CASS President’s Message

The College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS) is nearing the end of its first year of formation after been granted professional status this past September. During this year, there has been tremendous diligence by the Board in ensuring that all elements related to formation are achieved. Through this foundational work, CASS has been able to uphold its dedication to being the professional voice of Alberta’s system educational leaders, whose mission is to build system leadership excellence to ensure quality school leadership, quality teaching, and optimum learning for all students in Alberta. On behalf of the CASS Board of Directors, I wish to express gratitude for all CASS members who continue to support this 65-year tradition of system leadership excellence, through which improving student learning remains the primary goal for the organization.

The recent development of bylaws, board committees, and governance structures has allowed the CASS Board and membership fulfill professional formation obligations. The lived experience of this work is guiding CASS as a professional organization and providing support to its members. Most notably, the zone structure of CASS continues to allow five local zones to meet as committees several times during the year to discuss CASS-related topics within local contexts. This dialogic structure also allow each zone to provide feedback to the CASS Board for future consideration and possible actions. The CASS Board’s composition requires membership from each zone across the province. Through this model and by intentional succession planning within the Board and zones, assurance of strength at both local and provincial levels can be maintained.

CASS is an organization focused on future growth and evolution. Ongoing attention will be given to the development of the Continuing Education Program (CEP), which will be implemented in September of 2024. CASS will also benefit from the addition of a public member appointed to the CASS Board during the 2023-2024 year. Further support will be provided to enhance learning and collaboration among CASS members surrounding topics related to the Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard (SLQS) and Leadership Quality Standard (LQS). Such professional learning is supported through three annual CASS conferences, the annual CASS First Nation, Métis and Inuit Gathering, and various alternative forms of learning opportunities and resources. With the support of the Board and the continuous feedback from members, CASS remains committed to serving members’ learning needs that allow system leaders to create the conditions for student excellence within each school division.

On behalf of the CASS Board of Directors, I would like to thank all CASS members, past and present, who have contributed both to CASS and to educational excellence in our province. For those who are new to the organization, we wish you all the best in your service as system leaders within Alberta.

Sincerely,
Dr. Andrea Holowka