Message from the Board of Trustees
Trustees are elected by you, the citizens of Calgary. A locally accountable Board of Trustees is important. This connection to our community allows us to focus on advocating for what our students and our system needs most.
We’ve heard from you about the importance of learning space for schools close to where our students live, funding for modernizing our existing schools, about transportation service and about the need for resources to support students in our diverse and complex system. These discussions help us focus our efforts so we are advocating for what matters most to you.
Please visit the Trustees section of our website, cbe.ab.ca, under the “About Us” tab to learn more about our advocacy priorities and activities.
Message from David Stevenson, Chief Superintendent
When the provincial government announced several years ago that they would be building more than 20 new CBE schools in Calgary, we were very pleased. Many of our existing schools were operating at or beyond capacity, and we simply needed more learning space for students.
With 15 of those new schools opening in the 2016-17 school year, we knew thousands of students would be able to attend school in their own communities, and that many of our existing schools would be impacted.
A year ago, we started planning how we could make the best use of student learning space across our system. We connected with employees, parents and community members to gather feedback on possibilities for use of available school space. Feedback was gathered through meetings, open houses and an online survey. What we heard helped us develop possible scenarios for impacted schools in several areas of our city.
Students, parents and community members came out to numerous meetings in the fall to provide input on the scenarios. Many more responded to a second online survey. That input, along with our planning principles and student accommodation regulations, shaped the proposed plans that were made available to communities last month.
While we have always strived to involve students, staff, parents and community members in decisions that affect them, this past year has seen an unprecedented level of involvement with our communities. The plans presented at open houses and on our website in January reflect what was most important to our students, staff, parents and communities overall, and demonstrate what we can achieve when we work together in the best interests of students.
I would like to thank everyone who contributed time and effort over the past year to help us plan how to best use our schools for the benefit of our students. Your voices matter, and contribute significantly to the choices we make.
We’ve heard positive feedback about the process and know that we have difficult choices to make. Please visit cbe.ab.ca/dialogue to keep up to date on current community engagement projects and learn more about how you can share your perspectives with us.
Kindergarten Registration
Registration for Kindergarten opened January 9. Registration is not determined on a first come, first served basis, so it is not necessary to register on the first day. However, registering your child as soon as possible helps our principals plan and prepare accordingly for the new school year. Visit cbe.ab.ca/kindergarten for more information.
