What to do with the money...?

The CBE is looking for input about what to do if education funding is restored. As you may know, Premier-designate Alison Redford promised to restore funding if elected.  Please click this link and answer the two questions about how you want the money spent, assuming it is "unfettered" cash and that Premiere Redford will come through with the promise.


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CBEfunding

Desperate Alberta teachers await $107M infusion promised by Premier Redford

(Found on the Calgary Herald website.)

New premier vows to restore funding

Thrilled with the promise of $100 million in cuts returned to provincial education coffers, Calgary teachers are watching closely how premier-designate Alison Redford unrolls the funding plan.

Jenny Regal, president of the Local 38 of the Alberta Teachers' Association, said she was first "flabbergasted, then excited," to see Redford's surprise Tory victory.

Click here to read the full story.

The kids are online — children entering digital age earlier than ever

BY MISTY HARRIS, POSTMEDIA NEWS

When five-year-old Sally Chow was last angry with her dad, she didn't stomp her feet or throw a tantrum. The Vancouver youngster simply held up her thumb and finger and defiantly pinched them together — a gesture used on computer tablets for resizing something.

"That was her way of saying, 'I'm making you smaller,'" says John Chow, laughing.Click here to read the full story.

School zone safety

It's important that speed limits need to be observed in school and playground zones at designated times. It always takes a bit of time every year for motorists to get used to slowing down in both playground and school zones, instead of just playground zones.

Click here to read an informative .pdf file on school zone safety.

Methods for teaching grade school math don't add up: Study

The following excerpt from article, written by Amy Chung from Postmedia News, is worth a read.

"Canada's public schools are doing a poor job of teaching basic math skills and shortchanging a generation of kids, says a study by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy."

Click here for the full story - click "Comments" under this entry to leave yours.

No More Junk Food

The CBE has announced a ban on junk food! 

"As of Jan. 1, 2012, foods not considered nutritional will not be sold through Calgary Board of Education contracted vendors..." - Damien Wood: Calgary Sun

This doesn't mean that your kids can't bring what they want to eat at school snack and lunch times but it is part of a process in educating our kids about healthy choices.  Naomi Johnson, Chief Superintendent of Schools says, "Children spend much of their day in our schools and therefore we must model, in all the ways we can, how to be health-conscious citizens"

28th Alberta General Election

As early as October 2011, Albertan's may be going to the polls for the 28th time in our history to choose our premiere.  With Ed Stelmach's announcement that he will not be seeking election, the PC party of Alberta has been in the throes of picking a new leader.  In the race, for what some are deeming the 'Coronation of Alberta' (PC's have 72 of a possible 83 provincial seats), were 6 candidates.

Since the first ballot was struck, the PC's are down to three candidates (Gary Mar, Alison Redford, and Doug Horner) and the second ballot, a preferential vote, will be cast on October 1.

As with most politicians, its very hard to pin down exactly what they plan to do if elected.  Policy on education with these three is no different.