BOARD HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY 2020 TRUSTEES Transportation in Oyen Ron Schreiber, Chair Okotoks After one year of CTR operating its own buses in Oyen, the Board decided to approach Prairie Rose about re- Joanne Van Donzel, Vice Chair suming the cooperative transportation arrangement. With Board approval, Board Chair, Ron Schreiber ap- High River proached the Board Chair of Prairie Rose School Division and made an offer. He explained that Prairie Rose would receive enhanced funding for transporting Christ The Redeemer (CTR) students and CTR would add an Mark Chung additional $50,000 on top of the per student funding. Mr. Schreiber reported that he has not yet heard back Drumheller from Prairie Rose’s Chair on their decision. The enhanced funding Prairie Rose would receive to transport CTR John de Jong students is due to the efforts of parents in and around Oyen who are spearheading the formation process. For- Brooks mation is the process of residents of an area voting to establish Catholic territory. The Board would like to thank Trustee Michelle Rude-Volk and all the parents for their efforts. The Board also commended Mr. Kilcom- Michelle Rude-Volk mons for his organizational efforts in coordinating the process. Oyen Vijay Domingo Governance Expenses Canmore Harry Salm Given the tight budget situation, Board Chair, Ron Schreiber, led a discussion on the possibility of reducing gov- Strathmore ernance expenses. The Board’s remuneration was fixed prior to the last election and has not been altered since. Andrea Keenan It is inline with remuneration rates around the province, so trustees were reluctant to make any changes. Admin- MD of Foothills istration also advised that such a change would put CTR’s rates out of line with the rates of other Boards. The Board then discussed their views on the wisdom of reducing discretionary spending related to the cost of meet- ings and events that are a part of their governance roles. The consensus was that it will be important to review SENIOR governance expenses when the new provincial budget comes out in February or March and the funding formula may contain some provisions the Board can look to for guidance. ADMINISTRATION Dr. Scott Morrison Superintendent Michael Kilcommons GrACE Update Associate Superintendent Foothills Trustee Andrea Keenan provided an update on behalf of the Grateful Advocates of Catholic Education Vincent Behm (GrACE) Committee. GrACE released an informational video on Catholic education that has been well-received. Associate Superintendent Trustee Keenan indicated that the video will be shared around the province by the provincial GrACE Committee. Mariette Moss Other GrACE activities included a CWL engagement in High River, the distribution of information in parish bulle- tins, and the creation of a “Did You Know” Catholic education campaign for parishes, the Board, and schools. See Associate Superintendent below for an example of the “Did You Know” campaign Jerry Bagozzi Treasurer Dawn Quinlan GrACE CTR Director of Human Resources Dave Lunn Did You Know ... Director of Facilities Cora-Leah Schmitt That more than 183,000 students attend Catholic schools in the province of Alberta? (Alberta Catholic Director of Student Services Schools Trustees Association Enrollment Data Report 2019-2020). That there are 450 Catholic schools throughout the province of Alberta? Cheryl Kuemper That there are 11,020 teachers employed in Catholic schools throughout the province of Alberta? Director of Learning That Catholic schools have served Alberta since the 1850s? Lindsay Fagan That Catholic schools welcome all faiths and backgrounds? Director of Catholic Education That Catholic education has existed for 160 years in Alberta? That the Grey Nuns established the first school in Alberta at Lac St. Anne in 1859? That CTR Catholic is one of the youngest school division’s in the province, celebrating ONLY it’s 25th Birthday this year? That CTR Catholic was formed in 1995 when Foothills Catholic (Okotoks, High River), Drumheller Catho- lic, and Assumption Catholic (Oyen) agreed to merge to become one school division? Page 2 Three Year Education Plan: Reaching Out To Some of Our Vulnerable Students As part of their regular review of major Three Year Education Plan initiatives, the Board learned about the Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) Educational Assistant (EA) Initiative. The Principal of Sacred Heart Academy in Strathmore, Paulette Chotowetz, was joined by Mandy Olsson, the Family School Liaison Worker, to share how they implement the program. Trustees learned what attachment, regulation, and competence are, and how the EA’s have been trained to deliver the ARC lesson plan designed by CTR’s Student Services Department. Attachment is the strength of the relationship between the child and a caregiver that fulfills the physical and emotional needs of the child. EA’s are trained to build relationships and this is the first phase of the lesson. Regulation is learning to regulate both the body and the mind. EA’s are trained to engage students in either occupational thera- py to help students regulate their bodies or practices such as the identification of feelings to regulate their minds. This is the second phase of the lesson. Competency is developing confidence in one’s abilities to succeed at school and plan for the future. EA’s are trained to help students to anticipate problems and set goals for the day and the week ahead. This is the final phase of the lesson. Educational Assistants from across the division were trained to lead students through the ARC lesson plan. The presenters shared several school scenarios involving dysregulated students and explored how the ARC philosophy and ARC EA program serves to support them. The presenters also indicated how the ARC philosophy is applied holistically in the school rather than by the EA’s in isolation. Trustees inquired about communication and outreach to parents, and they were quite satisfied with Sacred Heart’s commitment to communication. Board Chair, Ron Schreiber, thanked the pair for their dedication to the students. On behalf of the board, he ex- pressed an understanding that student needs are very complex and he expressed appreciation for the school and division’s efforts to support some of out most vulnerable students. Page 3 Ward Committee Reports The communities of Drumheller, High Safe and Caring: The Headstrong raised the previous year, which is an River, Okotoks, and Brooks hosted Ward initiative led by Notre Dame Collegiate effective and unique best practice. This meetings since the last Board meeting. students is an amazing event that will year’s budget is an amazing $47,000. The minutes with more detail are at- likely spread to the entire division. tached to the Board Meeting agenda on Brooks Ward: Stewardship: The School Council and our website. The meeting summary fol- This Ward includes Holy Family Acade- other volunteers are organizing a 25th lows. my, Christ The King Academy, St. Jo- anniversary celebration with the theme, seph’s Collegiate, and St. Luke’s Out- “Leap of Faith”. The committee is pro- Drumheller Ward: reach, Brooks. ducing a video, and all committee mem- This Ward includes St. Anthony’s School bers are passionately doing their part. Faith: Satisfaction with faith is very and St. Luke’s Outreach, Drumheller. strong at Holy Family Academy, Christ Faith: Father Lukas has been very en- Okotoks Ward II: The King Academy, and St. Joseph’s gaged at St. Anthony’s School and St. This Ward includes The Centre for Collegiate. Father Marino’s engage- Luke’s Outreach Centre. He faithfully Learning@HOME and St. Luke’s Out- ment has been superb. He celebrates visits St. Luke’s every Wednesday, which reach Centre, Okotoks. many liturgies and Masses with the is quite a commitment given the small students. Faith: St. Luke’s Outreach Centre’s staff number of students there. shared their faith stories with their stu- Learning: Overall academic results Learning: St. Luke’s Outreach Centre is dents, as many are just being introduced are strong, despite the high number of working on transferable life skills on a to the faith and need witnesses. Father ELL’s. regular basis and it has been popular with Luciano was so inspired , he shared his Safe and Caring: The schools are the students. An example is the comple- faith story as well. The students are now doing excellent acts of service and good tion of puzzle-like tasks requiring commu- sharing their stories. works during Advent. nication and cooperation. Learning: The Centre for Learn- Stewardship: All of the School Coun- Safe and Caring: JoAnne Akerboom, ing@HOME students are in the “very cils have done an excellent job of sup- Principal of St. Anthony’s School, told a high” range on 3 of the 4 provincial exam porting St. Vincent de Paul. compelling story about the impact of us- measures. The Centre for Learn- ing the restorative justice process with ing@HOME is the highest performing Okotoks Ward 1: students in conflict. The restorative pro- online school in the province. This Ward includes St. Mary’s School, cess involves assisting the offender in St. John Paul II Collegiate, École Good Safe and Caring: Program Enhance- gaining a greater sense of empathy. It also Shepherd School, Holy Trinity Acade- ment Coordinators (PEC’s) and the ac- helps the offender “restore” the relation- my, and St. Francis of Assisi Academy. tivities they promote are critical to The ship with the person to whom the harm Centre for Learning@HOME’s success. Faith: St. Mary’s School has several was done. They provide opportunities for students outreach activities around Advent and Stewardship: St. Anthony’s School to get together, engage in activities, and Lent projects. For example, parents Council enjoys strong participation and build community. and students make nativity sets under parental involvement.