REGISTRATION CLOSED

The Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard (SLQS) and Leadership Quality Standard (LQS) outlines the professional practices that superintendents and system education leaders must demonstrate to create the conditions under which school leaders and teachers can do their very best work. One essential component of supporting leaders and teachers’ growth is plans for the design and delivery of  professional learning opportunities.  Research supports the importance of spending time and effort supporting professional practice.

Research demonstrates that collective efficacy– or the sustained collective effort and action to change practice to improve learning outcomes for students over and above the educational impact of their homes and communities (Friesen & Brown, 2020)—is highly correlated (effect size d=1.57) with student achievement. https://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/114910

This preconference will provide an overview of the results of the Alberta Post-Secondary collective research on implementation of the professional practice standards, specifically the year four results report, which will be released prior to this pre-conference. (Year 3 Results report referenced above.)  The afternoon will include stories of practice of how school authorities are supporting TQS professional learning as well as the learning of school leaders based on the LQS.  An opportunity for reflection on personal practice and the SLQS and system education leaders and their focus on  LQS, will also be provided.  The afternoon will also provide an opportunity to learn from colleagues about strategies and approaches they use to support professional growth of their colleagues, as well as a focus on measuring impact of actions and supports provided through professional learning opportunities.

The following component within the Funding Manual, specifies the importance of system focused to professional learning, and will be addressed at the pre-conference.

School authorities are responsible for supporting teaching and leadership quality through professional learning, supervision, and evaluation processes. Education Funding Manual 2022-2023 (pages 137-138

Pre-Conference Program Components:

• CASS Introduction
• Sharon Friesen – Principal Investigator Post-Secondary Research
  • Overview of report findings through sharing of case studies related to: Capacity Building,  Adaptive Leadership Strategies, Organizational Structures

• School Authority Stories of Practice
  • TQS:
    • Using Data to design TQS Professional learning to be facilitated by Catherine Giesbrecht and Joe Dumont from Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools will share the education planning process and how school leaders’ interpretation of data informs  plans to support teacher growth.
  • LQS:
    • Supporting school leaders practice and skills in facilitating evidence-based and reflective conversations about teaching and learning to be facilitated by Brenda Herder, Director of Learning – System Supports, Battle River School Division
  • SLQS:
    • Leader as Learner: Modelling Commitment to Professional Learning as a Superintendent to be facilitated by Peter Barron, Superintendent, St. Paul Education Regional Division

Bios

PLEASE NOTE: Role-alike sessions are for CASS members only.

“The logic of “Leadership from the Middle” is that leaders in the middle work together on a common agenda building lateral capacity as they link to key priorities. They learn from each other and in so doing become better partners upwards to the province, and downwards to their local schools and communities. Regardless of the locus of origin of a whole system reform agenda – the top, bottom or the middle of an educational system – the key question is what approaches are most effective at developing professional capital.” References in the article here.

CASS conferences offer a provincial gathering opportunity focused on the needs of system leaders and emergent provincial agendas. Role-Alike time allows members to learn from their peers about approaches that are the most effective for a colleague’s context. Learning from stories of practices about effective or improved practices, provides an opportunity to reflect on one’s own practice and context. Decisions  to further explore approaches to support the school authorities goals, and ultimately optimum learning for all students can occur after the opportunity to learn from others.  The Annual  Learning Conference role-alike topics are based on zone feedback gathered in November/December 2022.  Specific questions for dialogue with colleagues  will be identified in the coming weeks on CASS Pro-spective.

When registering, select the Role-Alike group you would like to join. Your name tags will be color coded accordingly.

• Chief Superintendents
• Curriculum, Assessment and Technology
• First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education
• Human Resources
• Inclusive Education
• Workplace Wellness

Innovation demands that we set aside what we think we know, adopt a curious stance, and commit to learning and continuous improvement. Together with and throughout our community. Data informed decisions, engaging with all stakeholders, creativity and iteration are key pieces to addressing this perpetual puzzle of assurance in action.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to learn how one school authority brings assurance to life within the school division community.

Chris Fuzessy and the Foothills School Division Team have hundreds of years of experience in public education. This team works together with continuous improvement in mind to serve the Foothills community.

The Trades and Vocational Education (TAVE) is a committee established by CASS made up of representatives from school authorities, post-secondary institutions, skilled trades partner organizations, employers, and Alberta Education with a vision of collectively working together to inspire Alberta’s youth to pursue skilled trades and technologies as a viable career pathway. This session will feature Alberta’s stories of practice which are enabling K- 12 students to:

• Explore the scope, the demand, and the value of skilled trades and technologies.
• Engage in academic Studies and skills training through inclusive, authentic, hands-on learning opportunities.
• Experience diverse work-integrated learning opportunities with employers and partners.

See the CASS TAVE Framework here.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• learn about the TAVE Strategic Framework,
• listen to stories of practice and explore the possibilities for your district to replicate, adapt, or partner, and
• share ideas, strategies, and network with other system leaders to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in today’s rapidly changing world.

Jason Kupery is a seasoned educator and administrator with over 23 years of experience in teaching, coaching and school and district administration. Jason earned a Bachelor of Education from the University of Victoria and his master’s degree specializing in educational leadership from the University of Calgary in 2012. Jason is passionate about student engagement and seeing students discover what motivates them, both in school and beyond. Jason has served in his current role for 6+ years as Director of Learning for the Palliser School Division and provides leadership in a variety of areas including High School Curriculum, Off Campus, Wellness and Student Leadership and Engagement (to name a few). Jason strives to create programming that helps students answer the age, old question, “why do we have to learn this?” by helping students connect curricular outcomes to hands-on experience as much as possible. He firmly believes that the path to creating lifelong learners is not through asking the questions “what do you want to be?” or “what are you going to take in post secondary studies?”; the path lies in asking, “what do you love to do?”. Committed to creating equitable learning experiences for all students across the province (both rural and urban), Jason continues to work with awesome partners to create experiences to help students find the learning and/or work that gives them purpose and brings them joy.

Colleen Symyrozum-Watt is a CASS Leadership Consultant. With over three decades of experience in the education sector, she has held a variety of roles including classroom teacher, elementary school principal, division consultant, director of learning, deputy superintendent, and superintendent. Before joining CASS as a Leadership Consultant in 2017, Colleen worked for Alberta Education and served on numerous provincial committees, as well as the CASS zone and provincial executive. In addition to her work in the education sector, Colleen has also completed executive coaching through Royal Roads University. Throughout her career, she has shown a commitment to improving educational outcomes for students and a passion for leadership development.

PLEASE NOTE: This session will be offered again in the afternoon.

This session will provide a general overview in the following areas:

1. What is systemic racism?
2. What is systemic discrimination and harassment stereotyping in the workplace?
3. Tips and takeaways on implicit bias in workplace investigations
   • Implication of witness bias and investigator bias
4. Investigating complicated harassment/bullying allegations
5. Tips and takeaways for trauma informed investigations
   • What is a trauma informed approach?
   • How to assess credibility in a trauma informed investigation.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• learn from legal counsel,
• learn from colleagues based on stories of practice and lessons learned, and
• reflect on how to apply the learning for your context (e.g., polices, regulations, administrative procedures).

Teresa Haykowsky is a partner at McLennan Ross. She is a powerful and dedicated bilingual advocate for her clients. She provides practical advice and solid solutions based on her depth of knowledge in education law, labour and employment, constitutional, administrative, occupational health and safety, municipal, and privacy law. Teresa has depth in the evolution and changes which have occurred in education law over the past twenty-five years. She is particularly well-versed the Education Act. With her creativity and experience, she has the ability to look outside of purely theoretical or academic solutions. Authentic and dedicated, Teresa’s reputation for reliable and smart advice is well-earned. Her clients have relied on her keen advocacy for decades. Teresa has a unique understanding of education (K-12) industry, as well as the law. She strives to understand what will work for each individual client and knows sometimes the law is only one part of what they’re looking for and other times it is the whole answer.

In June 2021, Alberta Education invited school authorities to submit applications for new funding to develop targeted interventions to address COVID-19 learning disruptions for Grades 1-3 students. CASS eLeadership Guide on Learning Disruption includes stories of practice from 7 school authorities about their system plans to support student learning. This session will provide an update from Fort McMurray Catholic School District and Wolf Creek School Division with a focus on:

• Did our planned strategies have the desired outcomes?
• What next?

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to

• explore school authority gathering, use and analysis of data to target school-based intervention structures systemically.
• relate to authentic stories of practice shared by system education leaders about creating growth opportunities, and leadership practices which model a collaborative approach to determine shared practice.
• reflect upon research and stories of practice about system education leadership and learning disruption.
• identify resources that support leading initiatives related to learning disruption, including a focus on data leadership.
• interpret new ideas for building professional capacity as a system education leader.

Mat Campbell has worked in the field of education for the past 14 years. Currently, he is the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment with Fort McMurray Catholic Schools. Previously, he has served as a school-based leader, a learning coach, and a high school science teacher. He is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Education program at the University of Calgary and is specializing in System Leadership in K-12 Education. For his dissertation, he plans to study the intersection of educational leadership, change management, and systemic equity in education. He holds a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Secondary Education, and a Master of Education. He also works as a contract instructor in the Faculty of Elementary Education at the University Alberta. Mat is proud to live, work, and play in the Wood Buffalo region and is passionate about system leadership that supports high quality educational experiences for all students. In his spare time, he loves to travel, spend time with his family, and enjoy the outdoors.

Danielle Maczko is an educator, mother, wife and life long learner. She currently works as a Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment with Fort McMurray Catholic Schools. Over the past 14 years, Danielle has worked as a High School administrator, a learning coach and an elementary teacher. She also works as a contract instructor in the Faculty of Elementary Education through the University of Alberta. Danielle has a Bachelor of Elementary Education and a Master of Education. Her passion is supporting teachers to provide engaging, inclusive and dynamic learning environments for students. When she is not working with teachers and students, Danielle is often found at the local rinks or baseball fields supporting her 2 young boys and their passion for sports.

As an educator, previous school administrator, district leader and Director of Education Services with Wolf Creek Public Schools, Sean Lougheed brings over 20 years of experience. Throughout his experience, Sean has worked with many forms of teaching and learning models from face-to-face to digital video conferences and has a strong background in supporting divisional instructional pedagogy through a data informed approach. Sean is looking forward to the opportunity to
explore the processes, tools and philosophies that Wolf Creek Public Schools utilized with their educational disruption datasets and the impact that this has had on learning in Wolf Creek.

This session will share how the Calgary Board of Education is “making relatives” with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, students, families, community and staff to design and implement an Indigenous Education framework across all schools and service units. Through building and applying our knowledge of Indigenous ways of being, belonging, doing and knowing, all staff in the CBE will be meaningfully positioned to deepen individual and collective wisdom, decisions, and actions to work towards achieving the CBE Education Plan, 2021-24 key outcome: Students who self-identify as Indigenous are supported to experience improved achievement and well-being. These collective actions on behalf of the Indigenous students we serve will benefit all CBE students, staff, families, and community. Participants will be able to consider the design and impact of Indigenous Education frameworks in advancing systems, schools, and individuals toward Truth and Reconciliation.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• learn how the CBE is building and maintaining relationships with Indigenous Elders & Knowledge Keepers, and
• learn how the CBE has designed an Indigenous Education framework to ground learning, decisions, and actions focused on improved achievement and well-being for students who self-identify as Indigenous, and Indigenous Education for all students and staff.

Andrea Holowka is a Superintendent of School Improvement with the Calgary Board of Education. In her role, she oversees learning, student supports, and operations for schools in North Calgary. Andrea has served as a superintendent for the last nine years in large metro school jurisdictions. Her previous experiences include teaching, administration, and system leader roles. Andrea is active in leadership and cross-sector collaborations throughout Calgary and Alberta in areas focused on student learning and well-being. Andrea is in her final year of a Doctorate of Education program, with a dissertation focus on mental health intervention services across large school authorities.

Lori Pritchard is a Métis educator and leader with generations of ancestral roots across the Métis Nation Homeland including the Red River Settlement in Manitoba, and the Batoche/Fish Creek & Battleford areas in Saskatchewan. Currently the Education Director for Indigenous Education with the Calgary Board of Education, Lori works alongside members of the Indigenous Education Team to provide leadership and support across the CBE to realize our commitments to Indigenous student achievement and well-being, and Indigenous Education for all students, staff and families. Lori has been a teacher and leader of Indigenous Education for more than twenty-five years and holds a Bachelor of Education Degree from the University of Saskatchewan (SUNTEP), and a Master’s Degree in Indigenous Education from the University of New England in Australia. Lori has been a principal at two schools in the CBE, and a principal at the Whitecap Dakota First Nations School in Saskatchewan (Charles Red Hawk Elementary School). She has also provided additional system leadership in Indigenous Education during her tenure with the CBE, including the Indigenous community engagement for the design of the Niitsitapi Learning Centre. Lori is an active member of Calgary’s urban Indigenous community, serving as a Board member, sitting on numerous committees, and volunteering at events throughout the Treaty 7 area.

PLEASE NOTE: Only Superintendents and Deputy Superintendents may participate at this session.

Delegates in the Fall Conference’s Supporting Effective Governance –  Continuing the Conversation session appreciated the facilitated conversation with colleagues, led by superintendents. Members’ input was shared on CASS Pro-spective based on the two questions explored at the session: building relationships and the governance role. Delegates’ feedback from the session, as well as  input gathered at recent zone meetings helped to identify the focus for this session.  The  focus for conversation will be related to:

• supporting the Board with effective engagement and advocacy roles as well as
• supporting the Board with their governance role in creating a culture of continuous improvement based on lessons learned from the pandemic.

Join Chief Superintendents MacArthur-Poole, Turpin and Lindquist for a facilitated conversation on topics related to Supporting Effective Governance.

As a result of participating in this session you will have the opportunity to explore components of these competency indicators:

• building the capacity of the board and staff to predict, communicate and respond to emergent circumstances, including emergency readiness and crisis management, and to political, social, economic, legal and cultural contexts and trends;
• supporting the board in its engagement with the school community to develop a vision of a preferred future for student success;
• facilitating ongoing public communication about the board’s operations and the achievement of its goals and priorities; and
• promoting constructive relations between the board and staff, as well as provincial authorities, post-secondary institutions and education stakeholder organizations. Alberta Education SLQS Supporting Effective Governance Indicators

Elizabeth (Betty) Turpin is in her 16th year as Superintendent with The Holy Family Catholic Separate School Division located in Peace River. She has a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Special Education and a Masters of Administration in Education. Prior to her Superintendency role, Betty served three years as Principal and three years as Deputy Superintendent at Grande Prairie Catholic School District. Over the last thirty -five (35) years, her education and experience has provided her professional opportunities as a classroom teacher primarily in junior high math and sciences, various Vice Principal roles, Principal and Senior Leader. Betty believes that educators and leaders should not work alone, and team is important. Betty has mentored several colleagues including Teachers, Principals and Superintendents. Student success is her top priority in every decision she makes, and she knows that displaying true leadership isn’t always about doing what’s popular. She believes the key to great leadership is setting the right example, making sound and timely decisions, seeking and taking responsibility for your actions, having a positive attitude and being informed and informing the team. A leader should not be afraid to delegate and ensure that tasks are understood, supervised and completed. Betty is an advocate for supporting students and is passionate about inclusive education, literacy and numeracy, faith and Indigenous education. Betty is an avid golfer, reader, and has been married to the love of her life Brian for over 40 years. Together they have two children, and four beautiful grandchildren.

Dean Lindquist brings extensive leadership and teaching experience in public, separate, and charter schools. In addition to his most recent position as Superintendent for New Horizons Charter School, he served in Superintendent roles for SD 71 (Comox Valley) and Grande Yellowhead Public Schools, as well as Associate/Deputy Superintendent for the Aspen View Regional School Division. Earlier in his career, Dean also held positions as a Principal and as a classroom teacher in schools across central Alberta. Rounding out his experience, Dean has taught graduate-level courses at the University of Calgary and served as Assistant Deputy Minister (Program and System Support) for Alberta Education. Dean enjoys immersing himself in professional and academic literature to stay up to date on the latest developments in education and related areas.

Natasha MacArthur-Poole has been serving within the Fort McMurray Catholic Schools family since 1995. MacArthur-Poole was announced as Superintendent of Schools in March 2022. She had held the role of Deputy Superintendent since 2021. Her previous experience includes Associate Superintendent, Director of Human Resources, and Principal of Father Mercredi High School and St Gabriel School. MacArthur-Poole has been a visionary leader who has always put people first. From leading the change at Father Mercredi High School to the grade 7-12 model and the creation of the Science and Technology Centre, she has shown dynamic leadership skills which have resulted in student and staff success. At the Division level MacArthur-Poole has presided over a reinvigoration of the Fort McMurray Catholic Schools professional development model, as well as stakeholder engagement, teacher recruitment and pandemic response.

This session will build upon the ongoing dialogue about strategic implementation of new curriculum that has engaged system leaders in previous CASS learning experiences. Using collaborative dialogue, we will explore evidence of implementation, considering how we might leverage the rich sources of data available. Through analysis of the implementation process to date, we will examine how evidence of implementation, data, and reflection can support making adjustments to ongoing implementation, as well as plan for future implementation. As a result of this dialogue, you will have an opportunity to engage in dialogue with system leaders living new curriculum implementation. You will engage in reflection about your process thus far, as well as look ahead to future implementation, informed by data and enriched by experiences of colleagues. (Previous CASS learning opportunities about curriculum implementation: Learning Guide and Professional Learning Module Leading Learning Presentation and   Leading Learning Participant Guide

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• engage in reflection about your process thus far, as well as
• look ahead to future implementation, informed by data and enriched by experiences of colleagues.

Catherine Coyne is Director, Curricular Services for St. Albert Public Schools. During her time with the division, Catherine has served as a teacher, AISI Coordinator, assistant principal, and for a memorable year, principal of an online school. She was also seconded to the Alberta Assessment Consortium as a field service facilitator, traveling around the province supporting strong assessment practices. In her curriculum role, Catherine is committed to building clarity and intentionality in practice.

This session will highlight Career Pathways in Edmonton Public Schools. The goal of Career Pathways is to provide students with a broad range of learning opportunities to prepare them for their next steps in life whether that be post-secondary, the world of work, or involvement in their community. These opportunities allow for a transition from high school to a life of dignity and fulfillment. Presenters will discuss the Career Pathways model, which outlines our efforts to empower students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 to build awareness, understanding and readiness for their lives after high school. Presenters will outline several current initiatives at Edmonton Public Schools, which are supported by authentic learning experiences and community partnerships. Presenters will also share how student interest, labour market, and other data sources can be used by system leaders to support their decision making. This session will reflect alignment to the CASS Skilled Trades, Apprenticeships, and Vocational Educational Strategic Framework, particularly in the area of equipping students to succeed through rigorous academic studies and skills training opportunities, bridging their transition from high school to post-secondary and the workplace.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• consider the ways in which the Career Pathways model helps students to participate in meaningful learning experiences to help them explore and plan for what life might look like beyond high school.
• explore several long-term (5+ years) EPSB career exploration and development initiatives.
• review how data is being collected and used to support decision making and consider how this type of data could be used in one’s own context.

Marnie Beaudoin is the Director of Curriculum and Learning Supports in Edmonton Public Schools. She has held a variety of roles, including as a classroom teacher. Curriculum and Learning Supports includes a broad range of universal supports for schools, including career pathways.

Thomas Gillard is a supervisor in Curriculum and Learning Supports, Career Pathways with Edmonton Public Schools. He has 15 years of experience in education as a teacher, guidance counselor and department head.

Sean Jones (HBA, MACT) is a Research Consultant with Career Pathways at Edmonton Public Schools. He draws on 25 years of experience in the fields of technology, arts, conference management, education and social sciences (all five career pathways!).

A panel from Edmonton Catholic Schools will highlight the work that is being undertaken by the Division to create warm, caring, respectful and supportive relationships with students, families, and community. The panel will include staff from the newly developed Four Directions Wellness and Truth and Reconciliation portfolios to share how they are working to increase foundational knowledge, effective relationships, safe spaces and collaborations with numerous schools, departments and individuals.

The panel will also include strategies from the award-winning Braided Journeys Program and tips for building positive relationships so students experience a true sense of belonging. The Braided Journeys Program operates in 18 Division schools directly serving more than 1,700 students. Program staff are committed to assisting student success by cultivating a caring, welcoming, and positive places where Indigenous students see themselves, their contributions, and their culture.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• engage in an open space to ask questions and to,
• learn the “why” and the “how” of meaningful engagement with Indigenous students, families and organizations.

Our panel includes more than 50 years of learning leadership supporting the needs of Indigenous learners. We collectively work together to meet the vision of ECSD in achieving excellence in education for Indigenous students.

Joe Naccarato, Superintendent Student Support Services
Pam Sparklingeyes, Manager Indigenous Learning Services
Kathy Davis, Supervisor Braided Journeys
Donita Large, Four Directions Wellness Specialist
Shannon Loutitt, Truth and Reconciliation Specialist

This session will provide a general overview in the following areas:

1. What is systemic racism?
2. What is systemic discrimination and harassment stereotyping in the workplace?
3. Tips and takeaways on implicit bias in workplace investigations
   • Implication of witness bias and investigator bias
4. Investigating complicated harassment/bullying allegations
5. Tips and takeaways for trauma informed investigations
   • What is a trauma informed approach?
   • How to assess credibility in a trauma informed investigation.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• learn from legal counsel,
• learn from colleagues based on stories of practice and lessons learned, and
• reflect on how to apply the learning for your context (e.g., polices, regulations, administrative procedures).

Teresa Haykowsky is a partner at McLennan Ross. She is a powerful and dedicated bilingual advocate for her clients. She provides practical advice and solid solutions based on her depth of knowledge in education law, labour and employment, constitutional, administrative, occupational health and safety, municipal, and privacy law. Teresa has depth in the evolution and changes which have occurred in education law over the past twenty-five years. She is particularly well-versed in the School Act and the new Education Act. With her creativity and experience, she has the ability to look outside of purely theoretical or academic solutions. Authentic and dedicated, Teresa’s reputation for reliable and smart advice is well-earned. Her clients have relied on her keen advocacy for decades. Teresa has a unique understanding of education (K-12) industry, as well as the law. She strives to understand what will work for each individual client and knows sometimes the law is only one part of what they’re looking for and other times it is the whole answer.

We are at a crossroads in terms of principal succession planning and succession management. Given the increased instances of resignation, early retirement, and burnout, many school jurisdictions are seeking innovative ways to attract more people to school- based leadership.

Join Tim as he shares aspects of his research and perspectives on the self-efficacy of assistant principals and what might be helpful for principals and system leaders to know in terms of attracting more aspiring leaders to the principalship. Tim will also share some insights from his forthcoming book, Leader Ready: 4 Pathways to prepare aspiring leaders (Corwin Press, 2023).

As a result of participating in this session. you will have the opportunity to learn about:

• raising the bar on leadership standards,
• creating a culture for implementation,
• planning guided leadership experiences, and
• attaining mastery experiences.

With over thirty years of experience (across four Catholic Divisions in Alberta) as a classroom teacher, department head, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent of learning services, Dr. Tim Cusack currently serves as Deputy Chief Superintendent of Edmonton Catholic Schools and is also a sessional instructor with Newman Theological College.

Tim earned his Doctorate in Education at the University of Portland in 2020. His dissertation centered on increasing the self-efficacy of school-based leaders, particularly assistant principals. Tim is passionate about leadership development, mentorship, systems change and improvement. He has over 35 years of experience with the Royal Canadian Navy (Reserve) as a Naval Warfare Officer including three years as commanding officer of HMCS NONSUCH in Edmonton. He currently serves as Senior Staff officer of Outreach for Western Region.

Hear about one school division’s evidence-based response when a closer look at their achievement data clearly identified where the Division needed to focus in order to support growth and improvement for all students. The Equity Achievement Project is a research informed approach to supporting literacy and numeracy learning for students attending 41 schools serving populations impacted by high social vulnerability.

The presentation will cover the framework that is foundational to the project and highlight how research in the areas of adult learning, literacy and numeracy learning, resiliency and improving academic achievement in socially complex schools comes together to inform this work.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• learn about an evidence-based exemplar that demonstrates how division level data can be analyzed and ultimately inform action at the school level to implement practices that support student success and improvement, and
• dialogue with presenters and colleagues about supporting optimum learning for all students.

Nancy Petersen: Managing Director, Strategic Division Supports Nancy has been with Edmonton Public Schools for over 30 years, beginning as a classroom teacher and leading to her current position of Managing Director of Strategic Division Supports. The work of Strategic Division Supports is focused on partnerships that support teaching and learning, the Division’s strategic direction, research and Board Policy and administrative regulation development. Through this work, she has seen the important role of community towards student success and the pathway to high school completion for all students.

Andrea Cooper: Assistant Superintendent of Schools Andrea has been a teacher, leader, principal, and Assistant Superintendent with Edmonton Public Schools. Andrea was part of the Equity Achievement Project as principal in one of the participating schools. She saw first hand the impact this project had on building the capacity of the teachers in her school. Now, as Assistant Superintendent, Andrea has the opportunity to work alongside many of the school principals involved in the project. The Equity Achievement project also aligns well with the research Andrea is doing with her Doctoral work on leading schools in socially vulnerable communities.

This session will provide an overview of Grasslands School Division’s and Grand Yellowhead Public School Division’s district-wide professional learning plans designed to support educators teach, assess, and report on the new curriculum. System leaders will outline future plans for the new curriculum rollout, including highlights from the Alberta Assessment Consortium’s leadership and resource materials, and  locally developed resources based on the unique school authority context.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• listen to system education leaders share their reflections on this past year’s assessment PL programs,
• learn about support and resources used to build school leadership teams’ capacity to support classroom teachers, and
• share your school authority assessment PL strategies and resources.

Katie Graham is the Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services with Grasslands Public Schools. Her leadership experience includes serving as both principal and vice-principal in a K-12 setting, sitting on the CASS Women in Leadership committee and serving 2 terms on the Alberta Assessment Consortia board.

Carra Aschenmeier has been in the education world since 1994 and is the Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services with Grande Yellowhead Public School Division and the Alberta Assessment Consortium vice chair. She loves to discuss philosophy related to assessment and best practices in teaching. “At the heart of great leadership, is a curious mind, heart, and spirit” ~ Chip Conley.

Michele Jones is the Executive Director of the Alberta Assessment Consortium, where her work focuses on assessment research and advocacy. Michele is an accomplished facilitator and speaker who is known for her ability to connect and engage with fellow educators on the emerging issues of assessment.

Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools (WRPS) has been building a Collaborative Response framework incorporating our Professional Learning Communities and our Response Through Intervention process to address and support student success. Through a reflective presentation, Kristien and Kurtis will share specific strategic structures, strategies, and practices implemented by WRPS, reflecting a systematic implementation plan that could be considered for any division-wide initiative. Opportunities will be provided for participants to explore and reflect on a practice of developing a shared strategy that includes system and school-based leaders to collectively plan and support the implementation of a division’s Strategic Education Plan.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• reflect on strategies that yield high impact on system wide improvement and change, and
• reflect on how your division’s existing strategic plan is structured to leverage professional learning communities and ensure division-wide capacity is built across all schools, building leadership across all levels of the organization.

Kristien Holtby grew up in the Pigeon Lake community and has been an inclusive teacher, leading learner, school administrator at various schools, and director for over 20 years.

Kurtis Hewson is a former administrator and teacher, as well as teaching faculty at the post-secondary level. He is the co-founder of Jigsaw Learning, a co-author of the text Collaborative Response: Three Foundational Components That Transform How We Respond to the Needs of Learners (Corwin, 2022), and currently works with districts and schools nationally and internationally establishing Collaborative Response frameworks and interacting with thousands of educators annually.

PLEASE NOTE: Only Superintendents and Deputy Superintendents may participate at this session.

We often talk about the things that Boards and trustees can do to govern well. This presentation will focus on the role of the superintendent and senior team and the leadership that can support and enable effective governance. Opportunities will be given to consider the range of contexts in which superintendents find themselves, from temporary or Acting positions to multiple years of experience with a solid Board. What are strategies and practices that enable effective leadership and how does that leadership in turn result in effective governance? Participants will be given a combination of strategies and opportunities to engage with their colleagues as we all explore the nuances of leadership in senior roles.

As a result of participating in this session, you will have the opportunity to:

• consider how the practices and tools that support effective governance can work in your context.

Dr. Jordan Tinney is recently retired as Superintendent of one of Canada’s largest school districts in Surrey, BC. Serving previously on three other Boards, he knows places large and small, rural and urban. With a Ph. D. in curriculum, a Masters in Leadership, and a Certified Evidence-Based Executive Coach, Jordan now serves leadership and education as a strategic consultant. With a deep interest in leadership and ways to support effective governance, Jordan is currently working across Canada in numerous jurisdictions to support quality learning for all children. He recently led a two-year project to renew leadership competencies for system leaders in BC and is an external advisor on Manitoba’s rewriting of leadership standards for school leaders. He also recently worked to author a series of papers on global leadership competencies and these papers are intended to be presented to the UN in November. Jordan now lives in Kelowna with his wife and son who is in grade 12, he enjoys getting out on his dirt bike with his son and also trying to improve his golf swing.

In the fall keynote, Dr. Jordan Tinney facilitated conversations about how CASS members consider the unique contexts of their work.  The fall conversations were about Contextual Literacy and Adaptive Leadership and this spring, we will focus on Compassionate Leadership and Racial Equity. Delegates can look forward to both content and practical advice, as well as time to share and explore with colleagues. Last time, delegates shared their ideas and stories through CASS Pro-spective, and we once again look forward to hearing and learning from your stories of practice. The conversation starter materials that will be used at the conference will be shared through the CASS Resource Library when available.

Dr. Jordan Tinney is recently retired as Superintendent of one of Canada’s largest school districts in Surrey, BC. Serving previously on three other Boards, he knows places large and small, rural and urban. With a Ph. D. in curriculum, a Masters in Leadership, and a Certified Evidence-Based Executive Coach, Jordan now serves leadership and education as a strategic consultant. With a deep interest in leadership and ways to support effective governance, Jordan is currently working across Canada in numerous jurisdictions to support quality learning for all children. He recently led a two-year project to renew leadership competencies for system leaders in BC and is an external advisor on Manitoba’s rewriting of leadership standards for school leaders. He also recently worked to author a series of papers on global leadership competencies and these papers are intended to be presented to the UN in November. Jordan now lives in Kelowna with his wife and son who is in grade 12, he enjoys getting out on his dirt bike with his son and also trying to improve his golf swing.

Guests who wish to celebrate with the retirees can register here.

 to the following CASS members whose retirement will be celebrated on Thursday, March 23, 2023. 

• *Brent Allen
• *Lloyd Boody
• ^Gisèle Bourque
• ^Lyle Cunningham
• ^Bevan Daverne
• *Pamela Davidson
• *Calvin Davies
• ^Corine Gannon
• ^Karl Germann
• *Dr. Cheryl Gilmore
• *Chuck Hellman
• *Patti Jones
• ^Shan Jorgenson-Adam
• *Mark Liguori
• *Brenda MacDonald
• ^Dr. Rita Marler
• ^Terry Moghrabi
• *Leona Morrison
• ^Dr. Scott Morrison
• *Aleeta Ploc
• *Laura Poloz
• ^Dr. Tim Stensland
• ^Michelle Webb

^confirmed to attend
*unable to attend

Retirees on this list are the retirees that gave CASS explicit permission to be acknowledged.

Enjoy great storytelling and celebrate special memories with our retirees through this year’s  retirement booklet.