With my background in policy analysis and governance, I know how policies impact the delivery of public education and I am passionate about delivering the best results for students.
Statement of beliefs
I believe in public schools. I attended public schools and all three of my kids attend CBE schools right here in my wards. I send my kids to CBE schools because I trust the Calgary Board of Education. I see the proof with my own kids: The CBE provides a world-class education.
Universal accessibility is also one of my core values when it comes to public education. There are 42 schools in Wards 8 and 9. I am proud that even though there is a wide variety in the average family incomes and other socio-economic factors when it comes to the 42 schools in my wards, every single one of the schools in my wards has something special going for it. There is a strong sense of belonging and joy in every single school. Every single school offers a strong academic foundation. And every single school has a community of support behind our students. At some schools we see parents paying for (or fundraising for) field trips, jerseys for sports teams, musical instruments and other enriching experiences at our schools, while at other schools we see EducationMatters and other not-for-profit organizations stepping in. Either way, I love how the public steps in to support universal accessibility at our public schools.
Priority areas
A $1 billion increase to annual operation funding for public K-12 education across Alberta.
Approvals for all 15 of the CBE’s capital requests, because we’re short space for 17,000 students.
Province edits p69 of funding manual that currently forces large class sizes only on public schools.
Views on funding
School boards across Alberta have had to work with flat per-student funding for the past six years. Alberta now has the very lowest level of per-student funding in Canada. The very lowest. In the meantime, the cost of everything has gone up. The cost of utilities, paper, smartboards, laptops. Everything. This means we’ve had six straight years of trying to do more with less. The reality is, we do less with less.
To invest in and protect Alberta’s future prosperity, school board trustees across Alberta need to convince the provincial government to bring per-student funding up to the level of the Canadian average. This would require an additional $1 billion across Alberta on an annual basis.
The Premier should do this TODAY, which means BEFORE TEBA and ATA go back to the bargaining table. Then all that TEBA and ATA would have left to figure out is which portion of the $1billion increase would go to compensation for our highly qualified, professional, hard-working teachers.
How learning conditions can be improved
Two things. Both in the Premier’s court.
PROPER FUNDING. I am a true believer that the CBE has the best teachers with the best training who can do a better job than any private school in supporting kids with complex learning needs. The difference is that private schools work with a vastly greater budget. An announcement TODAY of a $1 billion increase across Alberta in operating funds for K-12 public education, AT CURRENT ENROLMENT LEVELS, would allow the CBE and other public schools boards in Alberta to bring down class sizes and increase the supports we provide to students with complex needs.
RESPECT FOR TEACHERS. The Premier could also announce TODAY a commitment to amend or repeal Bill 22 from 2019, Bill 15 from 2023, the two Ed Act Amendments, the FASIS Act and the book ban. These provincial government policies have undermined public trust in public education and they’ve increased red tape and workloads for teachers, while doing nothing to positively impact academic results.
How trustees and school boards can best support teachers
As trustees we have the incredible privilege of securing meetings directly with the Minister of Education & Childcare on a regular basis. We have the regular opportunity of meeting face-to-face with all MLAs elected in Calgary, and sometimes with MLAs from other parts of Alberta, too. We occasionally snag direct, face-to-face conversations with the Premier. We also meet CEOs, City councillors, and other influencers in Calgary.
Given the access that we have as trustees, I think it’s very important for trustees to work with government to advance our priorities.
I acknowledge that people who want trustees to be more vocal and visible are disappointed by this approach. And I get that there would be great satisfaction from people who already agree with me if I were to post some zesty zingers on Instagram. But I’m not in this role for the likes. I’m in this role to get what CBE kids AND teachers need to thrive.
Because kids’ learning conditions = teachers’ working conditions.
Views on the new K-6 curriculum
We need curriculum experts designing curriculum, and not politicians (like me!).
Alberta has historically had a reputation for a very strong curriculum, As a result, students in Alberta perform among the trop in the world on international standardized tests. Globally, Alberta students rank 2nd in reading and science and 7th in mathematics based on the 2022 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment. In Canada, Alberta students rank 1st in reading and science and 2nd in Mathematics
As Alberta’s Grade 12 students apply to universities this fall, many of them still view Alberta’s curriculum as among the most rigorous in the country, and BC and Ontario schools continue to give Alberta applicants a 4% grade average boost.
We want a curriculum that continues to be regarded highly in the future.