As I type this, I can not believe August is already here and that our time together in Banff was over a month ago! Canadian summers really do just fly by.
I have spent a lot of time these past weeks reflecting on our learnings and opportunities from the National Trustee Gathering on Indigenous Education and Annual Congress in incredible Banff, Alberta. For our family, the summer is about trying to get in some rest and relaxation before the craziness of the “fall routine” kicks back in after Labour Day. With all of this in mind, when I have had a chance for some down-time, I find myself immersed in preparations for the resumption of another busy school year – and applying the lessons from Congress to these mental preparations:
- How can our local board properly advocate for public education in the upcoming provincial election in Manitoba?
- What does it mean for our provincial school boards association (MSBA) to adequately adopt a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) lens in the development of our new strategic priorities – taking a page out of the CSBA playbook?
- With the recent federal cabinet shuffle, how does that change who we talk to and what we talk about during the CSBA board’s federal advocacy event in Ottawa in the first week of October?
- And of course… how the heck are we going to have to get our daughters (Lucy & Maggie) to all of the various piano, swimming, basketball and dance related things that are quickly filling up our calendars for fall?!
Much like Saskatoon last year and the in-person gatherings that we enjoyed in 2019 and earlier, the most valuable part of our time together in Banff was just that – our time together, in-person! Whether it was the impactful keynotes or the opportunities for deep and meaningful learning during the concurrent sessions, the opportunity to share in those experiences together, representing school boards from across the country, was certainly a breath of fresh air.
My sincere thanks again to our friends at Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) for hosting a wonderful event. If you were not able to attend in Banff this year, please make a point of visiting our website for a report on the NGIE and Congress, as well as the Annual Report for 2023 and other valuable resources. We are certainly looking forward to Toronto in July 2024, with preparations by OPSBA already underway. Wishing you a restful last few weeks of summer and a smooth start to a new school year this fall!
Sincerely,
Alan Campbell, President