December 15, 2022

Holiday wishes, with gratitude for relationships and optimism for the future!

As we wind down the last few weeks of the 2022 calendar year and approach 2023, I find myself reflecting back over the past 12 months on all that our Association has accomplished.

We have had numerous successes: a full slate of in-person events, including a successful Spring General Assembly and Fall Conference/AGM; incredible engagement with members and stakeholders on the development of a new strategic plan; welcoming two new member boards in Lethbridge School Division and Pembina Hills School Division (as of Jan. 2023), and advocacy about public school education. Throughout the year, we have continued to build on our commitment to truth and reconciliation, and we are looking to do more in the coming year.

The connecting thread in all of our work isn’t something that can be ticked off on a to-do list. It is the purpose and the reason for the Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta to exist in the first place.

That connecting thread is relationships.

As locally-elected public school board trustees, we are all about relationships – with the community members who elected us, the school leadership and staff we interact with, the education partners we collaborate with and the politicians we advocate to. Ultimately, all of our relationships support one key goal: putting Students First and doing all we can to create the best possible learning environments for every student – regardless of aptitude, background, or ability – to grow and flourish.

The PSBAA advocates about the importance of public school education – why it is unique, valuable, and attractive in Alberta – through its relationships. We may have regional differences and concerns, but all public school trustees are focused on the same goal: providing the resources for all students to flourish and succeed in their learning journey. We believe public schools teach all students to learn and live the values of democracy together while receiving a world-class education through innovation, diversity, and equitable learning experiences

Tomorrow will bring a new issue or concern to address, and our work will continue in 2023. We will continue to put Students First and advocate on their behalf. This work will become even more significant as we approach the provincial election in May.

For now, though, we are grateful for all the relationships we’ve built over the past year, and our friends – old and new. To you and yours, I wish you all the very best of health, happiness, and the warmth of loved ones over the holiday season and into 2023.

Dennis MacNeil
PSBAA President