Media Releases

Thursday, October 30, 2008

BOARD SHARES ACCOUNTABILITY PILLAR RESULTS:
More work needs to be done to build bright futures for all students

At a media conference this morning, Board Chair Bev Esslinger and Edgar Schmidt, Superintendent of Schools, shared details about the District's Accountability Pillar outcomes for the 2007-2008 school year. The Board Chair expressed the Trustees' expectation that more students improve their level of achievement, a challenge willingly accepted by Superintendent Schmidt.

"Our Board of Trustees has high expectations for our students," said Esslinger. "We want each of them to experience success in school and in life. We also have high expectations of Mr. Schmidt to create a culture of continuous improvement in our District."

The District's Accountability Pillar results indicate the District is doing a good job in most areas, but that more district students need to be passing their tests and courses. In particular, students are not doing as well at achieving the acceptable standard as the District would like. The Superintendent is meeting with principals so that district leaders work together to help more students improve their achievement results.

The Board made it clear it would lead this ongoing work by example, having developed a strategic plan to guide its efforts in the areas of leadership, government relations and community relations. The Board is working with its partners to enhance early learning opportunities for children; has established a Multi-cultural Task Force to examine how to better support students from diverse cultures and communities; and continues the effort initiated by its Aboriginal Education Task Force to better support First Nations, non-status, Métis and Inuit students.

"Our Board's bottom line is that we want all of our students to meet the goals of their individual program plans, achieve passing grades and complete school," said Esslinger. "We will work together to raise the bar higher in terms of what we expect of ourselves, so we can build a better tomorrow and bright future for our students."

For more information:
Lisa Austin, Director
Communications
(780) 429-8043