Meeting Minutes: April 17, 2012

Please click on links to the right under "Parent Association Documents" to read the minutes from the Council and Parent Association meetings held last week - April 17.

Post-Secondary Education: Is It Worth It?

The following article was sent by Jason Kenney's press office. Kenney is Calgary SE's MP and is Canada's Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.  I highly recommend this article about changing educational views, particularly how educators and parents 'sell' the benefits of university over college or trade school.  I sense an approaching shift in the educational paradigm - is it because of employment pressure, do we just want to 'protect' our borders from immigration, or is the real question, "What's it worth?". Do we just need to refine our expectations? 

Please leave a comment about your experience with university vs. college vs. no post-secondary education - was it worth it?  Would you do something different, are you going to pressure your children into a post-secondary program? Is education its own reward?

 
Reforms to address youth unemployment

Matt Gurney, National Post

The work is hard. And not glamorous. And obviously, the majority of the Canadian population does not live in the breadbasket regions of the West where the fields need to be harvested. But it's good work, available, and if a Mexican or Romanian is willing

Education Policy Comparison

With our provincial election looming (April 23, 2012), I wanted to provide a quick breakdown of the education policies from each of the four front running parties.

This is a very high level overview and there is a lot more to the policies than this but these are some of the starting points. For a truly 'educated' decision on election day - read through the policies. These statements/promises come directly from the web sites (and mouths) of the parties and any promises they make are theirs to keep not mine to answer for... but I would love to hear your thoughts about some of this - use the comment link to send them out.

PC Alberta:
"In addition to our Budget 2012 commitments we will build 50 schools and modernize 70 more, so that our students have access to the education they need to compete on a global stage. "

"...$500 teachers tax credit, which is a reflection of our appreciation for all that teachers give out of their own pockets..."

"Progressive Conservative Leader Alison Redford promised Wednesday to build 50 new schools and renovate 70 more over the next four years at a cost of $2.4 billion." - source

Wildrose
"We will depoliticize school construction by allowing locally elected school boards to decide where schools should be built, instead of government bureaucrats in Edmonton. "

"We will empower public, Catholic and charter schools by allowing funding (operational and maintenance) to follow the student to the school each student attends"

"We will work with teachers and stakeholders to replace Provincial Achievement Tests with a new standardized model that evaluates a student’s actual improvement and comprehension of subject matter "

Danielle Smith will eliminate school fees - family pack.

Liberals
"The Alberta Liberal Party would create regulations and standards for a play-based Alberta curriculum run by qualified, trained staff, and fund a $100 million expansion of government subsidized early childhood education, rolled out starting in high needs areas."

"Leader Raj Sherman says his party, if elected Monday, would develop new schools and redevelop old ones to house community services, medical centres and libraries. " - source

 "Ending school fees. Provincial school lunch program. Three-stage plan to eliminate post-secondary tuition. Forgive student debt for graduates who stay and work in Alberta. Increased funding for arts, culture and sports." - from platform package


NDP
"will stand up for affordable, quality education by putting a stop to school closures, school fees, childcare shortages and rising university costs."

"Introduce a childcare system that moves towards a maximum daily cost of $25 per child, with a $9 per day cap for after school care"

"Prohibit school instruction fees... reduce post-secondary tuition fees by 10%, forgive portions of student loans" - source

See you at the polls - April 23, 2012

Grade 9 Farewell Fundraiser

The grade 9 students are raising money for their farewell.

They have decided to sell hanging baskets from Meadowbrook Greenhouses.  Please access/print the order form by clicking here or on the thumbnail on the left.  Fill out the form, bring it to the school with your payment.  Deadline for ordering is April 25, the baskets will be delivered to the school and pickup will be on May 10 (three days before Mother's Day - great gift).

The baskets cost $25 each or get a discount when you buy three for $65.  Help the grade nine's by supporting a memorable Farewell to Wilma Hansen.

Catholic School Board Candidate Forum

Election forum to profile issues related to education

The Board of Trustees of the Calgary Catholic School District is hosting a non-partisan election forum to discuss issues related to education in our province.

DATE:   Tuesday, April 17, 2012
TIME:   6:30 p.m.
LOCATION:  Bishop Carroll High School (4624 Richard Rd. SW)
Calgary and area candidates representing all of the political parties have been invited to attend, and we hope that you will join us for this conversation. Public education and students’ needs are important issues for Calgary and area voters who are directly affected by the policies and decisions of the Alberta provincial government.

The forum is being held to give Calgary Catholic parents and other community members the opportunity to meet and discuss key education issues and students’ needs with the local candidates running in the provincial election.

Meeting Minutes Posted

March's meeting minutes which are un-ratified are now posted in the public folder here (for the Parent Association) and here (for the Council).  You can see all of the minutes by clicking the links on the right.

Our next meeting is on April 17 in the library at 7:00. 

See this and other important dates on the newly updated calendar at the bottom of this page.