Alberta School Council Association’s conference focuses on parents’ voice

There were several prominent topics brought up at the annual Alberta School Council Association’s conference Saturday.

The conference offers parents and the school community an opportunity to engage with Alberta’s Education Ministry as well as council members from across the province.

President of the Alberta School Council Association Allison Pike told the Alberta Morning News that one of the biggest topics of discussion was parental engagement.

She outlined a number of ways they’ll be focusing on getting feedback and ensuring parents’ voices are heard in several important areas.

“Alberta School Council Association is going to be working together with Alberta Education ensuring that focus groups are held across the province so that parent voice can be heard on curriculum,” Pike said.

Those focus groups are expected to be held at the end of May and into early June. Pike also described a survey that will be distributed to get parent feedback about transportation to and from school, which is a topic under review.

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The discussions on parent voice also circled to Bill 24 – controversial legislation that limits school staff members’ ability to communicate with parents about certain school activities.

Education Minister David Eggen spent a substantial amount of time during his session answering questions about the bill, which Pike points to as an example of ensuring parental engagement.

“I believe that for the most part parents feel that their voices are being heard,” she said. “It’s through our association that they’re able to bring their provincial voice, and we’re able to carry that forward. There’s still clearly things that the government needs to hear parents on – and that’s why we have this process so that parents can bring their voice forward.”

“We’re bringing these issues together. And there is a connection across the province, when we do have differing views we have these opportunities to see where the similarities are.”

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On a separate note, Pike alluded to possible changes the council would like to see implemented when it comes to the hiring process. The council would prefer to see certain aspects become more cohesive.

“We do see a number of districts having their own policies around criminal record checks,” she explained. “The school council wants to see it as a standard across the province.”

The Alberta School Council Association’s conference takes place every year, with around 350 delegates from around the province coming together to participate.