Over the past year, ASBA has continued to expand possibilities for the Association with a focus on connection, wellness and success. While COVID-19 brought change and challenges, it also showcased the collective resiliency of members and their communities. Throughout the challenges of this year, ASBA worked hard to find new and innovative ways to connect members and conduct business. Processes were adapted and developed in order to provide meaningful opportunities and support members.
Shifting to virtual platforms
ASBA shifted to new technologies to increase accessibility and stay connected in a virtual world. This included hosting the 2020 Special General Meeting, 2020 Fall General Meeting (FGM) and 2021 Spring General Meeting (SGM) on virtual platforms. This approach allowed renowned speakers from around the world to share their expertise with members. ASBA also found innovative opportunities to celebrate leaders in the education community, hosting virtual awards celebrations complete with avatars of recipients for both the 2020 Edwin Parr Teacher Awards and 2021 Honouring Spirit: Indigenous Student Awards.
Building partnerships
During this reporting period, ASBA welcomed three interns through a University of Alberta internship program. This allowed the expansion of marketing, sponsorship development and event management services, including finding efficiencies in existing voter software used at General Meetings.
Informing and inspiring voters
As 2021 was a municipal election year, ASBA undertook an ambitious initiative to increase voter turnout for school board trustees. An extensive complement of resources was developed to raise public awareness and the importance of getting out to vote on election day. ASBA expanded the possibilities by inspiring voter understanding regarding the essential role of their locally-elected school board trustees. Virtual meetings, online award celebrations, partnerships with educational institutions and the development of a comprehensive election campaign rounded out the reporting period as one filled with innovative ideas, ambitious objectives and adaptable solutions.