Priority 3: Enhance Public Education Through Effective Engagement
Goal 2: Engaged and Effective Governance
Outcome 1: The Division is committed to engaging stakeholders to augment its decision-making and support student success
Outcome 2: The Division is committed to engagement and advocacy to enhance public education
Alberta Education's Assurance Domain: Governance
Provincial Outcome: Alberta's K-12 education system is well-governed and managed
Additional Information:
AERR: Governance (see pg. 79-82)
Throughout the 2023-24 school year, the EIPS Board of Trustees worked diligently to ensure the Division’s voice was heard on several topics, including the value of public education; mental health and well-being; adequate and predictable education funding; autonomous school boards; the new curriculum; critical infrastructure requirements and classroom complexity. As such, considerable work went into building awareness around these issues.
For instance, the Board has an Advocacy Committee, which developed an annual advocacy plan. The plan outlined the Board’s advocacy focus areas, related advocacy strategies, background information, key messages, and short-term and long-term objectives. Year-long, the Board also engaged the media, government, industry associations, Division families and the surrounding community on all mentioned advocacy topics. The goal, of course, is to ensure the Division continues offering high-quality, student-centred learning, where all students can achieve success.
Throughout the school year, there was also a concentrated media component to ensure all stakeholders were aware of the Division’s successes and challenges. In total, 58 news releases were distributed, resulting in several interviews with local and mainstream news organizations, including ATA News, City News, Calgary Herald, CBC News, Country 106.5, CTV News, Daily Herald Tribune, Edmonton Journal, Education News Canada, Globe and Mail, Global News, Heartland News, Mix 107.9, The Fort Saskatchewan Record, The Lamont Leader, The Sherwood Park–Strathcona County News, Town and Country Today and Vegreville News Advertiser. Through this combined effort, 378 news stories were published about EIPS—154 of those related to the Board’s advocacy topics.
To accompany the media interviews, 15 sets of key messages were developed—all relating to the Board’s advocacy efforts. Ongoing Board columns were also published in four local newspapers, along with a six-part Board Myth Busting series and two Board-focused newsletters: The EIPS Board Update and EIPS Advocacy in Action. The Board Myth Busting series aimed at combating misinformation and rumours while also highlighting important facts about EIPS’ work, priorities and goals. The EIPS Board Update newsletter was distributed to elected officials and Division partners featuring articles about the Division, what’s new and the work of the Board. Similarly, the EIPS Advocacy in Action was sent to school families and staff, highlighting the work of the Board, the Division’s priorities, advocacy focus areas and efforts, and the value of public education. Collectively, these showcase the innovative learning taking place within the Division, the vibrant partnerships the Division has established and why EIPS is an exceptional place to learn and work.
Significant effort was also put into public engagement, all using the Division’s Public-Engagement Strategy, which outlines the process and tools to use in all EIPS consultation efforts. In 2023-24, the Board reached out to Division families and key stakeholders on a range of topics, including assurance measures, Board and budget priorities, school capital projects, enrolment challenges and mental health and well-being issues. The Board’s most prominent engagements areas in 2023-24: the Assurance Framework and a replacement school in Fort Saskatchewan.
As part of the EIPS Assurance Framework, EIPS conducted its annual EIPS Budget Survey to gather feedback to help plan its funding priorities. Open to all school families, staff, Grade 12 students and community partners, the Board used the survey input to develop the 2024-25 spring budget. Later in the year, stakeholders were engaged again through the online EIPS Annual Feedback Survey. Every year, the Division conducts the survey to measure stakeholder confidence and gauge its progress toward meeting the goals and priorities outlined in its Four-Year Education Plan. Families, staff and students in grades 9 and 12 were asked a series of questions about their experiences with EIPS, the overall performance of the Division, the quality of education, areas for improvement and their confidence in EIPS’ strategic direction. The input gathered guides the Board, and Division, in planning, decision-making, and strategy development to better serve students and the wider community.
One of which, is the EIPS Four-Year Education Plan. Trustees analyzed the survey data to update Year 3 of the plan, which details the Division's priorities and goals, performance measures and strategies to use to meet the listed priorities and outcomes. Overall, the survey feedback helped the Board ensure its education plan remained responsive to stakeholder needs and focused on continuous improvement.
The Board also actively advocated and engaged the community and elected officials on its infrastructure needs—namely a replacement school in Fort Saskatchewan. Throughout 2023-24, the Board hosted two public consultation meetings in Fort Saskatchewan to talk about its schools and the challenges the Division faces—in terms of limited space, ageing infrastructure and the region’s growing population. Attendees gained insight into what the Division is doing to address these challenges and about EIPS’ capital plan priorities. They also heard details about the Division's plans for a collegiate model junior-senior high program—designed to provide students with high-demand employment training and skills in their community—and strategies moving forward. Those who came also had a chance to ask questions, share their concerns and learn how they can help. The Board hopes, through these efforts, the province will soon grant the funding needed for the new collegiate style junior-senior high replacement school. When granted it will ensure 21st-century learning spaces for students in Fort Saskatchewan, allow for new partnership opportunities to better prepare students and help build the community.
Coupled with the advocacy and engagement efforts, the Board also worked to ensure thorough and ongoing communication with constituents, families and other community members. Topics ranged from infrastructure needs to funding and reserve use to enhancing school programming and supports for learners. Monthly, trustees presented Board Reports at school council meetings, the Committee of School Councils meetings and regular Board meetings. They attended regular meetings with the Alberta School Board Association, liaising with other school boards and developed and shared consistent messaging, questions and common concerns to bring forward to the Education Minister and Alberta Education representatives. Finally, as previously mentioned, the Board engaged the school community through its newsletters, EIPS Board Update and EIPS Advocacy in Action—both newsletters feature articles about the Division, what’s new, the work of the Board and the value of public education. Collectively, these help ensure EIPS continues offering high-quality, student-centred educational experiences that reflect the priorities and goals listed within the Four-Year Education Plan.
Advocacy in actionIn addition to the Assurance Framework and the Fort Saskatchewan replacement school, other advocacy and engagement areas included:
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THROUGH ADVOCACYTo build capacity, the Board put considerable work into ensuring advocacy messaging was heard at various association and education-based meetings—including with the Alberta School Boards Association, the Canadian School Boards Association, and numerous provincial and national meetings. The Board also shared its successes, challenges and concerns with all levels of government—federal, provincial and municipal. To do so, the Board formally submitted 11 advocacy letters to elected officials, including the Minister of Education. The Board also arranged a formal meeting with the Minister of Education, two formal meetings with Alberta’s legislative assembly members and seven formal meetings with mayors in the jurisdiction. Numerous informal meetings were also co-ordinated with municipal and provincial officials to share insight on a range of topics. The 2022-23 school year was also an election year for the province. To ensure education was top of mind, the Board developed an election strategy. Information pamphlets were created, and trustees met with every local candidate to discuss pressing Division topics—such as infrastructure, Board autonomy and the value of public education. Thanks to these ongoing efforts, the Board has successfully established an understanding with its stakeholders. That, in turn, has led to greater overall awareness about EIPS’ needs and issues facing public education. The work has also helped foster respect and a productive working relationship with other elected officials. |
While the Board has developed productive working relationships with stakeholders and elected officials in the communities EIPS serves, nurturing and further strengthening these is essential. As such, in the 2024-25 school year, the Board will continue to foster and build these working relationships. The Board will also fine-tune its advocacy plan, listing focus areas for the 2024-25 school year. Four long-standing advocacy items are education funding, the value of public education, autonomous school boards and infrastructure. The plan will also include strategies, processes and key messaging, which the Board will use to advocate for the Division. Again, the objective is, through these efforts, the Division will continue providing high-quality, student-centred education, meeting the priorities and outcomes listed in the Four-Year Education Plan, and offering the best educational opportunities for all students. Finally, with the trustee elections ahead in October 2025, the Board will work on succession planning for the newly elected Board of Trustees through the recently formed Governance and Evaluation Committee.
Identifying issues, engaging stakeholders and advocating for EIPS and a strong provincial public education system are continued priorities for the Division and the Board. Strategies for the 2025-26 school year include:
