1. About School Boards and Trustees
Grade 6
Local Government
Template Presentation Content
Use this presentation template to create your own version to support a visit to schools and presentations on behalf of your school baord.

2. Democracy
A system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives. Citizens have both rights and responsibilities.
In Canada- 3 levels of government
Federal
Provincial
Local
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms entrenches the fundamental freedoms of assembly and speech, democratic rights, the right to live and seek employment anywhere in Canada, legal rights, the right to life, liberty and personal security, equality rights for all, the official languages of Canada, minority language education rights, Canada's multicultural heritage, and Aboriginal peoples' rights.
Local government in Alberta includes municipal and education. The major responsibility of a local government is to deal with issues and concerns of the local community. Municipal: Cities, town villages, counties- roads, transportation, zoning, parks, recreation, garbage, budgets, taxes. Education: Public School Boards, Independent Schools, Charter Schools, Home Schooling- School Buildings, Student transportation, Budgets, School Fees

3. History of Alberta School Boards
1867- Canada’s constitution placed education as provincial responsibility
1885- First Alberta school board- Edmonton District
1905- Alberta became a province- 602 boards
1930’s- Almost 4000 boards (one room schools)
1950’s- amalgamation of school boards, busing to central schools
Today- 61 School Boards
The Constitution Act of 1867 placed education within the authority of provincial governments who are responsible for education. School boards have served communities and provincial governments for
almost as long as Canada has been a country and longer than Alberta has been a province. In 1884, the Edmonton Public School District was formed and the first board was elected in When Alberta was created in 1905, there were already 602 school districts in existence and by mid-1930’s there were almost 4000 school districts the majority of them providing oversight to a single one-room school. (Little House on the Prairie). Over time, smaller school boards were amalgamated and there are now 61 school boards, comprised of _______ trustees, providing direction and oversight to public education in public, Catholic and Francophone schools.
Trustee shares what it was like when he/she (parent, grandparent went to school)

4. Questions What was Alberta before it became a province?
What kind of a school do you think your grandparents or great grandparents attended?
Have you seen the show Little House on the Prairie? –what was school like then?

5. What do School Boards do?
Given mandate by provincial government through School Act to provide local governance through locally elected boards of trustees
Establish Mission, Vision, values for the division
Set policy, goals and priorities, budgets
Engages and represents the values and goals of the local community
Advocate for local program and facility needs
Hires the superintendent to achieve educational goals and manage the system
School boards in Alberta have been given specific responsibilities and decision-making authority through provincial legislation. Some boards are responsible for a single urban area, and provide schooling for tens of thousands of students. Others span many small communities. Still others
combine a central urban area with the smaller communities surrounding it.
Locally elected school boards set and monitor the administration of an annual budget; and set policies that are consistent with provincial legislation relating to the programs, instructional services, school buildings and student transportation. School boards also set policies that guide the administration of the day-to-day business of the jurisdiction.
School boards are responsible for carrying out the duties and responsibilities assigned to them by the Minister of Learning through the School Act. In addressing matters related to their mandate, boards serve as representatives and advocates of their electorate. Education policies are judged first on what is best for the development of all students. The board plays an important role in representing the interests of parents and the
non-parent community as well as businesses and agencies in the community. The non-parent community makes up approximately 70% of the electorate.
The board’s roles include:
• planning for the jurisdiction, setting priorities in light of community
wishes, available resources and sound educational practice
• setting goals for the jurisdiction, ensuring education stays in step with
today’s world
• hiring and evaluating the chief executive officer (superintendent)
• adopting an annual budget for the school system
• making policy to guide the administration and employees toward district
goals
• communicating with the community and staff on behalf of the jurisdiction
• informing others, with a goal of ensuring education is given a high
priority by the public and keeping the community aware of the jurisdiction’s
achievements
• gathering information in order to make sound decisions
• adjudicating in policy or decision appeals
• lobbying all levels of government on behalf of education
Some examples of responsibilities that arise from the above roles include:
• approving and authorizing:
-the programs offered in the jurisdiction
-the basis for allocation of resources to schools
-collective agreements with employee groups
-transportation services for students
-jurisdiction and school budgets
-the construction, opening and closing of school buildings.
• hearing appeals on student placement and expulsion
• monitoring school and jurisdiction expenditures
• advocating on behalf of the electorate with other levels of government
• ensuring the safety of students in school and on the playground

6. Questions What is the name of your school jurisdiction?
Where are the board offices located?
How many trustees are on your board?
How often does the board meet?
Do you have a locally elected trustee in the area of your school?

7. Alberta School Boards Association
Formed in 1907 We believe that public education in Alberta should: 1. Be accessible to all children; 2. Aim for the optimal development of children; 3. Provide all children with equitable learning opportunities; 4. Require all participants to be publicly accountable;
In 1907 the school boards came together to form their own provincial association and in 1996, the Alberta School Boards Association adopted principles for public education that continue to be consistent with the primary purpose of public schooling. The Alberta School Boards Association policy states: We believe that public education in Alberta should 1. Be accessible to all children;
2. Aim for the optimal development of children;
3. Provide all children with equitable learning opportunities;
4. Require all participants to be publicly accountable;

8. Alberta School Boards Association
5. Strive to meet the highest standards possible;
6. Be a responsibility shared by students, parents, teachers and the community;
7. Be governed by locally elected boards of education who are responsible to the community;
8. Be directed by professional, prepared educators who are committed to the beliefs of public education and responsible for the quality of education; and
9. Support and advance a democratic society.
We believe that public education in Alberta should:
5. Strive to meet the highest standards possible;
6. Be a responsibility shared by students, parents, teachers and the community;
7. Be governed by locally elected boards of education who are responsible to the community;
8. Be directed by professional, prepared educators who are committed to the beliefs of public education and responsible for the quality of education; and
9. Support and advance a democratic society.

9. Who is a school board trustee?
Must be 18 years old, a Canadian citizen and resident of the jurisdiction (cannot be an employee of the board)
Elections are every four years (next in 2017)
Trustees are elected in wards (a single ward with several trustees or several distinct wards)
Do not have individual authority, but only as part of the corporate school board

10. What is the role of the trustee?
The trustee model of representation is a model of a representative democracy. Constituents elect their representatives as ‘trustees’ (or ‘entrust’ them) for their constituency. These 'trustees' have sufficient autonomy to deliberate and act in favor of the greater common good, even if it means going against the short-term interests of their own constituencies.

11. What is the role of the trustee?
Advocate for their community
Politician
Goal setter
Planner
Evaluator
Policy maker
Problem-solver
Financial planner
Adjudicator
Communicator
Lobbyist
Decision-maker
Life-long learner
Team Player
Individuals eligible to be elected must be
at least 18 years of age, Canadian citizens, and residents of the jurisdiction
served by the board. Residency is based upon faith and location of physical
residence. A trustee cannot be an employee of the board.
All authority delegated by the province is to the board and not to individual
board members. Elected trustees fulfil a number of roles. These roles include:
• An advocate for their electorate, assessing educational policies in terms
of what the community values and aspires for its children.
• A politician and a member of the school board charged with the responsibility
to govern the affairs of the school jurisdiction. Trustees are responsible
to their electorate through the democratic process.
• A goal setter for the school jurisdiction, identifying the results the board
wishes the jurisdiction to achieve.
• A planner, setting priorities in light of community expectations, available
resources and sound educational practice.
• An evaluator, ensuring policies are within the parameters of the board’s
authority; consistent with goals; compatible with other policies, implemented
in a fair and just manner and effective in achieving intended
outcomes.
• A financial planner, assessing the needs of the jurisdiction and deciding
what can be achieved with available resources.
• A policy maker, crafting policies that guide the administration and other
employees towards achieving the jurisdiction’s goals.
• A legislator, making policy.
Local Government in Alberta 69
• A communicator, interacting with the many publics who have a stake in
education.
• An advocate for education, keeping the positive image of schooling
before the community to ensure education is given a high priority and
to keep the community aware of public education’s accomplishments.
• A receiver and disseminator of information, receiving, analyzing, using
and disseminating information in fulfilling the roles and responsibilities
of a school board trustee. Good information forms the basis for sound
decisions.
• An adjudicator, hearing appeals from individuals and groups who feel
policies or decisions affect them in a prejudicial manner.
• A lobbyist, communicating with all levels of government to ensure that
the voice of the local community is heard by those who have the power
to keep education high on the list of public priorities.
In the conduct of its duties and in the exercising of its powers the board acts
as a corporate unit. The board speaks with one voice. Decisions are decisions
of the board – not of the individual trustee. Typically, the chairperson
of the board speaks for and on behalf of the board. Trustees are elected to
represent the interests and aspirations of the public. As individuals they
have no authority. Their rights in relationship to the jurisdiction are no
different than those of any citizens. Their effectiveness as trustees is demonstrated
by their ability to work as members of a team – the school board.
The team must arrive at decisions.
Effective boards consult widely with staff, parents and public during their
policy development and subsequent review of policies. The practice of
consultation prior to taking action increases the chances for public support
of the board’s direction.

12. What is a team?
A team is
a small group of people playing the same game by the same rules . . .
As in any team, trustees bring their unique talents and perspectives to the Board. They represent the views of their local parents, students and communities at the board table and vote on motions with the greater good of all students in mind. There are rules that govern board behavior - usually codified in policy, Roberts rules

13. What is a team? . . . and who need each other to accomplish a result.
Boards make the best decisions when they consider all aspects of an issue. These perspectives are brought forward by individual trustees who place the needs of all students in the jurisdiction first. Corporate idea: you can’t get anything done unless you’ve got a majority on board. You have to work as a team in order to accomplish anything.

14. How do school boards make decisions?
School board meetings must be held in public
An agenda with topics to be discussed is posted in advance and minutes are recorded
The board chair manages the meeting and follows the agreed upon rules of order
A motion is put forward by a trustee
The motion is debated by all trustees
The chair calls for the vote- Majority rules
School boards are decision-makers. The school board gathers information from many sources and
processes that information; evaluates it and makes a decision that reflects its beliefs, value and goals. The school board considers the interests of all the students the jurisdiction serves not just the interests of students from a particular school or area.
The board of trustees exercises its decision-making authority by passing motions. These motions must be passed by the corporate board at a properly constituted meeting. The school board is a corporation. No individual trustee – not even the board chair – can make decisions for the board without the board’s permission.
If the school board chooses, it may delegate specific tasks to an individual trustee to act on board’s behalf as an agent of the board, but only as specified by the board in a board motion. In other words, the school board is ultimately responsible for the individual trustee’s action the school board as a whole is ultimately accountable. Aside from this exception, a trustee acting on his or her own has only the authority and privileges of an ordinary citizen.
School board decisions must be in accordance with the School Act and its regulations. The new Education Act grants Natural Person Powers to school boards. This will give school boards more flexibility which will have an impact on school boards’ authority and how they exercise these powers.
School boards may delegate other duties or powers to employees – particularly the superintendent; a committee of the board; a school council or a joint committee established under section 63 of the School Act comprised of one or more its trustees along with persons appointed by another board, person or municipality.
When school boards establish a committee it is wise to pass a motion establishing the committee’s terms of reference. The motion should specify the committee’s duties, responsibilities, mandate, reporting obligations, whether the committee will meet in private, who will chair the committee or how the chair will be selected, any reporting, expense or financial requirements and whether the committee has final decision-making authority or only the ability to give advice and make recommendations to the school board.
The school board may delegate the power to suspend or terminate a teacher – but only to the superintendent.

15. How do school boards provide direction?
Engaging constituents (including parents and students) to determine their needs
Creating strategic plans to address long term goals
Setting a budget that aligns with strategic goals
Measuring the success of jurisdiction goals
Developing policies to guide the division
When acting in its strategic leadership role the school board is planning for the future. Informed by environmental scans, the school board works on the school system’s mission, values, vision and goals. The school board makes decisions about resources, programs and services that reflect its long term priorities.
School boards exercise leadership through governance in three areas: fiduciary leadership; strategic leadership and generative leadership. The new Education Act places more emphasis on school boards as generative leaders.
When fulfilling its fiduciary leadership role the school board focuses on its legal responsibilities. The school board ensures:
each student has the opportunity to achieve his/her potential
children are safe at school the jurisdiction’s financial and capital resources are well managed and its business is conducted in a legal and ethical manner
Generative leadership reflects the belief that “it takes a whole village to raise a child”. In this role, the school board talks to the community about the community’s needs, the community’s youth and the future. Generative leadership is more than consultation. True generative leadership sees school boards share direction-setting and even decision-making with others. The school board gives all citizens an opportunity to shape the direction that education takes locally. School boards are direction setters. The school board sets the overall direction for the school system through its annual strategic planning process. The school board through its vision, mission, values and beliefs, identifies strategic priorities and goals for the system. The school board sets the annual budget which determines how resources are allocated to schools and programs.
The school board also provides direction through its policies. This includes planning, developing, implementing and evaluating policy.
A policy is an instrument of governance that sets out the board’s philosophy and provides the framework and overarching guidelines for the operation of the jurisdiction’s school system and the actions of the board’s employees.
When setting policy or rules, it is important the board ensure it has the legal authority under the School Act to establish the proposed policy. The board needs to ensure it is acting within its jurisdiction, or the policy may be challenged and found unenforceable. Many school board policies reference School Act provisions (or other legislation) setting out the statutory grant of authority governing that particular policy. This helps to ensure that the question of whether the school board has the authority to make a given policy is considered and answered before the policy is introduced.15
While the school board must establish policies regarding the provision of educational services and programs, many school boards consult with a variety of stakeholders as they develop policy to ensure the outcome meets the needs of the jurisdiction. School boards may focus on establishing governance policies and delegate to administration the responsibility for implementing guidelines or procedures with respect to the jurisdiction’s day-to-day operation and management.
By definition a policy is a general document. It is impossible to imagine every permutation of events that might be covered by policy – and accordingly most policy sets out guidelines and leaves the specifics to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Choosing a policy model is a very important decision for a school board.

16. What about students? The School Act says:
12 A student shall conduct himself or herself so as to reasonably comply with the following code of conduct:
be diligent in pursuing the student’s studies;
attend school regularly and punctually;
co-operate fully with everyone authorized by the board to provide education programs and other services;
comply with the rules of the school;
account to the student’s teachers for the student’s conduct;
respect the rights of others;

17. What about students? Cont.
The School Act says:
12 A student shall conduct himself or herself so as to reasonably comply with the following code of conduct:
ensure that the student’s conduct contributes to a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging;
refrain from, report and not tolerate bullying or bullying behaviour directed toward others in the school, whether or RSA 2000 Section 13 Chapter S-3 21 SCHOOL ACT not it occurs within the school building, during the school day or by electronic means;
positively contribute to the student’s school and community.

18. Welcoming, Caring, Respectful and Safe Schools- Education Act
Board responsibility: To create a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging Student responsibility: ensure that the student’s conduct contributes to a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging Parent responsibility: ensure that the parent’s conduct contributes to a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment
The new Education Act (due to come into force September, 2016) defines the shared responsibilities of school boards, students and parents to help create and support a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging. School Boards are required to create policy on this topic, including a student code of conduct that will guide schools in achieving a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging.
Recent passing of human rights legislation (Bill 10) specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and both the School Act and Education Act reflect this intent. Further, both Acts include provisions regarding support for the establishment of student organizations and student-led activities that promote equality and non-discrimination, including but not limited to gay-straight alliances, diversity clubs, anti-racism clubs and anti-bullying clubs.

19. Questions?
What does a welcoming, caring, respectful and learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging look like to you?
What can you do to help create such an environment?
Students may need to reflect on key words: How do you know when you feel welcome? How do you know when you belong? What kinds of diversity are there? Is feeling safe just about the building or is their more to it? How do you know when someone cares about you? How do you let others know that you care about them?

20. How do I become involved?
Student’s Union
School council (student rep)
Student advisory committee (to the board)
Learn more about diversity (other cultures, languages, minorities)
Model the way (treat others as you would have them treat you)

21. Our School Board Goals/Initiatives
Trustees may wish to highlight board issues/ goals/ initiatives that are taking place and ask for student feedback. i.e. capital projects, transportation, school year calendar, social media, etc.it would be good to demonstrate the boards role i.e. policy on field trips to ensure pariticipation, safety, parental permission, supervision ratio, reasonable fees, cancellation due to unforeseen conditions. And the schools role re field trip forms, permission slips, male/female supervision, notes to parents/students

22. Thank you