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Highlights of the 2005/06 Association Program

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External Recognition and Awards

  1. Assisted five Alberta schools who were awarded national accreditation in the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization Association Schools Project Network.
  2. Received Bravo Awards from the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education for “You Have the Power . . . Vote” and “Be the difference . . . Teach.”
  3. Received an APEX 2006 Award of Excellence in the category of Education, Training and Public Information: Brochures, Manuals and Reports for work in A Guide to Alberta’s 26th Legislature.
  4. Collected a total of 27 awards of excellence and merit through the Golden Leaf Awards program of the Canadian Educational Press Association. Collected a certificate of excellence in writing for “The Learning Team.” The ATA Magazine collected certificates of excellence in writing for “Celebrating 100 years of public education in Alberta,” “Diversity in our schools,” “Best practices in First Nations, Métis and Inuit education,” for the feature story “‘Jack’s Kids’ helps children in Kosovo and Alberta,” and for the columns “Interweaving roots, stories and experiences” and “Revival at Niton Junction.” The ATA Magazine also collected certificates of merit for the feature story, “Finding ideas, values and happiness” and in the category of visual communications photography for “Where are the old schools?” and “Gleichen’s Sequoia outreach school.” The ATA News received certificates of excellence for “Tackling controversial issues head-on,” “The McJob Generation: Is part-time employment affecting student achievement?”, “The Gathering Storm,” the entire issue of May 9, 2006, and, in the category of design and layout, for “Add a splash of colour to your teacher professional growth plan,” as well as certificates of merit for “Almost extinct—Teacher-librarians are Alberta’s newest endangered species,” for the political issue “MLA report hints at deprofessionalization of school resource officers,” for the news story “EI maternity, parental benefits constitutional—Supreme Court” and for the editorial “Technology: Pitfall or benefit?”

    In visual communications photography, received certificates of excellence for “Celebrating children and culture,” and “Merging theory with practice” in “The Learning Team,” as well as certificates of merit for the posters “Awasis Day, Prince Charles School” and “Education Week.” Received a certificate of excellence in writing as well as in design and layout for “Education is our buffalo—A teachers’ resource for First Nations, Métis and Inuit education in Alberta.” Received a certificate of excellence for a Media/Public Relations Campaign “The future. It’s why teachers teach,” as well as a certificate of merit in print advertising for the “World Teachers’ Day” Supplement.

Field Service and Member Education

  1. Organized and supported the Leadership in Learning Conference, Embracing the Future: Leadership for School Renewal, 2006 03 06–07, Fantasyland Hotel, Edmonton, featuring Dr Joseph Murphy, Dr Stephen Kaagan and David Bouchard as keynote speakers. The program included 20 sessions presented by Alberta schools.
  2. Co-chaired the “Becoming the Change We Want to See!” Conference with the Society for Safe & Caring Schools & Communities.
  3. Developed five new workshops in the Association’s Professional Learning Communities program: (1) Developing Teacher Leadership Capacity, (2) Team Dynamics, (3) Focus on Student Learning, (4) Focus on Assessment and (5) Focus on Instruction.
  4. Held a dedication ceremony for the Association’s publication Education is Our Buffalo: A Resource for Alberta Teachers during Education Week. The program included a First Nation’s blessing and smudge ceremony as well as Aboriginal cultural performances.
  5. Developed an online tutorial to assist teachers and school principals in the development of teacher professional growth plans.
  6. Developed a workshop for school administrators entitled, “Building Resiliency for School Leaders.”
  7. In collaboration with the Society for Safe & Caring Schools & Communities developed three workshops: (1) Opening Pandora’s Box—Addressing Controversial Issues, (2) Our Circle and Beyond—Becoming Global Citizens, and (3) Crystal Methamphetamine—What Teachers Need to Know.
  8. In collaboration with the Edmonton Regional Professional Development Consortium developed a workshop on Character and Citizenship Education in Alberta Schools.
  9. Conducted a seminar for administrator members: Conducting Effective Interviews with Children with John Yuille.
  10. Established a Local Political Engagement Award to recognize locals for excellence in political engagement.
  11. Established a set of guiding principles for Association engagement in leadership campaigns sponsored by political parties represented in the Alberta legislature.
  12. Established a collaboration site for Local Communications Officers as of June 2006, consisting of a members-only website for individual members who want to participate in group discussions and need a private space to share information, documents, files and a common group calendar.
  13. Hosted the Beginning Teachers’ Conference in the fall on 2005 09 29 (evening)–10 01.

Salaries, Benefits and Working Conditions

  1. Maintained working condition provisions in collective agreements.
  2. Bargained health spending account provisions into a majority of collective agreements.
  3. Made presentations to inform locals of the duty of fair representation, including related obligations of local bargaining units and associated costs generally attributable to locals for not fulfilling their responsibilities.
  4. Implemented an action plan throughout the province providing 24 presentations to a total of 27 locals and utilizing the cascading document, Unfunded Liability, to raise awareness of issues related to the Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund.
  5. Met with the Deputy Minister of Education and other department officials to discuss the Department of Education budget estimates, soon after the estimates came down.

Research and Studies

  1. Established a Committee on Review of Teachers’ Conventions and received the final report in June 2006.
  2. Expanded the provincial Professional Development Survey to create the most comprehensive evaluation of professional development programs in Canada.
  3. Published analyses of the impact of the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement on professional development in the province’s schools.
  4. Developed critiques and research-based alternatives to the proposed Grade Level of Achievement reporting program.
  5. In collaboration with Livingstone Range Local and Livingstone Range School Division, completed a two-year study of ways to enhance cohort placements of student-teachers in order to support school improvement projects.

Representation

  1. Participated in a meeting on 2005 09 19 with the Deputy Minister of Education, represented by the Executive Secretary and Associate Executive Secretary.
  2. Met with the executive of the Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association on 2005 09 22, represented by Table Officers Committee, to review policy.
  3. Participated in a meeting on 2005 09 28 at Deputy Minister Henke’s office between Alberta Education officials and senior Association staff.
  4. Participated in a meeting on 2005 10 19 with the Minister of Education and the Deputy Minister of Education, represented by the President and the Executive Secretary.
  5. Provided submission on 2005 09 29 to Alberta Human Resources and Employment concerning its employment standards review.
  6. Called for a moratorium on the Computer Adaptive Assessment initiative and strongly protested to the Minister of Education, in November 2005, the involvement of Castle Rock in its development.
  7. Attended the annual general meeting on 2005 11 18 of the Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta, represented by the President and Acting Executive Secretary.
  8. Hosted a visit of the Minister of Education at a meeting of Provincial Executive Council at Barnett House on 2005 12 02 to review selected policies, represented by Provincial Executive Council.
  9. Made a presentation to the Standing Policy Committee on Education and Employment on 2005 12 12, represented by the President, Executive Secretary and Associate Executive Secretary, urging the government to develop a bi-level collective bargaining framework in accordance with long-range policy 5.A.74 and in the meantime maintain the current bargaining process.
  10. Participated in a meeting on 2005 12 07, represented by the Executive Secretary, to discuss concerns regarding the Grade Level of Achievement initiative with representatives of Alberta Education, the Alberta School Boards Association, the College of Alberta School Superintendents and the Alberta Home and School Councils’ Association.
  11. Participated in a meeting on 2006 01 05 with the Minister of Education, represented by the President, to discuss the Grade Level of Achievement initiative.
  12. Participated in a meeting on 2006 01 05 with Minister of Education at Barnett House, represented by the President, to discuss a variety of subjects including the Grade Level of Achievement initiative, principals’ membership in the Association, the unfunded liability of the Teachers’ Pension Plan and collective bargaining.
  13. Met with representatives of the Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta (PSBAA) at Barnett House on 2006 01 11, represented by Table Officers Committee, to review areas of common interest.
  14. Met with representatives of the College of Alberta School Superintendents on 2006 01 12, represented by Table Officers Committee, to review policy.
  15. Met on 2006 01 30 with a representative of the PSBAA represented by the Executive Secretary, to review areas of common interest.
  16. Sponsored an invitational symposium on accountability in education, Handle with Care–Futures Being Built, on 2006 02 02–03 in Edmonton.
  17. Hosted a Political Engagement Seminar based on the theme “Advocacy in Action” in Edmonton on 2006 03 17–18 which included presentations concerning the government’s “third way” initiative in health care, a panel discussion involving representatives of all political parties represented in the Legislature, and a session with media commentators.
  18. Met with Deputy Minister Keray Henke and Assistant Deputy Minister Lois Hawkins on 2006 03 23, represented by the Associate Executive Secretary and Coordinator of Communications, to discuss key issues.
  19. Met with Assistant Deputy Minister Jim Dueck on 2006 03 23, represented by the Associate Executive Secretary and three other executive staff, to discuss teacher involvement in provincial achievement tests.
  20. Met with the Minister of Education on 2006 03 29, represented by the President, for a conversation on a variety of educational matters—collective bargaining and the provincial budget as well as full-day kindergarten, junior kindergarten and the class size initiative.
  21. Met with Deputy Minister Keray Henke and two Assistant Deputy Ministers on 2006 04 04, represented by the Executive Secretary and other senior staff, for a technical briefing on the provincial budget.
  22. Met with education partners to review and revise principles for the third cycle of the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement.
  23. Met with the Minister of Education and the Deputy Minister of Education on 2006 04 18, represented by the President and Executive Secretary.
  24. Met with executive directors and presidents of the College of Alberta School Superintendents, the Alberta School Boards Association and the Alberta Home and School Councils’ Association on 2006 05 08, represented by the President and Executive Secretary, to discuss the education funding shortfall.
  25. Met with Honourable Greg Melchin, Minister of Energy and MLA Calgary West, on 2006 05 10, represented by the President, to discuss infrastructure needs and other concerns.
  26. Met with Minister of Advanced Education, on 2006 05 13, to discuss the proceedings document from the Invitational Symposium on Educational Accountability, represented by the President and a Vice-President.
  27. Met with Honourable Gordon Graydon, Minister of Gaming and MLA Grande Prairie–Wapiti, on 2006 05 17, represented by the President, to discuss education funding in the 2006 provincial budget.
  28. Met with Minister of Education, at the Legislature on 2006 05 18, represented by the President.
  29. Met with Ed Stelmach, MLA Fort Saskatchewan–Vegreville, on 2006 05 18, represented by the President, to discuss education funding in the 2006 provincial budget.
  30. Met on 2006 05 19 with Mary Anne Jablonski, MLA Red Deer North, and with Honourable Victor Doerksen, Minister of Innovation and Science and MLA Red Deer South, represented by the President, to discuss education funding in the provincial 2006 budget.
  31. Responded to Alberta Education’s Field Review Draft on Principal Quality Practice Standard.
  32. Participated in a K–3 Numeracy and Literacy consultation process, including the development of an Association response.
  33. Assisted with organization and participated in the provincial Teacher Induction Symposium.
  34. Successfully completed a defamation action against four parents and a parent advocacy organization.
  35. Organized a conference at the University of Lethbridge on the ways in which teachers and administrators in both on- and off-reserve schools can work together in the best interests of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Students, regardless of which schools they attend.
  36. Provided $10,000 to Student Vote to promote student engagement in the 2005 federal election.
  37. Attended the postsecondary conference of Public Interest Alberta (PIA) held in Edmonton on 2006 02 24–26 as well as contributing a sum of $3,000 to support the work of PIA.

Publications

  1. Published A Guide to Alberta’s 26th Legislature.
  2. Revised and distributed the Collective Bargaining Brochure.
  3. Revised and distributed the brochure regarding maternity benefits entitled, If you are pregnant or planning to conceive, you should know . . .
  4. Published an Issues for Administrators monograph entitled, “A Guide to the Classroom Walk‑Through.”
  5. Published Highlights of the 2006 Professional Development Survey.
  6. Developed and published Getting to the Heart of Learning—A Parent Guide to Reporting Student Learning.

Operations

  1. Successfully completed the School Representative Pilot Project designed to enhance the role and effectiveness of the Association at the grassroots level.
  2. Reviewed and revised the Retention Schedule and File Plans.
  3. Conducted Meridio electronic records management software pilot.
  4. Developed Records Management (RM) Training Modules and the Privacy Training (PT) Module, and delivered RM and PT sessions.
  5. Administered applicants’ access to information request files successfully.
  6. Audited forms and publications as well as the privacy compliance of the Alinity database.
  7. Developed open, cooperative dialogue with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
  8. Advanced the ATA Dictionary project.
  9. Designed and installed a new security system for Association offices in Edmonton.
  10. Developed and implemented a new catering menu and brochure for food services.
  11. Developed a website rapid deployment process; moved website hosting into full implementation, currently hosting 16 websites for subgroups; and developed a rapid deployment process for the building of collaboration sites.
  12. Moved collaboration site building into full implementation and have currently built five sites, including a school representative site.
  13. Initiated a redesign and rebuild of the process for uploading Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund data into the new membership database.
  14. Started building the membership database and built various queries and reports to support the use of the database in Member Services.
  15. Implemented the database as read-only in Member Services as well as investigating and describing database requirements for the other program units.
  16. Selected and purchased software to support the automatic authentication of users and the deployment of passwords and identification for log on to members’ only areas and collaboration sites.
  17. Updated filtering software to protect against the spamming of e-mail accounts, provided e‑mail to Provincial Executive Council members, installed new hardware to increase the capacity to facilitate upcoming initiatives in the TNET project and opened the TNET portal at Summer Conference.
  18. Developed a human resources vision/mission statement as well as responding to identified needs by developing both long‑ and short‑term human resources strategic plans.
  19. Initiated the development of a new Performance Management System and completed Phase I of the project with the involvement of members from all levels of staff.
  20. Launched several employee campaigns in the area of health and safety (eg, drinking water, washing hands, workplace safety bulletins and posters).
  21. Implemented several job title changes at the clerical staff level to bring them in line with industry accepted titles.
  22. Conducted, through the provider, a client satisfaction survey of the Association’s Employee and Family Assistance Program.
  23. Completed the initial phase of developing a total compensation data bank.