BCSTA/BCPSEA Trustee Orientation Academy

Investing in Human Capital… I could not decide on the title of this blog entry, but the BCSTA/BCPSEA Trustee Orientation Academy 2012 presented several sessions to help ‘new trustees’ with a crash course on effective trusteeship, effective boards, labour relations, role of the employer, collective agreements, legal issues for trustees, and effective board meetings.  There was much information to be delivered by both BCSTA (BC School Trustees’ Association) and the BCPSEA (BC Public School Employers’ Association).  As informative as it was to attend each session provided, in addition to the lunchtime session with our BCSTA mentor, meeting other trustees from other school districts and reconnecting to those members on your own team are equally or more valuable.  First, I was able to converse and get to know better each member of my school board team.  Every trustee in my school district attended the Academy along with our senior management team.  Second, I had the unique opportunity to chat with other new trustees over lunch or during breaks to get a sense how it is for them in their school districts.  Third, I had my own Ah-ha’s to clarify ideas in my mind what it means to be a school trustee. 

What I had learned from the Trustee Orientation Academy are the following: (1) There is a clear division between GOVERNANCE and OPERATIONS; (2) BCSTA are student advocates and BCPSEA are respectful of the collective agreement and the bargaining process; and (3) The SD46 (Sunshine Coast) Board for the 2011-2014 term is going to be phenomenal.  OK.  Bullet #3 seems like an overstatement, but I am beginning to understand that the SD46 is heading in the right direction.  With the diversity of our board in terms of experience, expertise, and interests, the SD46 board is high functioning.  The SD46 2009-2012 Strategic Plan, the 2011 Trustee Orientation Binder, and the willingness of the Board to orchestrate and participate in additional working group sessions regarding the role and responsibilities have contributed to the cohesiveness of our team.  Gratitude to the previous board for making this educational leadership experience exciting and worthwhile.  I’m excited for our students, staff, and families of SD46.  Looking forward to the next three years.