ASBA President Welwood speaks: 9 a.m., Nov. 17 and Minister of Education speaks: 8:10 a.m., Nov. 18 

Former MP Deborah Grey keynote speaker at ASBA conference in Edmonton Nov. 16 to 18

Release date: November 13, 2008

Allowing trustees to attend school board meetings via video-conference and calls for funding for full-day Kindergarten are among proposals the province's 62 school boards will debate at the Alberta School Boards Association's Nov. 16 to 18 general meeting. "Workshops to give school boards tools to connect with their communities will be the highlight this year," said ASBA President Heather Welwood. "This is in support of our province-wide effort to put the public back in public education." Media are welcome to the meeting at the Westin Hotel (10135 – 100 Street).

Sunday Nov. 16

Presentation Edwin Parr First-Year Teacher Awards: 7:30 p.m.
School boards will honor six first-year teachers: Jennifer Koganow, Grande Prairie Public Schools; Bruce Kolody, Parkland School Division (Spruce Grove); Natalie Sanderson, Edmonton Public Schools; Doris Loewen, Wolf Creek Public Schools (Joffre); Steven Greene, Prairie Land Regional Division (Altario) and Janet Kraft, Prairie Rose School Division (Jenner).
   

Monday Nov. 17

President Heather Welwood speaks: 9 a.m.
School boards set ASBA policy: After president’s speech  
Proposed policies (PDF–632K)
Deborah Grey, former MP, speaks: 1:15 p.m.

Tuesday Nov. 18

Hon. David Hancock, Minister of Education, Remarks and Q and A:  8:10 a.m.
Presentation: ASBA Premier's Award for School Board Excellence and Innovation: noon
Thirteen school boards are in the running for this award, which is sponsored by Xerox.
Project summaries

Calgary Catholic Schools
Canadian Rockies School Division
Edmonton Public Schools
Golden Hills School Division
Grande Yellowhead Regional Division
Grasslands Public Schools
Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools

Horizon School Division
Northern Lights School Division
Peace River School Division
Red Deer Public Schools
St. Albert Protestant Separate School District
Yellowknife Catholic Schools

Workshops: 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
This year's workshops will focus on strategies school boards can use to consult and connect with their communities in support of the ASBA's province-wide initiative to put the public back in public education.

For more information contact: ASBA Communications at 1.780.451.7122 (office) or 1.780.940.1671 (cell).

The Alberta School Boards Association serves and represents all Alberta’s public, separate and francophone school boards.