Grande Prairie Public School District
MAY 9, 2017
BOARD HIGHLIGHTS Central Office, 10127 120 Avenue, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 8H8
The Grande Prairie Public School District is a learning community in which every student succeeds BOARD OF TRUSTEES BOARD CHAIR John Lehners BOARD VICE-CHAIR JoAnn Cazakoff TRUSTEES Brenda Howard Karen Propokowich Paulette Kurylo SUPERINTENDENT Alexander McDonald ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT, SECRETARY-TREASURER Jeff Olson ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES Nick Radujko ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF PROGRAMS AND PLANNING James Robinson ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, STUDENT SERVICES Christina Farquharson
UPCOMING DISTRICT DATES
Parkside PAX (Parkside Montessori) on stage during Mighty Peace Day.
2017-2018 Budget considerations
ASBA trustee election information
Sandy McDonald, Superintendent and Jeff Olson, Secretary-Treasurer provided the Board an update on the budget development process for the 20172018 school year. Mr. McDonald shared how budget development must connect to the priorities of the schools and the District, then provided a review of the factors influencing the budget in GPPSD. A draft budget is expected for the next Board meeting and the Board is expected to pass the budget at the June 13th Board meeting.
Trustees were informed the Alberta School Board’s Association will not be holding Trustee Information sessions in Grande Prairie prior to the election in October 2017. Administration has created an information package for potential candidates, it is available on a new tab on the public GPPSD site. Thanks to Mohammad Haidar and Nick Radujko for putting this link of information together. Candidate information packages are also available at GPPSD Central Office, located at: 10127 – 120 Avenue, Grande Prairie.
Budget development process
Candidate information packages
REGULAR BOARD MEETING Tuesday, May 9, 2017 06:00 p.m., Central Office
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Page 2 | GPPSD BOARD HIGHLIGHTS
MAY 9, 2017
How students can be a part of the day
Vice-Principal for Alexander Forbes School
Superintendent McDonald discussed how the District schools and students participated in the Mighty Peace Day Event on May 2nd. The Board was provided an overview of how students could be a part of the day and what activities they participated in at the event. He referred to it as a huge success as the event had 2800 students gathered at Revolution Place. Feedback provided by students and prinicipals was that it was an excellent event.
Mr. McDonald shared the Vice-Principal position at Alexander Forbes School/The Academy has been filled by Mr. Andy Ralston, who currently is a teacher at Charles Spencer High School. Mr. Ralston has 14 years of experience with GPPSD, from elementary to high school, has his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and has also participated in the District’s Leadership for Tomorrow program.
Mighty Peace Day
Visionary leadership for today’s learner
uLead conference presentation
Leadership staffing update
Early planning
Provincial nutrition pilot update
Kelly Pitman and Charlie Kraig, Vice-Principals at Alexander Forbes/ The Academy presented their work that they presented in April at the uLead Conference in Banff. The topic was Facilitating Teachers’ Professional Learning: Skills and Mindsets for Leading a Learning Community. The initial purpose was to look at Professional Learning Communities at the school and determine how the work being done by them could be enhanced. Their work focused on the work that Alexander Forbes staff have been engaged in to refine their Professional Learning Community time at the school. Trustees thanked them for their work and noted that they were pleased to see that teachers report they are more engaged and believe they have improved their teaching practices, which are important components of a Professional Learning Community.
Mr. McDonald provided Trustees an overview of the provincial nutrition pilot, and early planning for how the one-year funding could be used in our District. He will be attending a meeting in Edmonton on Friday where he will work with representatives from Alberta Education on a local plan.
uLead is the Council for School Leadership’s Annual Provincial Conference.
Chamber of Commerce round table
Board Chair report
Bargaining process
John Lehners provided a short report on the bargaining process through information provided through the Teacher Employer Bargaining Association. The Memorandum of Agreement negotiated centrally between Alberta Education and the Alberta Teachers’ Association will be voted on by both sides later this month. If ratified, it will set the stage for local bargaining to commence. The importance of the satisfaction surveys
Principal meeting update
Mr. McDonald shared highlights from the recent meeting, including a discussion on the processes that will be used to prepare for implementation of the new Teacher and Leader Quality Standards. As well he noted the initial budget work engaged in by principals, as a group, at the meeting. The importance of the satisfaction surveys was also discussed. As of today, we have 462 staff results and slightly more parent responses.
NEWS & EVENTS
JUNE 10-11, 2017 Hip Hop Master Classes & Gala Evening, presented by: The Academy Grande Prairie
WE HAVE MOVED GPPSD new Central Office location is: 10127-120 Avenue.
Impending growth in the city Mr. Lehners, Board Chair, and Mr. McDonald presented on their participation in the Chamber’s Round Table. Many current issues were discussed at this event. They noted that it was a good day with representatives from various organizations, politicians and businesses around the city and area. Discussions around leading indicators in the various industry groups pointed to the impending growth in the city and area.
Extra credit: stories worth sharing
Educational journey.
Superintendent McDonald attended the Extra Credit evening organized by the local Alberta Teachers’ Association chapter. This event focused on bringing together teachers, parents and students from across Alberta to speak on the importance of relationships they formed while on their educational journey. Mr. McDonald was impressed by the powerful stories shared by each speaker as they described the difference relationships make to support the work we do to help prepare students for graduation.
CONTACT INFORMATION PHONE 780-532-4491 EMAIL communications@gppsd.ab.ca
Let’s Connect:
GPPSD2357
www.gppsd.ab.ca
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