Proposed Education Act
to be presented at SGM

Maureen Towns, Alberta Education’s Director Legislative Services Branch – and a former chair of Elk Island Public Schools – will provide an overview of the key changes proposed in the new Education Act at the Spring General Meeting. Facilitated by the ASBA’s Jim Gibbons this interactive session will take place immediately after the business session ends on Monday June 6, 2011. Thanks to Alberta Education for giving trustees and senior administrators, who could not attend the May presentations, an opportunity to hear first-hand about the proposed legislation. Note: May 27 is the deadline for online registration. Onsite registration will be available for an extra $50.00 plus GST at the general meeting.

The ASBA will be going as “paperless as possible” for this Spring General Meeting. We have asked all presenters to provide us with their hand-outs which we will be posting on the ASBA website shortly after May 27. As well the SGM evaluation will be e-mailed out to participants. Thanks for helping us go greener.

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ASBA and AUMA to sign
historic agreement to work together

At the June Spring General Meeting ASBA President Jacquie Hansen and a representative of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association will sign a protocol agreement between the ASBA and the AUMA.  The two associations hope to work together on the following: serving as role-models for cooperation between municipalities and school boards locally; advocating together on school closures, infrastructure needs and municipal elections; drug awareness programs and trustee development.

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ATA honors Heather Welwood

Congratulations to past ASBA President Heather Welwood who will receive the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s Public Education Award at the Annual Representative Assembly over the May long-weekend. Read more about why she is receiving this award here.

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The cheque is in the mail for ASBIE subscribers

Thanks to excellent risk management and a good claims history, the 49 school boards who are insured by the Alberta School Board Insurance Exchange will share in $649,570 in excess equity. Launched by the ASBA eight years ago, this is the second time in ASBIE’s history that school boards will be getting cheques because of excess equity.

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Covey leadership training
now available through ASBA

School boards can now get the full suite of leadership training developed by Stephen Covey at a fraction of the cost. Senior Education Advisor Jim Gibbons is licensed to provide this training including:
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Great Leaders, Great Teams, Great Results
Getting to Synergy
Four Roles of Leadership.
For more information contact Jim Gibbons.

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Bidding Melanie McNaughton farewell

Join us in saying good-bye and good luck to Senior Legal Secretary Melanie McNaughton who is moving to Ottawa at the end of May.  She worked for the ASBA for three years.

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School trustees of Aboriginal
ancestry invited to national gathering

The Aboriginal Council of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association is hosting a National Aboriginal Trustees Gathering in Saskatoon from June 19 to 21, 2011. The gathering will provide a forum for school board members of Aboriginal ancestry to share information on successful practices for engaging First Nation and Métis people in strengthening achievement for First Nation and Métis students.

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What's new @ www.asba.ab.ca

Agenda Board of Directors
May 12-13 (PDF–91K)

Highlights Board of Directors
May 12-13 (PDF–75K)

Draft Minutes Board of Directors
May 12-13 (PDF–115K)

Minutes Board of Directors
April 14-15 (PDF–95K)

Strategic Plan
Second implementation report: May 2011 (PDF–1.3M)

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In the news...

Each day the ASBA posts education headlines
on the ASBA website: www.asba.ab.ca.
Recent headlines include:

15 staff and $710,000 deficit for Medicine Hat Public
05/18/2011, The Medicine Hat News
CBE Trustees reject busing fee hike
05/17/2011, The Calgary Herald
CBE trustees warned of conflict of
interest in vote on busing fees
05/17/2011, The Calgary Herald
Alberta needs to get serious
about aboriginal education, experts say
05/14/2011, The Edmonton Journal
Meet Edmonton Public board chair Dave Colburn
05/15/2011, The Edmonton Journal
GP parent angry about alleged cyber-bullying incident
05/13/2011, The Grande Prairie Herald-Tribune
Why isn't education funded like health: sustainable predictable dollars for schools Column Calgary Herald
05/13/2011, The Calgary Herald
Nova Scotia report looks at what it
takes to improve education: Ben Levin report
05/05/2011, ednet.ns.ca
Minister Hancock "I'm not saying no":
asked about reprieve for cash-strapped school boards
05/12/2011, Medicine Hat News
16 teaching jobs to be cut in Canadian Rockies:
Chair seeks meeting with minister
05/11/2011, The Banff Craig and Canyon
Study looks at homophobia in Canadian schools
05/12/2011, The National Post

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