Tag Archives: Richard Gilchrist

Message From the Board Chair (November 2012)

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We are now well into the 2012-2013 school year, the weather has turned wintery and the children in Parkland schools are continuing their learning journey.

A lot is happening in the province at this time. As I previously mentioned, the new Education Act is before the legislature as Bill 3. This Act is designed to replace the School Act which has been in place for over two decades. The Education Act is one of the more important pieces of provincial legislation as it will provide a framework for the governance of Education in the province for the years to come. As I write this message, Bill 3 has passed first and second readings and third reading should happen shortly. Once passed by the legislature, it will take about a year for the regulations supporting the Act to be developed. Hopefully by the fall of 2013, the Act will be proclaimed and become law.

Probably the most publicised feature of the Act is the very strong attempt to address the issue of bullying. Boards will be charged with ensuring “a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that includes the establishment of a code of conduct for students that addresses bullying behaviour”. In addition, the definition of bullying has been extended to include “cyber-bullying” and the Board’s authority to act has been extended beyond the school and school day to include any bullying that affects the school community.

In other business, the board approved the operating budget for the 2012-2013 school year. Some of the highlights are:

  • Total Revenue of $113,631,142 – up over $6 million from last year, due largely to increased enrolment
  • Total Expenditures of $113,631,142 of which approximately:
    • $82M for Instruction (k-12)
    • $7.75M for Operation and Maintenance
    • $10M for Transportation
    • $4M for Governance and System Administration
    • $9M for such things as school generated funds, infrastructure renewal, debt servicing, etc.
  • This year the Board provides service to 9,839 students, employing over 1,000 teachers, education assistants, support staff and custodians

2012-2013 Final Budget Report

Work continues on our System Review with the focus this year on the Stony Plain and area enrolment and accommodation. This is a continuation of previous years’ focus on Spruce Grove and the West End schools.

If you have any questions or comments, please email me at rgilchrist@psd70.ab.ca

Richard Gilchrist
Board Chair
Parkland School Division

Amazing Time to be Education #leadershipday12

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We are starting the year here in Parkland School Division with an even greater passion!  Is that possible?  I feel like a kid counting down the “sleeps” until school starts!

As a leader I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by such an amazing staff.

We are about to launch the Boards new vision and mission.  Our new vision is contemporary,  leading us forward in what learning looks like today and what it can look like in the future.  This will be accompanied by updated values and beliefs. All of this will be launched at our opening day kick-off on August 29, 2012.

Our continued dedication to being a learning organization will be embodied by not only our students, but our entire community.  Richard Gilchrist, our Board Chair, will be kicking off the second year of the “184 Days of Learning” project and helping to set the tone of another exciting year for the Parkland School Division community.  We are honoured to have a progressive board that believes in going, as Chris Kennedy states, “elbows deep into learning”, with all of our schools.  This forward thinking will only ensure that we get better for kids.

As I think about this year and the excitement about it, I look back to what brought us to this point….

It began with an education planning session with the Board of Trustees and many stakeholders representing many different facets of our community along with all schools.  We looked at the big picture, we used our imagination, we were creatiing and exploring our options, and realized it was time to move on with a new vision to better prepare our children to be a part of our global community that is changing quickly. When I reflect on that day and the numerous stakeholder meetings that followed, I realize the importance of relationships, engagement and authenticity.  As leaders we must have a keen sense of who we are, communicate,  build trust, be positive, recognize our mistakes and limitations, be open and transparent, so we can build an environment where creativity can flourish.  A place where we can all dream!

We need to be able to explore, be creative, and re-imagine our future.

It is an amazing and exciting time to be in education.  A time where sharing, innovation and creativity continuously grow.  We are looking ahead to the future and the possibilities that it holds for our students.  We are proud to be in a province where we have been given the freedom and where we are encouraged to explore how we can further focus on how to improve learning for all.  Alberta Education promotes this learning through Goal two; High quality education through collaboration and innovation.  Within Parkland School Division, we want to focus on how we can not only do this for students, but for all learners within our community.  When we grow, our students grow.  It starts with us.

P.R. Wilson wrote the following statement:

Whether I’m older
or only two…
there are so many things
I can do!

I AM AMAZING!

When we work together, the potential for all of us, especially our students, is unlimited.  I am excited for this year and the opportunities it can bring.  Let’s continue to all learn together and ensure that our students see their “amazing”.

Looking forward to a great year!

Message from the Board Chair (January 2012)

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Welcome to 2012. What will the New Year hold for education in Alberta, for our students, employees and community? Normally over the Christmas season we make wishes for Christmas and resolutions for the New Year, but as we move into 2012 wouldn’t it be great if:

  • Every child in Parkland School Division had the best learning year of his or her life.
  • A new school was announced to accommodate overcrowding issues in east parkland.
  • A new government committed to education as its top priority, solidifying Alberta’s place as a world leader in preparing the new leaders of the global community.
  • Adequate, predictable, sustainable education funding would allow for long term planning and goal setting.
  • A new Education Act empowered school boards and communities to make the best decisions at the local level.

It is clear that 2012 will be a watershed year in education. As teachers and parents strive to prepare our children for successful and productive adulthood in an increasingly global and changing community, the traditional face of education will change. We must be prepared to accept the fact that ‘schooling’ plays only part of the role of preparing our children for their future. The face of education is changing and will continue to change. We must be prepared to value this change as a whole community, embracing the new reality of life in the twenty first century, while offering constructive, critical thought on the value of these changes.

So, the Trustees on the Board look forward to the exciting challenges and possibilities ahead. On behalf of the Board, I wish each and every student, parent, employee and community member the most prosperous New Year.

Richard Gilchrist
Board Chair – Parkland School Division