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.

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.

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”

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”

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.

More Student Voice

Early on in the campaign I introduced the concept of having a student elected to sit on the Public School Board. The Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School, Aspen Heights and Glendale School Councils seemed enthusiastic about the concept. I am now delighted to read that both Dick Lemke and Bill Christie support this proposal. I am hopeful that with their support and the potential support of other Board members, electing a student to the Board will become a reality this term.

If elected I will advocate for a student trustee to attend Board meetings and add a student’s perspective to discussions. A student trustee will provide insights that Board members do not possess on contemporary issues relevant to students like cyber bullying and technology usage in schools.

My Q & A with Public Interest Alberta

Here is a Q & A I did with Public Interest Alberta:

1. What specific steps would you advocate to improve the quality of education?

I will advocate for a student representative to attend Board meetings and add a student’s perspective to discussions. A student rep will provide insights that Board members do not possess on contemporary issues relevant to students like cyber bullying and technology usage in schools.

Students need a safe and caring environment to grow to their potential. Reasonable class sizes are very important. With large classes, quiet students and struggling students lose out.

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

Stop piling more work onto staff without taking something away. As a former business owner I know that if I download too much onto my staff productivity went 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.

Students need a safe and caring environment to grow to their potential. Reasonable class sizes are very important. With large classes, quiet students and struggling students lose out.

2. What are the main directions we need to take to develop the full potential of all students?

Inspiring Education focuses on developing Engaged Thinkers, Ethical Citizens and an Entrepreneurial Spirit. I believe if these 3 pillars are properly designed and implemented they will help prepare our children for the future. The ideas in Inspiring Education are progressive, but the government should not rush through the process of implementing Inspiring Education. Red Deer Public 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.

Use programs like MicroSociety <http://www.microsociety.org> which involves bringing real life to learning.

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 nonprofits 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.

In 2012 Red Deer Public's 5 year High School Graduation rate was 79.6%. We need to put more supports in place to help all students graduate from High School. 

Inclusion is a good strategy, but we need to have more supports in place to help students in the classroom. Without Educational Assistants in the classroom the special needs students take up much of the teacher’s time. Teachers and Educational Assistants also need ongoing Professional Development about the learning disabilities they may come across in an inclusive classroom. 

The government needs to increase funding to support special needs students in the classroom. Red Deer Public's Bright Start program helps young children build the building blocks they will need in school. We need to continue and build upon programs like this!

3. What are the most important changes that need to be made regarding the role of school boards in Alberta?

School Boards need to be given back the right to set a local education tax rate. Local School Boards know their community. They need to be given the power to respond to local needs. School Boards need to be given back the right to set a local education tax rate.

4. How can the school board and you as trustee most effectively influence the financial and policy decisions made by the provincial ministry of education?

Continue to talk, and provide examples, to our local M.L.A.'s about the funding crunch in Education. Lobby the Minister of Education about our financial needs. 

Children are our future - we need to provide them with a fully funded education or society will suffer in the long run. 

My understanding is that Red Deer Public received a 0% funding increase for this year. There has been an increase of over 200 students into Red Deer Public this year. According to Troy Media the Alberta Consumer price index in May and June, 2013 increased from last year by 2.3%. In July it increased 2.2% The August increase was 1.4%. Education funding is not keeping up with rate of inflation. We need to voice our concerns about the funding levels to the government!

5. In light of the current funding situation, what strategies should the board use to meet the needs of students and the community?

Put more money into the schools and less into other areas like Central Offices.

6. What changes respecting the funding of education would you advocate for?

The minimum increase the government should give the board each year is the rate of inflation plus a dollar amount for the number of new students otherwise it will be hard to maintain the same level of education. Boards need the right to set a local taxation rate for education.

7. Should the provincial government continue to use Public Private Partnerships (P3s) for building new schools, what guidelines would you propose be placed on P3 contracts?

No, I don't agree with P3 contracts.

8. What limitations, if any, should the school board place on the involvement of private firms in schools?

Private firms should not be involved in paying (or in kind donations) for name recognition. I don't mind inviting private firms into schools to talk to students about careers, etc..

9. What reasons, if any, might you vote for the closure of a school?

If the school is no longer viable, the number of students is projected to continually decline until it does not make sense to keep the school open

Student voice

Glad to read in the Advocate today that Bill Christie is supporting my stance regarding electing a student trustee to sit the School Board.

I presented this concept to the Lindsey Thurber School Council on September 30 and they seemed intrigued by the idea.

If elected I will advocate for a student representative to attend Board meetings and add a student’s perspective to discussions. A student rep will provide insights that Board members do not possess on contemporary issues relevant to students like cyber bullying and technology usage in schools.

Supporting teachers with technology

Technology is a good learning tool. But it is only one tool for a teacher to use in educating our children.

When new technology is introduced into schools teachers need to be provided with quality ongoing professional development on how to use the new technology properly. The dump and run method does not work with technology.

Without providing teachers with proper knowledge, instruction and time to explore, technology will be used for drill and practice activities when it is capable of so much more.

Class Size Matters

Alberta will have 11,000 new students this year but school boards will have $14.5 million less dollars to work with.

Red Deer Public received a 0% funding increase for this year, and yet there are over 200 more students joining Red Deer Public this year. According to Troy Media the Alberta Consumer price index in May and June, 2013, increased from last year by 2.3%. In July, it increased 2.2% The August increase was 1.4%.

Education funding is not keeping up with rate of inflation. Children are our future - we need to provide them with a fully funded education or society will suffer in the long run. We need to voice our concerns about funding levels to the government!

In the short-term it is a trustee's responsibility to make sure our students and our schools are taken care of with the limited and insufficient resources we have been provided; however, in the long run, it is a trustee's responsibility to make sure the government provides sufficient and sustainable funding for our schools.

My Q & A with the Alberta Teachers' Association

I wrote the following profile and statement of beliefs for the Alberta Teachers' Association and their website www.vote4kids.ca. You can find my profile here and I am posting it below.

I am married to Marianne, a former teacher. We have four children: John, Andrew, Daniel and James who have all attended Red Deer Public Schools. I have taught for twenty-four years in the Red Deer Public School District. My teaching career has always been student focused. One of my accomplishments was implementing the MicroSociety program at Aspen Heights School, where a school based society is modeled on real life. The program was so successful that I was recognized as the MicroSociety Coordinator of the Year in 2012 at the MicroSociety International Conference held in Philadelphia, USA.

I have experience in business as the Store Manager of Operations for a national furniture chain. I have also owned and managed small businesses.

The knowledge I have gained, in business, as a parent and teacher in Red Deer Public Schools will provide insights to share with my colleagues on our School Board, resulting in sound decisions for our students.

Statement of beliefs

Students need a safe and caring environment to grow to their potential. Reasonable class sizes are very important. With large classes, quiet students and struggling students lose out. We need to prepare our students to be critical thinkers and responsible leaders. Education is an investment, which enables students to become contributing members of society. 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. I will advocate for a student representative to attend Board meetings and add a student’s perspective to discussions. A student rep will provide insights that Board members do not possess on contemporary issues relevant to students like cyber bullying and technology usage in schools. I firmly believe every decision big or small must be made considering the impact on our students. My job, as a trustee, will be to represent you in making decisions that create the best possible learning environment for Red Deer’s children. I bring a unique perspective as a father of students who attended Red Deer Public Schools, as a teacher and as an experienced business person. I believe this background will help me in providing useful insights during School Board discussions.
What should be the three priority areas of focus for the school board this year?

Focus 1

We need to increase the High School Completion rate. In 2012 we had 79.6% of our students graduate within 5 years of starting grade 10. We need to put supports in place which will help the other 20.4%

Focus 2

Funding needs to at least keep pace with the rate of inflation if we are to maintain the current level of education.

Focus 3

Inspiring Education - 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.

What are your views on education funding in Alberta and the role of school boards in funding decisions?

My understanding is that Red Deer Public received a 0% funding increase for this year. There has been an increase of over 200 students into Red Deer Public this year. According to Troy Media the Alberta Consumer price index in May and June, 2013 increased from last year by 2.3%. In July it increased 2.2% The August increase was 1.4%. Education funding is not keeping up with rate of inflation. Children are our future - we need to provide them with a fully funded education or society will suffer in the long run. We need to voice our concerns about funding levels to the government!

How can learning conditions in schools be improved?

Students need a safe and caring environment to grow to their potential. Reasonable class sizes are important. With large classes, quiet students and struggling students lose out. “A teacher’s working conditions are a student’s learning conditions” Stop piling 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.

What are your views on student assessment?

I applaud Alberta Education for moving away from Provincial Achievement Tests. I learn everyday and haven't written a test in a long time. I believe in Less Provincial and District testing more teacher designed authentic assessment (A form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills - Jon Mueller http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/whatisit.htm) Teachers know their students learning styles and which form of assessment is the best for their class.

What are your views about appropriate use of technology in school?

Technology is a good learning tool. But it is only one tool for a teacher to use in educating our children. When new technology is introduced into schools teachers need to be provided with ongoing professional development on how to use the new technology properly. The dump and run method does not work with technology. Without providing teachers with proper knowledge, instruction and time to explore, technology will be used for drill and practice when it is capable of so much more.

My blog is born

Why am I running for Red Deer Public School Board?

I retired from teaching last June, and I still have a strong desire to be involved with education. I am running to be a Red Deer Public School Board Trustee because I want to work for what is best for our schools and our students. I want to share the knowledge and experiences I have gained as a teacher in Red Deer Public School District with other trustees and together make decisions that are best for our students.

Why am I blogging?

There is a big difference between being passively informed and actively consulted. A blog is a great way for trustees to make their thinking transparent and have two-way communication. I hope to engage regularly via the comments' section on my blog.