ATHABASCA — The outcomes are theoretical but the meeting between two local school boards was very practical.
At the May 26 Aspen View Public Schools (AVPS) board meeting, Supt. Neil O’Shea summarized a meeting between AVPS and Pembina Hills School Division (PHSD) the day before at Métis Crossing, north of Smoky Lake, as an opportunity to get to know each other and exchange ideas.
“When we look at our paper, the Town and Country (This Week), that covers Barrhead, Westlock and Athabasca, these two school boards getting together covers that same area,” O’Shea said.
The two boards, plus both superintendents and secretary-treasurers attended the meeting.
“I thought it was awesome,” said trustee Cindy Lutz. "Being new and meeting other trustees; getting a chance to meet more people.”
Trustee Donna Cherniwchan agreed, saying it makes it more comfortable if they see PHSD trustees at other functions.
“I really felt like we made connections,” she said. "If we see the trustees at another event, we can easily go up and see them and talk to them. It was excellent.”
The hope is the two divisions will work on common issues like curriculum changes or leadership cohorts, but the opportunities are boundless.
“The idea that came up was meeting with our MLA Glenn van Dijken,” said O’Neil. “He serves in the same geographical area for both school boards and it might be interesting for the two schools boards to meet with him together. I think this collaboration is one way we demonstrate our commitment to rural sustainability and working together with our partners.”
Cherniwchan noted it is also time to renew relationships with municipal partners and O’Shea agreed noting PHSD had some ideas they could use.
“I think we've been feeling our municipal engagement has been good but lacking a little bit,” he said. “And I think coming into the fall, we'll springboard off of some of what Pembina Hills has been doing.”
Trustee Dennis MacNeil added he loved the meeting and is looking forward to meeting other neighbouring school boards.
“I think organizing this whole event and coming together was a brilliant idea. The more we can build positive relationships with our sister boards I think is incredibly important,” he said.
There are no formal plans to meet soon but O’Shea noted the connection has been made and the chance to collaborate will remain.
“We talked about meeting again, and maybe not until next year, but that doesn't preclude us from making that connection with them when we see them at ... other events," he said. “We now have a connection with them and even if we're not meeting formally, we can certainly meet in an informal way and touch base with them.”
