Dear colleagues,
While each school year brings nuanced challenges and successes, the 2020-2021 school year was unparalleled in terms of the flexibility and innovation required of school board trustees as we continued to work through the effects of a global pandemic.
As President of Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA), I have been inspired by the perseverance, creativity and resilience our members have demonstrated during these extraordinary circumstances. As we entered the third and fourth waves of the pandemic, we found ourselves faced with hard discussions and even harder decisions. This was additionally an election year for school board trustees, adding to an already dense workload. While this greatly impacted the work of trustees as local governors, it did not lessen the commitment to education that I witnessed from each and every trustee across Alberta.
This was inspiring as ASBA looked toward finding creative ways to provide continuous support for members as well as provincial advocacy to our diverse membership. While it is no easy feat to stay connected in an entirely virtual format, ASBA was able to offer timely and impactful resources for members as well as continue pushing ASBA forward as a leading-edge Association. As such, this report reflects on a year of ASBA and our members Expanding the Possibilities: through Connection, Wellness and Success.
Lorrie Jess
President
My years as a school board trustee have been some of the most exciting and rewarding of my career, presenting many opportunities to contribute to my community, to grow as an individual and to have a measurable impact on Alberta’s world-class education system.
I look back on this chapter of my life with gratitude for the inspiring colleagues I have had the chance to work with, the remarkable community members I have learned from and the many bright students that have made this role so meaningful to me.
As I conclude my final term as President of ASBA, and as a trustee, I want to extend my sincere thanks to the entire Board of Directors, our Vice-president Trina Boymook and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Vivian Abboud and her entire staff complement. Each of you has shown extraordinary dedication in your leadership, resourcefulness and passion. For that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And not least of all, I thank our members for their commitment to education through all of the successes and challenges this year has brought.
It has been the honour of a lifetime to serve as your President.
Lorrie Jess
PRESIDENT