Question to Candidates from the Haultain Parents Blog

I have asked a question of each of the candidates in our ward. Instead of trying to edit their answers and asking permission for the changes, I've decided to post the responses verbatim for you to read. Please click more for the whole email string. We would appreciate your comments on this topic as well.

My name is Shane Campsall and I represent the Haultain Parent Association and Council as Chair at the Haultain Memorial School in Ward 14's Queensland district.

I have read through all of your websites and would like to ask your position on a topic close to our organizations' heart. One of the largest struggles our organizations have had in the past was parental engagement. It is mandated in our by-laws that we work toward engagement and one of the things we've done to that end is create a web log to which we post articles of interest to the community. We have had tremendous success in reaching out to our community using this forum.

Question: We would like to work directly with our school administration and the CBE in an amicable and collaborative way. Do you see this as possible and how do you foresee the worth and future of this technical medium?

From Wendi Moore:

Hi Shane … thank you very much for reaching me on this important topic is through a variety of means we have available at very, very minimal cost and can provide the parents with the highest form of participation:

a) Community engagement meetings, similar to a Town Hall, where parents can come in and meet the Trustee, other parents. We can have it be more of a social gathering with a light agenda included. This social gathering can include a pot-luck meal one day, have the students in the school prepare a light play on a subject close to them and then the Trustee can also see, along with other parents, how well the children are doing within the curriculum

b) A monthly newsletter that is delivered to the community that would highlight what effects the community schools themselves

c) A Trustee website that can be used to listen to news, etc. that is relevant to the parents that would also include Multi-Cultural interpreters so that all parents of English speaking and ESL students can obtain the same level of knowledge

I see your Association has made amazing strides to move forward with technology and I believe that with the technology available today as well as a human contact commitment from the Trustee you can have a very amicable relationship between all parties.

Regards,
Wendi Moore
Candidate, Public School Trustee Wards 12 and 14

From Carol Bazinet:

Shane
Thank you for your email and question. As blogs and social network sites become more common I believe we have to come to terms with how to best use these mediums. They are very powerful ways of communicating.

From past experience with yourself and others at Haultain I am aware of your desire to work in an amicable and collaborative way. There are issues that must however be worked through. For example, can you (or any other school council) post items on the blog that would criticize a CBE policy? I recognize that you have a disclaimer on your site but it is connected to the CBE website.
There are other issues that must be resolved as well.

I support your willingness to work through these issues and believe there will be other school councils that will be addressing the same issue. I think it is appropriate that we spend some time working through these issues because it will become more prevalent in our schools.

These issues are not dissimilar to the question of what a school council can say because the principal of a school is part of the school council according to the School Act.

I can see great value in using this tool as a way to engage more parents. We do need to work with groups such as yours and set some ground rules.

Thanks again for your question.
Carol Bazinet

From Malik Avery:

Good Afternoon Mr. Campsall,
Thank you very much for taking the time to send me your question.

Not only do I think it is possible to work with the Administration of the school and the CBE, I think that it is imperative to ensuring the success of the students. Principal stakeholders (i.e. parents, students, educators, governments, administrators and the community) MUST be fully engaged in the entire education system and process in order to secure the success of the students and the long term sustainability of the education system. As a Trustee, my job would be to provide the medium necessary to allow for open communication, input and also to provide ALL principal stakeholders with a transparent understanding of provincial government priorities and objectives. A collaborative approach is instrumental to ensuring ALL students have accessibility to quality public education, but also provides ALL stakeholders with the opportunity of impacting the education system and making a difference.

For the education system in Calgary to be successful, ALL stakeholders MUST take ownership and contribute to its operation. If I were to be fortunate enough to serve as Trustee, one of my priorities would be to actively seek the engagement of all principal stakeholders and provide a medium of exchange such as hosting my own monthly meeting.

I hope I have answered your question sufficiently. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further clarification.

Thank you again for taking the time to send such an important question,
Malik M. Amery