November 15, 2022
Our unchanging priority: Students First
The English phrase, “may you live in interesting times”, is often attributed to an ancient Chinese curse. True or not, I believe these are important times. While there is still economic uncertainty, we are optimistic as we approach the end of 2022. That’s because our main focus and unchanging priority remains the same: Students First. Students First means creating the best possible conditions for every student in our public schools…
October 18, 2022
Relationships and collaboration a key theme at Fall Conference!
It was an exciting couple of days at our annual Fall Conference and AGM. Last year, we hosted a hybrid event. This year, we were fully back in person, and it was better than ever. Fall Conference is a wonderful time to reconnect with other trustees and build new relationships. We acknowledge there is a lot of change this year in K-12 education, and with it comes uncertainty. What will…
September 16, 2022
Gearing up for a great Fall!
Welcome back to the start of a new school year! And we are so pleased to extend a very warm PSBAA welcome to Lethbridge School Division, whose trustees joined the Association earlier this summer. We sent out a news release at the time, and you can read it by clicking here. I hope you had a wonderful and restful summer and were able to recharge and relax with family and…
June 15, 2022
Wellness and Learning are top of mind for PSBAA in June
In early June, we held our first in-person Spring General Assembly (SGA) in three years! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces again, and meet new trustees who were elected last fall for the first time. The theme for this year’s SGA was wellness – most appropriate after the past two years. We had a wonderful roster of speakers and presenters and a full two and a half…
May 16, 2022
The importance of accountability and transparency highlighted in new PSBAA research
In April, the Public School Boards’ Association (PSBAA) released new research that again raises the importance of accountability and transparency in K-12 education, and how schools in Alberta are spending taxpayer dollars. Over the past two years, Curtis Riep, PhD. has produced a series of research papers for the PSBAA, including research on charter schools and home schools. His latest work on private schools reveals that the 18 most expensive…
April 19, 2022
Professional learning and communication are key to success for PSBAA members!
The Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta is proud to be a member-driven association, focused on meeting the needs of our members. One of the most important ways we do this is through our quarterly meetings with our Public School Boards’ Council (PSBC). Each member school board appoints a trustee representative who sits on the PSBC. These meetings are a great opportunity to hear from our members about the issues…
March 15, 2022
Moving forward – an exciting year ahead!
What an incredible two years it has been. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, we could not have imagined that we would still be talking about it two years later. We did know that, despite the uncertainty that lay ahead, our members and our school communities would be resourceful and resilient. Along the way, there have been so many challenges, yet, here we are, emerging from the pandemic—for…
February 15, 2022
It’s all about the benefits for our members!
In the January edition of the President’s Corner, I shared that your PSBAA Board of Directors was holding its annual renewal meeting and assessing our priorities, values, and goals for the coming year. This month, I’d like to share some of the outcomes of that meeting. As a member-driven Association, we have two key overarching goals: elevating the profile of the Association and looking for new ways to add value…
January 17, 2022
Renewal and Optimism for 2022
The new year is a great time to take stock, reassess priorities and values, and set – or reset – goals. The Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta is doing exactly that this month, as our Board of Directors holds its annual renewal meeting. We meet, review our three-year Work Plan and set our goals for what we want to accomplish over the next year and beyond. The “how” is…
December 15, 2021
Holiday wishes from PSBAA’s new President
It’s been a very busy year, and it’s hard to believe we are now in the last two weeks of 2021. As the Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta’s (PSBAA’s) new President, I am pleased to welcome all the new and returning public school board trustees who were elected or re-elected in the October 2021 municipal and school board elections. Thank you to all those who ran for public school…