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Koni Macdonald
Louise Macdonald (left), LCO for Sturgeon, and teacher Sandra Wood stretch before the race.
Alberta’s teachers are exploring new and innovative ways to profile public education and to show teachers as active and concerned members of their communities.
During the 2004/05 school year, 26 locals accessed the ATA’s Community Relations Grants. Through these grants, many teachers across the province carried out activities to strengthen relationships between the teaching profession and the community.
According to Frank Horvath, the ATA staff member who administers the grant, teachers are finding unique ways to tap into community events. "Many ATA locals are enhancing the impact of their grants by working with community organizations. In the process, they reinforce the message that teachers are an integral part of the community and contribute to its vitality in very real ways."
The following examples illustrate a few of the innovative ideas used by locals.
Sporting public education posters on their backs, more than 50 teachers from Sturgeon Local No. 27 participated in the Breath of Hope Walk/Run in Edmonton to raise funds for lung research and to sponsor summer camps for asthmatic children. After the event, teachers handed out public education window decals and bookmarks. They were included in A-Channel’s (Citytv) news coverage of the event and two teachers received medals for finishing in second and third place.
Aspen View Local No. 7 topped up its grant money and offered every school in the local $100 to honour community members who made special contributions to public education. "It was a great undertaking that had lots of press coverage," said Divana McKoen, local president of Aspen View. "Some of the schools used the money to honour many volunteers; other schools chose to recognize an individual for his or her major contribution to public education."
Evergreen Local No. 11 spearheaded Adopt a Tsunami School and hosted an open house and silent auction at Niton Central School. Through the auction and a donation made possible by an ATA Community Relations Grant, the local and Niton Central School raised money to rebuild St. Francis of Assisi Primary School in Nagercoil, India. The funds also provided new school uniforms, shoes and school supplies. The fundraiser was attended by 400 students, parents, teachers and members of the community.
Grade 1 and 2 students from Niton Central School sing "Love Can Build a Bridge," dedicated to the children affected by the tsunami in India.
To profile public education in Trumpeter Local No. 26, teachers adopted the local youth emergency shelter, Sunrise House. Teachers donated a computer, pyjamas, file cabinets, food coupons, games, toiletries, gift certificates and money.
Six schools in Foothills Local No. 16 created parade floats based on the history of schooling in the area. During Education Week, the local and school board cosponsored radio announcements in which school representatives gave brief reports about their schools and also cosponsored a full-page advertisement in the regional newspaper to honour school councils and school volunteers.
Wetaskiwin Local No. 18 chose to promote literacy by supplying the paediatric ward at Wetaskiwin General Hospital with books for children and teens. The local also joined with the hospital to cosponsor advertisements in the local newspaper about the importance of reading and literacy.
To be eligible for this year’s Community Relations Grants of $250 plus $1 per member, locals are required to submit a written proposal explaining how they plan to use the grant money. The deadline for this year’s submissions is April 3, 2006. If you have suggestions about how to demonstrate teacher involvement and connection with the community, please contact your local president or local communications officer.
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