Saturday, October 19, 2013

Inspiring Education


The ideas in Inspiring Education are progressive, but the government should not rush through the process of implementing Inspiring Education. As a School Board we need to make sure the voices of our Board, superintendent, teachers and parents are not only heard but also have considerable input into the design and implementation.

Inspiring Education is changing the face of Education in Alberta. The new Board will need a vision of what Inspiring Education will look like in Red Deer Public Schools. I can add to that discussion due to my experience with Alberta Education and the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS).

In 2012, I was invited to participate in an Alberta Education Symposium “Encountering Curriculum Redesign”, where I was involved in discussions on what Inspiring Education and the new Alberta Curriculum should look like. 


Last year, I was a presenter at the College of Alberta School Superintendents Learning Symposium, which focused on Inspiring Education and the transformation of education for all Alberta students. 


The knowledge I have gained from my involvement in these symposiums will provide helpful insights into Board discussions concerning Inspiring Education and how it will affect our students. 


Red Deer Public School District should set-up committees (composed of teachers, C.O. staff, Red Deer College, businesses and non-profits) to study research and discuss how we can develop creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, resourceful ethical citizens of the future.


We need to be prepared for the changes in Inspiring Education not play catch-up.


Friday, October 18, 2013

Funding for Red Deer Public Schools


Red Deer Public received a 0% funding increase for this year. There has been an increase of 123 students in Red Deer Public Schools this year. According to Troy Media the Alberta Consumer price index in May, June, July and August rose by an average of 2%.

Red Deer Public has received no increase in funding, has more students and is expected to provide a better level of education. How is this possible?

Education funding is not keeping up with rate of inflation. We need to voice our concerns about the funding levels to the government!

Children are our future - we need to provide them with an education that is properly funded or society will suffer in the long run.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Part 2: My answer to question #3 from the Trustee Forum

Question #3.How can the school board support teachers in their roles to ensure our students are 21st century learners?


Technology will be a big focus of Inspiring Education – 21 Century

When new technology is introduced into schools teachers need to be provided with ongoing professional development on how to use the new technology properly.

Red Deer Public Schools need to make sure teachers are provided with proper knowledge, instruction and time to explore, technology otherwise it will be used for drill and practice when it is capable of so much more.

Not one type of Professional Development suits all Involve teachers in designing Professional Development. They are front line staff and know their students needs.
Teachers, with assistance from support staff, work with their students everyday. To meet the learning needs teachers identify for their students the District must move towards self-directed Professional Development. Teachers know their students and what is best for them. The district should provide Professional Development time for teachers to research, share, discuss and reflect on the best approaches to use with their students.


A teacher’s working conditions are a student’s learning conditions


Part 1 of my response to Question #3 from the Trustee Forum

Question #3.How can the school board support teachers in their roles to ensure our students are 21st century learners?

21st century schools won’t be designed to open up a child’s brain and pour in knowledge. We need to help our children develop creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, technology and communication skills and help them become resourceful ethical citizens of the future, as well as curriculum knowledge in all subject areas. Hands-on, relevant learning motivates students. We need to support innovative education like the proposed Glendale skateboard option, where students use creativity and decision making to decide on the style of board they make. Engineering in designing the board and problem solving when they are building the skateboard and need to overcome design problems.

Don’t pile more work onto staff without taking something away. As a former business owner I know that if you download too much onto your staff productivity goes down and this leads to the quality of work going down. Same thing in Education, if you want a quality education for the students do not over burdened the teachers, EA’s and office staff.

“A teacher’s working conditions are a student’s learning conditions”

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

First Nations, Metis and Inuit High School completion rate

Red Deer Public Schools need to increase the FNMI (First Nations, Metis and Inuit) High School completion rate. A start to increasing the FNMI graduation rate would be to have school and Central Office staffs visit the Native Friendship Centre to make connections and build relationships. Let's create a community where everyone feels safe, welcome and accepted.

Answers to Trustee Forum Question #2

Here is my response to the 2nd question asked at the Red Deer Public Trustee Forum last week.

Question #2. How do you believe parents and the community can play a greater role in student learning and our education system and how would you move this forward?

Communication is very important and we need to work on improving it. 

Electing a student trustee – lets here their insights at Board meetings. I will advocate for a student trustee to be elected to the Board. This will add a student’s perspective to discussions and provide insights that Board members do not possess on contemporary issues relevant to students like cyber bullying and technology usage in schools.

When the Inspiring Education Student Learning Assessment is given early in the year in Grades 3, 6 and 9 use it as a conversation starter with your child’s teacher.

Join your School Council and have input on the decisions they make.

Invite your Trustee to attend your School Council meetings. Let them hear and see what your school is up to. This will help trustees keep in touch with the great things your School Council & school are doing. Trustees should also ask to attend meetings.

Contact your MLA and the Minister of Education and lobby for adequate funding for education:
- right now funding not keeping up with inflation.
- talk about decreasing class sizes
- provide proper supports for inclusion

Schools have business partners, but we need to invite other businesses in to work and talk to our students like Mountview Grade 3 teacher Amanda Wilson, who invited a computer design company into her classroom to present to her class.

Students learn by experience. To help improve this experience the District must build more bridges between schools, businesses and the community. How can this be done? Invite businesses and non-profits like the Food Bank, SPCA, and many others, in to speak to students. Take classes to see businesses and non-profits in action. Work with the Chamber of Commerce.

Any of you who know me know that I along with the Aspen Heights School MicroSociety Committee worked hard to establish relationships with variety of businesses and non-profits. Some examples: students toured Servus, Costco, Raised money for the SPCA, Slave Lake Fire, toured the Food Bank and much more. Lets involve the community in 21 Century education.

“Lets prepare our students for their future”

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Trustee Forum Question #1

Last week at the Public School Board trustee forum each candidate was allowed to answer 1 of 3 questions. I will post my answers to all 3 questions over the next few days. 

Question # 1. How should Red Deer Public Schools move forward on the vision outlined in Inspiring Education?

Inspiring Education will bring major changes to Education in Alberta.

The ideas in Inspiring Education are progressive, but the government should not rush through the process of implementing Inspiring Education. As a School Board we need to make sure the voices of our Board, superintendent, teachers and parents are not only heard but also have considerable input into the design and implementation.

I am aware of the direction Alberta Education is setting for education.
In 2012, I was invited to participate in an Alberta Education Symposium where I was involved in discussions on what the new Alberta Curriculum should look like.

Last year, I was a presenter at the College of Alberta School Superintendents Learning Symposium, which focused on the transformation of education for all Alberta Students.

The knowledge I have gained from my involvement in these symposiums will help provide insights into the decisions the Board makes concerning Inspiring Education and our students.

Red Deer Public School District should set-up committees (composed of teachers, C.O. staff, RDC, businesses and non-profits) to study research and discuss how we can develop creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, resourceful ethical citizens of the future.

Inspiring Education focuses on developing
- Engaged Thinkers,
- Ethical Citizens
- And an Entrepreneurial Spirit.
-
We need to be prepared for the changes in Inspiring Education not playing catch-up.

Technology will be a big focus of Inspiring Education and preparing our students to be 21 Century learners

When new technology is introduced into schools teachers need to be provided with ongoing professional development on how to use the new technology properly.

Red Deer Public Schools need to make sure teachers are provided
with proper knowledge, instruction and time to explore, technology otherwise it will be used for drill and practice when it is capable of so much more.