October 31, 2025

Welcoming New and Returning Trustees to the Board Table

The results are in, and now communities will see new and returning trustees step up to their role and responsibilities on public school boards across the province. I can’t understate how proud I am of all our member boards and how excited I am to see the impact we’ll make this next four years.

However, I must temper my enthusiasm with a difficult reality—the threat to the existence of school boards themselves. Right now, public school education is being defunded and devalued, eroding public confidence in an education system that serves all students. It’s deeply concerning to me and trustees throughout Alberta.

The Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta has been hard at work to combat the false narratives this October. We sent a letter to the government about the importance of school boards and their autonomy and about how the provincial government must publicly state their position on public school education. We also sent letters about smart funding and parental supports during the teacher strike.

We created social media posts that challenge the Premier’s comments on education spending, student-teacher ratios and more. In addition, we implemented a social media campaign for the Municipal Election with educational posts, including why the public should care about who they elect as trustee.

We also met with the Minister of Education and Childcare to further stress the need for public school boards and have voiced our disapproval of supporting private schools and home schooling during the teacher strike.

As you all begin a new term as trustees, the responsibility falls on you too. With such low voter turnout in the Municipal Election, it’s even more imperative for public school boards to educate and demonstrate exactly what our value is to our communities. With the teacher strike and the passing of the Back to School Act, public school education is at the forefront of many constituents’ minds. We must keep the conversation going strong.

Because as returning trustees know and new trustees will find out, we achieve more as a strong and diverse collective than we do as one individual voice. That does not mean group think or the silencing of differing arguments. That means a board table where opinions are expressed, conflict is constructive, and where we model the kind of governance that makes a positive difference in the lives of students, staff, families and community members.

A great upcoming opportunity for the professional development of member boards is the Association’s Fall Conference and AGM, taking place November 19-21. We look forward to seeing you there.

Dennis MacNeil