, I know there is work to do!  While there is lots of basic agreement with the work so far, there have been some thought-provoking comments simplifying  the language, emphasizing the spirit of collaboration throughout more, the need to provide context for why these priorities have been chosen, etc. 

Here are the results from the Ward H session, for example: 

Question 1:  Do the draft Vision, Mission, Beliefs and Values, and Priorities reflect your expectations for Edmonton Public Schools?  If no, what needs to change in order for them to meet your expectations?

Discussed what VISION/MISSION was  (Vision – where we want to be,  destination;  Mission – how we will get there, practical )

VISION

  • Needs to include an understanding/sense of where students could be going  (and that lots of paths are worthy  — university, work, apprenticeship etc.) 
  • Missing – sparking life-long learners. 
  • “Completing high school” — seems like a low achievement goal, makes it sound as if it’s the end, so final. 

MISSION

  • RE:  “success.”  What is the definition of success?  Is it the achievement of the vision? 
  • Should success be considered “personal success”  — i.e. set up framework that allows students to set their own vision of success. 
  • Missing –  we are missing sense of PARTICIPATION  by the student /parents/teachers.   This is all about what we are doing TO students. 
  • What about “to provide learning environments and  leadership necessary to support AND ENGAGE all students in achieving PERSONAL success in a complex and changing world.”   (ie. The addition of these words emphasizes or brings out the need for participation by the student) 
  • RE: “leadership”    What is the definition of leadership? 
  • Missing – sense of collaboration between parents/teachers/students/etc.   Yes, it is in the Beliefs section but should be here. 
  • “ing” words imply more action. 
  • What about ….  “Providing opportunities for learning and leading in collaborative ways so that all students can….”  

BELIEFS/VALUES

  • There should be a value around the importance of communication/engagement.
  • Whole notion of preparing for college/for one’s future needs to be in here. 
  • Need to have a value around HONESTY – around marks, abilities etc. 
  • For inclusiveness to work, don’t we need a value around celebrating the uniqueness and talent of each students plus ACCEPTANCE of everyone despite their differences?
  • Didn’t like the phrase “public education underpins a successful future.”  Underpins not a good word and makes meaning unclear.  “Public education is the foundation for a successful future” would be better.
  • Need to recognize value of making an effort.  (persistence?  Catherine’s suggestion)
  • Appreciate the belief around everyone sharing responsibility and accountability – but still, there is no sense of “working together” or being collaborative.  Need to be more direct about this. 
  • Add in to learning environments
    • honest? 
    • Open communication? 
    • Really glad to see “creative and innovative” 

 

PRIORITIES

  • (former staff member)  Really glad to see fourth priority still in place.
  • Someone commented that these are all good but what are the realities in getting there given current economic/political climate?  “Are these champagne tastes on a beer budget?”    This led to a whole reflection on the fact the priorities are worthy no matter what the budget.  For our kids, we need to tackle these goals in good times/bad times.  What we need is COMMITMENT.  Innovation also becomes really important in a hard time. 
  • Priority 1:  Innovation is a euphemism for creative thinking – why use it?  How do you measure innovation anyhow?  Innovation was not clear to one person at all. 
  • Priority 2:  Questioned the word “instill”  — would encourage or cultivate be better?
  • Priority 3:  Enable inclusive and accepting environments where…   This better implies that achieving this priority will have to be two-way street.  Everyone will need to respond to  or participate in the inclusive environment for it to work. 

 

OVERALL COMMENT

This Vision, Mission, Beliefs and Priorities will give people 20 years from now a sense of what was important or going on in 2011.  (i.e. they are responses to things like bullying, increasing rate of change, increasing parent involvement, desire for transparency etc.)  But what are the new issues coming up?  Can we look forward and try to capture some of that in our priorities/vision…. ? 

Question 2  (What can you do to help us achieve the Priorities? )

  • Teachers will need to prioritize their time/activities/efforts
  • Need commitment from everyone 
  • Parents could help out with extra-curricular and/or with their expertise. The principal commented that this is already possible.  But do parents KNOW they can be a volleyball coach or drama leader or whatever? 
  • BETTER COMMUNICATION is key and critical. 

 

Question 3:  How will we know we are making progress? 

  • Conversation around measuring innovation/creative thinking.  These are buzz words, but what dos they really mean?  Suggestion that we’re going to measure it by talking about it.  We’re going to tell stories about kids/teachers etc. thinking outside the box, being creative, etc.  
  • Qualitative measures (like stories) are OK, but quantitative is important, too.
  • Provincial Accountability Pillar results/parent & community & student & staff surveys are good starting places. 
  • Narratives are great for those kids on either end of the spectrum  (super great kids, super awful kids) but we don’t tend to share stories of kids in the middle.  [ Thought from Catherine:  Need to find way in which all kids can share their own stories of progress.  Ask about status of Ready for the Future portfolios?] 
  • How do we measure EFFORT?  Trying is what makes the big difference for one parent; grades are less important.   Another parent commented that you can try really hard (which is good) but it doesn’t necessarily make you successful.  (This goes back to what your definition of success is… what the vision is)  
  • With respect to literacy:  if my child wants to sit down and read and enjoy a book, this would signal success to me. 
  • We will know we are making progress through CELEBRATION. 
  • With respect to numeracy /critical thinking.  If I can go into a store and the power goes out and the teen clerk can help me out and make change, that would indicate success.
  • We certainly need measures, but how can we measure the inclusive environment? 

 

Question 4    How do you want to hear about our progress on the priorities?

a)      Traditional media (3/12) (but at what cost?)

b)      School newsletter (6/12)

c)       EPSB.CA  (3/12)

d)      Social media (2.5/12)

e)      Board meeting updates (1/12)

f)       Email updates (5)

OTHER   1)  Parent council meetings, 2) School ZONE  (8/12)  Could there be a “publicZONE”  (It was suggested that “Go Public” www.school4you.ca  is just that)    3) DO IT ALL!

As I said,  if you haven’t offered your thoughts, please do so!  All input gratefully recieved so we can make these the very best they can be.  Click on  http://epsb.ca/datafiles/PrioritiesConsultation.shtml  The survey is online until Sunday, February 6, midnight.

Thanks!

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