Alberta School Boards Association Trustee Governance Program

School board trustees are governors of local school authorities in Alberta, and play a unique role in defining and sharing a vision for student achievement and successful learning. This course sets the stage for the program by outlining the unique role of school boards and trustees, clarifying the difference between governance and administration and how these roles intersect to lead to greater success. Participants will examine legislation pertaining to their role, explore fiduciary responsibility, the difference modes of governance, and how to build a successful board and superintendent relationship.

As school leadership projects become more complex, the challenges for decision-makers become greater. Discuss why current risk management practices can be ineffective. Explore practices for handling risk in your projects and determining who is responsible for doing it. Also learn how to prevent the risks you can avoid and minimize the ones that you can’t.

Systems thinking is a holistic approach to problem solving. In practice, it means taking a step back to understand how different variables interact in our organization and using that information to design more meaningful solutions at work and in board roles. In today’s world where organizational restructuring, new technology implementations, social trends, process improvements and other big changes impact stakeholders at all levels, systems thinking has become an important concept and skill trustees should have to navigate complex situations. In this course, participants will recognize the different concepts tied to systems thinking and explore the advantages of being recognized as a systems thinker in their organization or board. Participants will also discuss the how having a systems thinking mindset might help to reduce frustration, confusion, and tension that arise due to organizational change.

In the 21st century, organizations and workplaces experience constant change. In this introduction to change management course, the underlying human behaviour elements and organizational processes will be integral as the focus is on the people impacted by change and those experiencing the change. Participants will explore how these concepts align with the different types of changes within their organizations such as organizational restructuring, new technology implementations, social trends, process improvements and other big changes in the workplace can result in unforeseen problems for the business, as well as frustration, confusion, and tension among staff. Recognizing that change is an inevitable part of today's world, this seminar is an opportunity to discuss change and reflect Organizational Change. The focus will be on minimizing the negative effects of change and helping participants examine reasons for organizational change, while identifying frameworks, or tools to manage their projects during periods of change.

Emerging technologies are structurally changing industries, requiring organizations to adapt strategically and operationally as both opportunities and threats emerge. As a result, organizations face challenges, risks, innovations, and questions which require new thinking and approaches to ensure successful navigation of an uncertain and changing industry context. This course will explore the various aspects of digital transformation within the context and from the perspective of industry as a whole, focusing on the intersection between technology and industry, impacts on strategy and operations.