Everything I have learned

                                      What I have learned as a Trustee

    Never give up – if you truly believe in someone or an idea they deserve your best effort . This will usually take more than one try.

  The board Retreat needs to be renamed – it is not a holiday or the backing away from a fight like the name says. It is a full day or two of very open and insightful conversation and data of where our district is and where we should go.

Everyone has wisdom- sometimes this is not clear at fira st  but it is true.

Coffee and carbs are not your friend – once in a while yes , but not many times especially when you are into hour 8 of any kind of meeting, resist the urge to indulge .

There are many unsung hero’s in this district – unfortunately most of the media attention goes to those negative news stories . But I learned quickly the hero’s are numerous  , and they do it without press or congratulations . Thank you to all our hero’s.

One person is not the board. We work as a team.

     We are not an island – someone is always watching or listening. You should do what you do because it is right whether you think someone is watching or not. I wish more people and press would attend the board meetings to see and hear first hand what goes on.

    The position of trustee is a privilege not a right- it has been a huge honor to have served this community for 9 years. I will always treasure this experience .

    The best ideas do not come from the board room – talking to those in the schools and the community is the best places to find solutions. The board room gives the “ how to ” after the idea has landed.

 The position is just not twice a month  meetings – there are weekends away, events and commitments during the day and night, plus phone calls and email.

Red Deer Public is the best district – that does not mean we stop and rest on our past performances , we keep striving to be the best we can be. This district if full of so many people that care and who are excellent at what they do for the students every day , all year long.

 There are many kinds of leaders – there are those that only have it in their title , but there are many more that are servant leaders and inspire many to follow.

The right choice is not always the most popular choice. Do not let that stop you.

The only one that likes change is a wet baby.

        Since this a political position most of the poem “ All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten”  by Robert Fulghum applies .

 Like Share everything. Clean up your own mess. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

 Live a balanced life - learn some and think some
and draw and paint and sing and dance and play 
and work every day some. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. 
The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation.
Ecology and politics and equality and sane living. 

Take any of those items and extrapolate it into 
sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your 
family life or your work or your government or
your world and it holds true and clear and firm. 
Think what a better world it would be if 
all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about 
three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with
our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments 
had a basic policy to always put thing back where 
they found them and to clean up their own mess. 

And it is still true, no matter how old you
are - when you go out into the world, it is best 
to hold hands and stick together.

Yes most of these I knew before , but some of them became more true as a Trustee. It has been truly an honor and a privilege to serve my community as a Trustee, and I hope I have the opportunity to continue . Thank you to all those that have supported and encouraged me throughout these past 9 years. You are all very special to me in so many ways.

Are we just maybe doing something right

 Today I want to share with you some information that was in the Fall newsletter from the Canadian School Board Association.
The OECD ( Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ) has just published " Education at a Glance"  having completed a study involving 43 countries http://www.oecd.org/education/

Here are some interesting findings

1. Canada is one of the most educated countries. : the rate of college/university attainment in Canada has risen by 11% since 2000 and at 51%, is significantly higher than other OECD countries ( the average being 32%)

2. Education is insurance against unemployment : the chances of being unemployed are cut in half with a secondary or post secondary education.

3. Public funding of education in Canada is not as high as in other countries : Public funding of education accounted for 76% of total funding for all levels of education in Canada , compared to the international average in OECD countries of 84% .

4. Canada exceeds the international average of OECD countries when it comes to instruction time in the classroom :
- in 2011 the total amount of instruction time at the primary education in Canada was 799 hours compared to the OECD country average of 790 hours
- in 2011 the total amount of instruction time at the the lower secondary level in Canada was 743 hours , compared to the OECD country average of 709 hours
- in 2011 the total amount of instruction time at the upper secondary level in Canada was 747 hours compared to the OECD country average of 664 hours

The PISA study of 2010 published that Canada's students rank the best in the world in reading, mathematics, and science . While the list of what we want and need to accomplish in our schools is still long and will continue to demand our full commitment ,
  I ask you .... are school boards effective ?

I am a Trustee

I am a trustee

I am not a bean counter

But trustees adopt an annual budget for the school system that supports and helps achieves our districts priorities.

I am a trustee

I am not an educator

As a Trustee I play a key role in developing tomorrow’s citizens . We set goals and priorities for the district that achieve provincial education standards, and meet the needs of students .

I am a trustee

 I cannot hire or fire a teacher

Trustees have ONE employee. The School Board Superintendent. And we are responsible for the evaluating, hiring of even the firing of that one individual.

I am a trustee

I do not make any decisions on my own and my vote has the same importance as any other trustee on the board

Trustees need to stay in touch with community stakeholders. Trustees in Red Deer do not represent any one school, neighborhood or community.  Rather, we make decisions based on the needs of the entire district.

 

I am a trustee

We’re not like other elected officials

As a trustee I help shape the future of local communities by governing the education of young people. The role of the school governor is demanding but very rewarding and is my favorite way to give back to my community.

  I am a trustee

Trustees are not irrelevant

Trustees are locally elected, we represent the voice of the parent, the student and the community regarding education .If school boards ceased to exist we would give away our power to change and to positively impact our children’s educational future.

I have a passion for public education .I am in touch with this community, and I understand and value the role of a trustee.

My resume as a Trustee

       I am passionate about public education.

     I have had the honor of representing Red Deer Public Schools for the past 9 years. In those years I had the privilege of playing an active role on some major initiatives in our district and our province.

   In my first term I was on the Ad Hoc committee through the Public School Board Association for new Trustee Orientation. Through Red Deer Public we established new guidelines for school fee’s and eliminated them at the elementary level. The first term as a Trustee was a huge learning curve. I thank the public for giving me the chance to represent them and their needs.

    In my second term I was on the committee through the Public School Board Association for their “Straight Talk” initiative and handbook, and on the standing committee for the “Foundation Program”. These were publications and statements that informed and helped Trustees and their communities have deeper, open conversations about what public education is and what it can be. Through Red Deer Public I co- founded the “Living and Learning” committee. This was a daylong event that offered sessions for parents to better inform them about issues concerning children.The Nutrition Policy was also established and implemented. Through the Alberta School Board Association I was the elected President for

 Zone 4.

    In my third term I was elected as Zone 4 Director for the Alberta School Board Association. As a Director I represent all the school boards ( Public and Separate ) in Zone 4 at the provincial level. This is great honor to have the support of the Trustees in Central Alberta and my district with a local voice to direct the business and affairs of the ASBA. As a Director I am also on the Second Language Task force and on the Policy and Development committee. Through Red Deer Public I am on the negotiating committee with our local ATA. The Reading College Program and the Finish Line Program were also started. These help our students struggling with literacy and in completing High School .

    This past term I have seen significant changes at the provincial and local level . The government of Alberta has started the implementation of the new School Act, Inspiring Education, reconstruction of PAT’s, Curriculum Re-design, High School Flexibility programs and the teacher workload task force.

     I want to continue to be part of the transformation, locally and provincially to strive for excellence by inspiring learning and nurturing hope in every student.

What has changed

                                                    What has changed?

     Public Education has accomplished so much, but teachers and administrators are told – mandated- to do more. They are told not to just teach our students , but to raise them.

I have had the great pleasure of meeting Jamie Vollmer and hearing him speak about education. Check out his bio www.jamievollmer.com .

    We have corresponded a few times while I have been a trustee over ideas and goals for public education. He comes from the USA and as we all know public education has a very different meaning than it does here in Canada. But his message on the need to create our schools so they give all students the opportunity to unfold their full potential is universal. 

    The message I want to share with you is information Jamie had sent me regarding how much we have added to our education over the past 100+ years. The information starts from the early 1900’s. As you know Red Deer Public just celebrated their 125 anniversary just for FYI.

In the beginning schools were established to teach basic reading, some writing , and some arithmetic skills. This is some of what has been added.

1900 – 1910

Immunization and Nutrition

1910 – 1930

Phys. Ed, Practical Arts ,Vocational Education , and school transportation opportunities were added

1940’s

Business Ed , Arts and Music ,Speech and Drama , half day Kindergarten , and school lunch programs were offered

1950’s

Math and Science was expanded, Safety and Driver Education , Foreign Languages were introduced, Sex education

1960’s

Advance Placement programs, Consumer and Career Education, Peace , Leisure , and Recreation Education

1970’s

Special Education, Drug and Alcohol abuse education, Parental education, Women’s studies , Behavior Adjustment classes, African-American studies, School breakfast programs appeared

1980’s ( the flood gates opened )

Keyboarding and Computer, Global and Ethnic education, ESL and Bilingual education, Teen Pregnancy awareness , Early Childhood education, Jump Start and Early Start programs, full day Kindergarten , After School programs ,Alternative Education programs, Stranger/Danger education, Anti-smoking education, Sexual abuse prevention education, Health and Psychological services were expanded

1990’s

Conflict resolution and peer mediation was offered, HIV / AIDS education, CPR training, internet and computer programs were expanded , Tech Prep and School to work programs, gang education in urban centers , bus safety , bicycle safety , gun safety, water safety

2000’s

More standardized testing has been introduced

    All of these items have merit, and all have their supporters, but they all cannot be assigned to our schools. As a community we need to come together and build support what is best for students and our Public Education System.

The bottom line is …..

Schools cannot do this alone. 

Everyone is scared to death of a drop-out

                    Everyone is scared to death of a drop out

         This is a phrase I have heard for decades.
 Once again it leads me to ask “ tell me why”?

Why does society value a high school diploma so much? What do post-secondary institutions look for when choosing their potential students? Does going to post-secondary make you a better person? Think of those in your life that you would describe as intelligent? Were they scholars? Do they hold degrees? Do they need spell check? These are some of the questions we need to ask ourselves when we are looking at graduation rates, and what resources we are going to put in to this to improve our rates . Because if we are asking these questions, I can assure you the students are as well. And that is where I really find the best answers are. Who better to ask than those kids that did not finish for the answer, “tell me why”? It should come as no surprise that it is not one simple answer. The answers are as diverse as the students we serve. That is why I support Collaborate Development. We just cannot look at it from the perspective of the Trustee or the Teacher. This is a community concept. 

   One of the programs I am very proud of at Red Deer Public is the ‘Finish Line” program, that supports High School Completion. Each year, for different reasons, many students come up short of completing their high school graduation requirements. Once out of school, busy with life, it’s challenging to get back into it. The Finish Line Program recognizes the importance of high school graduation and works with students who are within reach of getting their diploma and helps them get the job done. Finish Line works to identify those students who have not completed their high school graduation requirements. It connects with students, makes them aware of what they are missing and looks at options and choices available. Together, an individual learning plan is developed which can include returning to school, completing on-line courses, attending outreach school or finishing off coursework requirements. From there, it's making it happen, providing support, tracking students and encouraging them along the way. For more information please check out the link where I have shared with you  a brief description http://www.rdpsd.ab.ca/FinishLine.php

Alberta Education is also reviewing High School Credentialing Requirements. Here are a few information items from the document that I would like to share with you. Through Inspiring Education there is a new vision for education in Alberta. Through extensive consultation one of the key findings is that “The current Certificate of High School Achievement, although valued, does not align with the new vision for education in Alberta.”  I support the belief that our students must be able to do more than just acquire knowledge. They must be able to create and use knowledge as the key to innovation and success in a global economy. A detailed description of the requirements for the Certificate of High School Achievement is available at this link   http://education.alberta.ca/admin/resources/guidetoed.aspx .

My questions are –

#1 are these right for the students

#2 are these in line with what our students need to enter post-secondary

#3 do we need to look at different ways of assessment of / for our students

#4 does this industrial model need to be changed for today’s students

#5 is there enough flexibility and choice for students

My answer for #1, #2,#4, and #5 are NO. We need people in our community with a variety of skills and abilities. We need to shift how we measure what is valuable. This is most definitely a cultural shift. This will happen one conversation at a time. I am asking you to join me in the conversation. Please share with me your thoughts and vision.

                                         What inspired me to achieve.

 Why am I running for re-election ?
       This question can be answered by telling you why I first ran and what inspired me many years ago when I was in school. I have always loved music. I cannot play an instrument , but I tell myself I can sing. Songs always influence a mood or bring back memories. There are many times I wish there was background music playing when big events happen in my life. Hearing a few cords from the theme song for Jaws[1] would have saved me many times when I was near trouble. One of the very first songs that left a footprint on my heart was “I Don’t Like Mondays” by the Boomtown Rats. The song is about a young girl that goes on a shooting spree in a playground. Both children and adults were injured and killed. When she was asked by reporters “ tell me why?” her answer was “ because I don’t like Mondays” I remember reading the article by Sir Bob Geldof the singer of the band, giving the reasons for why he wrote the song. He said “ It was the perfect senseless act and this was the perfect senseless reason for doing it. So perhaps I wrote the perfect senseless song to illustrate it. It wasn't an attempt to exploit tragedy.”[2] I could not stop thinking about “tell me why?” It just didn't make sense to me. Yes it was senseless. I needed to know more. I needed to help but I was just a kid. A kid just like those who were injured. A kid just like the shooter. But we didn't talk about the tragedy in school and world news was very hard to access back in the day, so it was something I just kept in my heart. 
      Later Sir Bob Geldof organizes Live Aid to raise funds and awareness for the famine in Ethiopia .Once again through his gift of music this man is telling the world of a problem and inspiring people to help.Again I wanted to help. But how ? I was a young woman still just trying to find herself . Years pass and I become a wife and mom with three kids. The days were full of carpools , class activities, play dates, baking cookies and so on. My mind was more on making it through to the next day with my sanity than anything else most days. Then April of 1999 comes and the world was in shock and tears over the school shootings in Columbine. I had three kids under 5 at the time and all I could think of was “ tell me why?” Once again I wanted to do something . The song lyric, “the lesson today is how to die”[3] kept running through my head. That is a lesson no child or parent should ever have to learn. The passion in me to be in a position where I could make a difference was stronger than ever before. I have always had an interest in politics and governance. So after doing some research and having encouragement from friends and family I decided to run for Trustee.
         I am inspired by people who do what they do with what they have for unselfish reasons. Reasons like it is just the right thing to do. I believe you need a big heart more than big bank account to be successful . Schools are more than just a place to learn. They are a community, and we need to inspire that community and help them carry the torch for the next generation of responsible citizens. One of the key messages from former trouble maker and motivational speaker Josh Shipp is that every teenager is one caring adult away from being a success. [4]This is something we all can do. I was told this summer by a student that I was his one adult that help him towards his success. I have never felt so humble or inspired in all my life. I have seen many changes in society and the economy. As it states in the Education Act Regulatory Review, I believe that” I adapt to change with an attitude of optimism and hope for the future. As a lifelong learner, I believe there is no limit to what knowledge may be gleaned, what skills may be accumulated, and what may be achieved in cooperation with others. And always, I keep growing and learning[5] 

[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvCI-gNK_y4
 [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Don't_Like_Mondays
[3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6I9qVsXnSQ
 [4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8jWUSaz4m4
[5] http://ideas.education.alberta.ca/media/80375/regreviewinspiringeducationcontext.pdf