Gary Kissel

1) What are your views on education funding in Alberta and the role of school boards in funding decisions?

The new funding formula in use by the province is providing inadequate funding for the education of Alberta’s students. Boards play a crucial role in advocating for increased funding and need to increase their lobbying efforts in order to keep the pressure on the provincial government and make the decision makers aware of the consequences of this inadequate funding.

2) How can learning conditions in schools be improved?

Lowering class sizes by providing more teachers and also providing more educational assistants would definitely improve learning conditions. But, as explained in question 1, lack of funding is directly responsible for this.

3) What are your views on the recently released draft curriculum?

The draft curriculum needs a rewrite. It is unacceptable. This is why the current Board chose not to pilot the draft. It is very disappointing that major stakeholders like teachers and parents were not involved in the writing of this curriculum in any meaningful way.

4) How can trustees and school boards best support teachers and other school staff?

Boards need to provide adequate resources and leadership and expertise from district administration to schools to enable school staffs to do their jobs. This is crucial to the success of our students.

5) As a school board trustee how will you encourage and facilitate the calls to action as outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission?

I am and will continue to be a strong supporter and advocate of the many initiatives that are outlined by the Commission. At our division level, we have an assistant superintendent who is tasked with working on these initiatives. The Board also has a Metis, First Nation and Inuit committee that meets and does work to keep the Board up to date on issues related to this portfolio. The Board could always do more in the area of meeting with and listening to our many Metis and First Nations communities and their leaders.

6) What improvements or changes could be made to improve student and staff safety in the division?

Safety and the health and wellness of students and staff have always been a priority of the Board and will continue to be. Obviously, Covid has put a severe strain on the system and we are doing what we can to mitigate the issues that have arisen. I would like to see improvement to school ventilation systems but this is a major cost item. Our maintenance department has been doing a great job making sure that the ventilation systems that are presently in the schools are working to capacity. The Board is lobbying the province for more funding in this area and needs to continue doing so.