Alberta School
Boards Association, Zone 5
Minutes –
December 10, 1999
Call To Order Pat Stutz
called the meeting to order at 9:30 AM and welcomed
everyone.
In
Attendance Pat
Stutz Canadian Rockies
John Neill Prairie Land
Dorothy
Haines Alberta
Learning Regional Office
Linda
Wellman Calgary
Catholic
John
Murray Rocky
View
Michele
Mulder ASBA,
Vice-President
Terry
Patey Rocky
View
Maureen
Munro Rocky
View
Cindy
Berry Rocky
View
Lorne
Kosack Rocky
View
Kathy
Smith Golden
Hills
Gary
McKinnon Golden
Hills, Superintendent
Mary
Stengler Christ
the Redeemer
Lynn
Nishimura Calgary
Public
Sharon
Hester Calgary
Public
Graham
Sewell Foothills
Colleen
Brownlee Rocky View,
Superintendent
Jerry
Muelaner Foothills
School Division
Carolyn
Kaiser Foothills
School Division
Kimberly
Epp Foothills
School Division
Bryan
Beveridge Canadian
Rockies
Bill
Brownlee Canadian
Rockies, Deputy Superintendent
Dave
MacKenzie Canadian
Rockies, Secretary-Treasurer
Adoption of
Agenda John
Murray moved that the agenda be approved. Carried.
During the lunch break, Gerry Wilson, formerly of Alberta Learning Regional Office, will be receiving a Zone Appreciation Award.
Adoption of Minutes Linda Wellman moved that the minutes of October 29, 1999
be approved. Carried.
Business Arising from the A Zone 5 web site is being developed.
At this time the
Minutes address is http://www.crsd.ab.ca/zone5/index.htm.
Please submit comments or items for posting on the site to Dave Mackenzie at
dmackenzie@crsd.ab.ca
ASBA has developed and distributed the
Importance of Zones document. The
document was developed to clarify, communicate, and enhance the role of zones
within the structure of the Alberta School Boards Association. It is available
on the ASBA web site at http://www.asba.ab.ca/perspectives/position_papers/
It was noted
that recent Zone 5 meetings have conflicted with CASS meetings. The schedule
for the rest of the year will be reviewed to determine if date changes need to
be considered.
Correspondence
Board Sharing Lynn
Nishimura – Calgary Public
The new Calgary Board has held a
trustee orientation workshop with a focus on working together as a united team.
Organizational meeting was held
on December 9th. Mrs. Pat Cochrane will chair the Board, David
Pickersgill is Vice-chair.
Graham Sewell – Foothills School Division
Graham introduced Mrs. Kimberly
Epp, newly elected trustee.
Jim McLellan has been hired as
the division’s new superintendent.
The Student Health Initiative
programs have been established.
A new policy on student religious
observation in schools is being developed.
Terry Patey – Rocky View School Division
The division was well represented
at the Safe and Caring Schools convention held in Edmonton.
New school construction in
Chestermere and Cochrane is ahead of schedule due primarily to favorable weather.
The division has implemented a
number of new complimentary courses.
Capital construction plans and
applications have been submitted to Alberta Learning.
The Minister has responded to a
letter from Rocky View Board in which the Board expressed its concern with the
expense associated with the five-year teacher preparation programs offered at
the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge.
John Neill – Prairie Land School Division
The Board is considering the sale
of a number its teacherages. The Board owns over fifty teacherages.
The Board is planning a workshop
to be held with school councils as they look to clarify and redefine the roles
and responsibilities of school councils.
Brian Beveridge - Canadian Rockies
The Board has recently signed
two-year agreements with both the ATA and the CUPE local representing
custodians.
The Board’s one-time funding
expenditure plan has been approved by the Minister of Learning.
Still awaiting approval on a
major modernization for the Exshaw School.
Mary Stengler – Christ the Redeemer
The Board’s three year and ten
year capital plans have been submitted to Alberta Learning.
Still struggling with overcrowded
schools.
Linda Wellman – Calgary Catholic
District Advisory Councils and
Family of Schools organizations have been established in the jurisdiction.
Capital Plans have been submitted
to Alberta Learning.
The jurisdiction will be hosting
the Living the Eucharist Catholic Education Conference in March 2000. They
expect over 2,000 participants.
Kathy Smith – Golden Hills
The Board’s Audited Financial
Statement has been completed.
The Province’s one-time funding
grant has allowed the board to eliminate its short-term line of credit and free
up approximately $200,000 annually as a result.
The Board’s Annual Education
Results Report was adopted at the last meeting. A condensed version is
distributed in the local newspapers.
Reports Regional
Office – Dorothy Haines
Dorothy summarized the content of her written report.
Board
Showcasing Linda
Wellman of Calgary Catholic introduced three staff associated with the district’s Sanctuary Outreach
Program. They spoke about the Sanctuary program, which is designed to assist
students 16-19 years old who are not enrolled in a regular school program or
who have dropped out of school and would like a non-traditional entry back into
education to gain some high school credits.
Lunch Pat
Stutz was pleased to present a Zone Appreciation Award to Gerry Wilson for his many
years of association with Zone 5 in his role as Director of Alberta Education’s
Southern Regional Office in Calgary.
Guest Speakers Malcolm Johnson and Barry Day
of Alberta Infrastructure
Mr. Johnson and Mr. Day provided
information on the school facility audits that are currently taking place
throughout the province.
Reports
(continued) ASBA Zone Director – Lorne Kosack
Lorne summarized the written report of the Board of Directors meeting
held on December 3, 1999.
CLL – No
report.
Labour Relations – John Murray
Workshops on December 6 & 7
were successful.
There was discussion as to
whether Boards should consider a regional bargaining approach in the future.
Pat, John N. and John M. will explore ways to facilitate this discussion
in a separate session, and bring forward a suggestion in January.
Teacher Preparation – Graham Sewell
The new five-year Master Teacher
Program at U of C is in the fine-tuning stage.
The faculty has three new
associate deans.
There is a focus on revitalizing
the teacher placement program.
Hope to provide for more rural
school experiences for new teachers under the practicum program.
There is a plan to reestablish
the old special education teacher program.
Problem with shortage of CTS
teachers. Currently, U of A and NAIT are the only institutions receiving
funding to offer training programs for CTS teachers.
Regional Consortium – Kathy Smith
The annual meeting of the
consortium will be held on May 23, 2000, 1:30-3:30.
Alberta Learning has announced
that funding for the consortiums will be continued.
Edwin Parr Committee – Graham Sewell
The committee will be revamping
application questions.
Treasurer – Mary Stengler
Financial report provided.
Pat Stutz presented the proposed
budget for 1999/2000
An adjustment was made to
decrease the amount budgeted for costs associated with the production of the
Zone Handbook. It was agreed that printing costs could be lowered by not
providing binders with the handbook.
Mary Stengler
moved that the financial report be accepted. Carried.
John Neill moved that the 1999/2000 budget be accepted as amended. Carried.
John Murray moved that the reports be accepted as information. Carried.
New
Business Pat
Stutz provided a report on her attendance at the Minister’s Forum on Lifelong
Learning.
The
group was reminded to note the deadlines for applications for the ASBA awards.
Adjournment John Murray moved that the
meeting be adjourned at 2:45 PM.
Carried.