March 15, 2021

Student education AND well-being – an important balance

I have been writing about the importance of the Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta (PSBAA) belief statements. Our belief statements are especially important in 2021 – a school board trustee election year in Alberta.

Our fifth belief statement is:

Public schools nurture each student’s education and well-being within a supportive learning community.

This is a critically important statement.

I am passionate about student learning and making sure we as trustees do all we can to help prepare students for their future and the world of work.

But that preparation is far more than just the “three Rs – reading, writing and ‘rithmetic.”

To make sure each student has the opportunity to learn, we have to always remember their physical and mental well-being is just as important as what’s taught in the classroom.

It’s hard for students to learn to their full potential when they’re hungry. Or not able to learn properly because they have an undiagnosed learning disability. Or because they’re being bullied or find it hard to fit in because of a language or cultural barrier. Or because they’re so tired by the end of the week from having to get up so early just to get to class on time, when the bus ride to and from the school in their rural area takes so long.

These are just some of the concerns that occupy my thoughts as a school board trustee, and they’re the concerns I am so determined to address.

Students who receive proper nutrition learn better. So do students who have extra learning supports in the classroom. And we can all benefit from and perform better after a good night’s sleep. How much more so can our students?

We work hard to make sure our classrooms and schools are welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments, but we know we want to do much more. When we have more transportation dollars, we can put more buses on the road and help students get to and from school more quickly. More schools closer to home would also help.

Regardless of the funding challenges we face and the choices that must be made, we always work very hard to ensure that, within the public school system, students have a plethora of choices, including diverse faith-based learning opportunities, in response to the needs and wants of our communities.

We will continue to prioritize funding as much as possible so that students have well-rounded, experiential and creative learning experiences. We will also continue to promote an emphasis on pride of first culture, while providing an understanding of and commitment to the common culture of Alberta and Canada. And we work very hard to balance multiple needs in the classroom to ensure there is appropriate space, furniture, technology and learning or teaching aids as well as teachers, other staff and volunteers.

This is an election year for locally-elected public school board trustees in Alberta. We are looking for people who are passionately in favour of public schools and want to champion K-12 public education in their community. Please connect with us at the PSBAA if you want to know more about running for public school board trustee. It really is the best job anywhere!

Cathy Hogg,
President