MINUTES OF ALBERTA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION ZONE 5

REGULAR MEETING: May 21, 1999

Held at Crossroads Inn, Calgary

The above meeting was called to order by Pat Stutz, Zone Chair at 9:35 A.M. with the following members in attendance:

Pat Stutz Canadian Rockies John Neill Prairie Land

Jerry Muelaner Foothills Graham Sewell Foothills

Carolyn Kaiser Foothills David Lynn Foothills

Ron Taylor Alberta Education John Murray Rocky View

Carolyn Neary Golden Hills Cindy Berry Rocky View

Maureen Munro Rocky View Lorne Kosack Rocky View

Michele Mulder ASBA Donna Engel ASBA

Lynn Nishimura Calgary Public Kim Salkeld Rocky View

Shirley Reinhardt Golden Hills Mary Stengler Christ the Redeemer

Lynn Leslie Calgary Catholic Terry Patey Rocky View

Kathy Smith Golden Hills Arlene Dow Prairie Land (Sec Tres)

Introductions Pat Stutz welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced Michele Mulder and Donna Engel, ASBA.

Agenda Additions: Under new business add: ASEP/SPIP; and

1999-00 meeting dates.

Deletions: Delete item on school fee analysis.

J. Neill moved that the agenda be adopted as amended.

Carried.

Adoption J. Neill moved that the minutes of April 23, 1999 be adopted.

of Minutes Carried.

Business M. Mulder will respond to the information directive, as part of her presentation,

Arising from which was previously distributed by P. Stutz

Minutes

Correspondence - none

Board Sharing PLRD #25 – John Neill

Approved 1999-00 budget;

Granted three Early Retirements;

Starting an Outreach School Hanna with projected 15-17 students;

Purchasing eight new replacement buses; and

PLRD central office monthly newsletter instituted.

Foothills SD #38 – Graham Sewell

Recent air gun incident was out of proportion and made headlines in Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald;

Expanding Outreach school into Okotoks with other like programs are working well –extend Foothill’s support to other Districts planning on implementing Outreach programs;

1999-00 budget passed with certified and support staff cuts required in order to balance the budget; and

Looking at developing a policy regarding teacher complaints; District may be looking for advice and help from other Divisions – finding that more schools are being faced with parents who are unreasonable about what they expect of the school – site based management and parent council policies may be of help.

Rocky View SD #41 – Maureen Munro

Have a Memorandum of Understanding with the local ATA – teachers will be voting on May 31, with Board reviewing on June 3;

Principal Grant Parker received a Pan Canadian award;

New school opening on Wednesday, May 26 in Airdrie;

Large capital budget of $21M has been approved;

Reviewing school EMR plans in consideration of various scenarios; and

Budget will come before the Board for final reading on May 27.

Calgary Public No 19 – Lynn Nishimura

Board trustees and other stakeholders have described the last month the most difficult of their careers;

During a strike committee meeting the Board received word that a Disputes Inquiry Board (DIB) had been appointed;

Daily threats of drive-by shootings and bombings – staff and students feel their safety is threatened with the press sensationalizing incidents;

The DIB process, which went well, is almost at an end - Mr. Price’s (DIB chief mediator) report recommends increase for teachers and maintaining the current PTR in the ATA Collective Agreement;

Teachers will vote on May 26, with the Board voting soon thereafter;

Mr. Price made the statement that CBE is underfunded – he looked at the budget and is convinced that there is an underfunding problem which should be resolved through collaboration between the Board and the Province;

Establishing an Ombudsman position which may be possible to share with other Boards; and

Discussions are ongoing regarding 1999-00 ASBA membership.

Golden Hills RD #15 – Shirley Reinhardt

All employee contracts are in place for Year 2000;

Advertising for 22 positions and there may be more;

Expect to receive $300,000 from the new Health Initiative – staff have completed the first plan in the province, and the Board has approved the plan;

Children Services will be relocating into their Central Office Building with Board staff moving into a new building in Year 2000;

Proposed high school for Strathmore may be delayed until 2001-02;

Administration is putting together a Bomb/Shooting Policy, which is to include instructions and procedures, when bomb/shooting scares occur (RCMP in Foothills have shared this information); and

Distributed information regarding monthly administrative/trustee meetings.

Caroline Kaiser is transferring into another region requiring a by-election in September

Rocky View #41 – Lorne Kosack

School division is working with municipalities and Alberta Emergency Measures to develop an EMR plan;

Christ the Redeemer CSRD #3 – Mary Stengler

Reached an agreement with teachers;

Approved the 1999 –00 balanced budget;

Held a very successful student congress in Okotoks; and

Continue to have concerns regarding classroom space constraints with Alberta Education requiring determination and/or identification of possible shared facilities.

CRCSSD # 1 Lynn Leslie

Anticipate approving the budget next week;

Sent out letter to all parents indicating their financial situation;

Committee of chairpersons of all high school student councils held a fund raiser for the food bank; and

Received a preliminary document on fund raising i.e. gambling – the Board is developing guidelines for raising funds which may include informational statistics on the effects of gambling.

Canadian Rockies SD #12, Pat Stutz

Passed their 1999-00 budget with the addition of tech support;

Completed a facilities report which included air quality of their Central Office. Schools are using “best practices” with teachers following recommendations regarding work areas, carpets doors open/closed, etc.;

Exshaw school is in disrepair but steps are being taken through the Minister and Buildings Branch to acquire funding to bring it up to standard;

Banff school parents petitioned the Board to review independent learning programs which are exclusively used within the school; Forum recommendations are being looked at more closely;

Students going to Nepal on a Mountains to Mountains program;

Should be going into negotiations with the ATA soon – looking at various negotiation methods;

Reports Regional Office/Native Education – Ron Taylor

Mr. Ron Taylor of Alberta Education summarized the content of the written report provided.

Board G. Sewell introduced Foothills School Growth Program 1999 (Dr. Morris Gibson

Showcase School) Handout provided

Reports ASBA Zone Director – Christopher Paton-Gay (absent)

(con’t) Written report circulated and discussed

Christopher not going to seek nomination again for ASEBP Board; Zone is accepting names now, with a decision to be made by June 30. Judy Tilston is letting her name stand.

Lunch

Guest Pat Stutz introduced Michelle Mulder, Vice President of the ASBA. Ms Mulder expressed her delight in attending the Edwin Parr dinner and award ceremony the previous evening. Highlights of her address included:

Check up process is resulting in a revised strategic plan and budget;

Edmonton and Red Deer have choose to re-join ASBA; Calgary’s decision may be delayed;

ASBA is examining strategies and effectiveness of zones;

ASBA Board met with Council of Zone Chairs which resulted in good ideas about ASBA’s overall effectiveness and role;

Strategic plan will focus on public awareness of school boards/trustees and the need to raise visibility; and

If Boards bring forward concerns of any kind to local MLA’s or other government bodies, they are asked to send a copy of the correspondence to ASBA so they can keep aware of local issues.

Bylaw Amendments

Rocky View Issues Rural Transportation Safety;

Teacher Ed costs; and

Funding for Special Ed Students.

Calgary Catholic Targeted funding;

Disciplinary Action for Teachers; and

Special Needs outside of Coding.

After much discussion items three, four and five were considered priorities by Zone 5. These will be submitted for ASBA’s consideration.

Reports Labour Relations – John Murray

(Con’t) Report circulated and included in Zone package.

Teacher Preparation – Graham Sewell

Dean Winchester will be leaving;

Went through detailed survey, happy with results.

Regional Consortium – Kathy Smith

Report filed;

Extended an invitation to the AGM June 3 at Rocky View Board office.

Edwin Parr Committee – Maureen Munro

Pat Stutz expressed appreciation for the great job Maureen and her committee did in another successful Edwin Parr dinner and awards ceremony;

Special thanks to Shirley Reinhardt for coordinating the dinner and Mary Stengler for collecting the fees;

It was suggested that the amount of time for introduction should be limited to about 2 minutes with the nominee’s presentation to about 5 minutes;

Donna Engel – in order to ensure rewards packages get out early, zone chairs will meet in December; and

It was suggested that ASBA research Edwin Parr nominees in the past – where are they, what are they doing?

Treasurer’s Report – Mary Stengler

No formal report at this time but there is approximately $8,000 in the account

By-Laws Ad Hoc – Pat Stutz

Looking for some direction from other Zone Chairs to ensure there are some inclusions in common; and

Plan to meet in June.

Shirley Reinhardt moved that the reports be received for information. Carried.

New Business

Violence in schools – ASBA recently gave much appreciated assistance in the Tabor incident, and is willing to do the same for other Boards when faced with similar circumstances;

Michelle Mulder informed zone that there is a premier’s award for school board excellence under development; it is anticipated that the premier will be presenting this award at the fall general meeting;

The status of SPIP and ASEP was discussed; and

Meeting dates for 1999-2000:

September 24;

October 29;

November 26;

January 28;

February 25;

March 24;

April 28; and

May 19

Adjournment

Lorne Kosack moved that the meeting be adjourned at 3:30 PM. Carried.