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ASBA to 'formally and actively' lobby draft curriculum, says NLPS board chair

The Alberta Schools Boards Association (ASBA) have agreed to actively lobby the provincial government's draft K to 6 curriculum, said Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) board chair Arlene Hrynyk.
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The Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) will be lobbying the government in relation to their draft K to 6 curriculum.

BONNYVILLE - The Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) have agreed to actively lobby the provincial government's draft K to 6 curriculum, said Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) board chair Arlene Hrynyk. 

On Wednesday, the NLPS board of trustees met and listened as Hrynyk who also sits on the executive for the ASBA, explained what the association thought of a grant proposed by the provincial government and the group's decision to lobby the draft curriculum. 

The motion, which passed with the support of over 89 per cent of the school boards present during the ASBA's general meeting, will see the ASBA "formally and actively lobby the provincial government to delay the proposed K to 6 curriculum to allow for further review and address the concerns that have been identified."

Having sufficient and meaningful consultation with primary stakeholder groups and having the government work with school boards and educational partners to create a first-class curriculum with "staggered implementation of subjects and grades for students and teachers" were listed as recommendations in the ASBA's motion. 

According to Hrynyk, during the meeting, Alberta's Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange pitched a $75,000 grant to the association "to gather feedback from parents and stakeholder groups" relating to the draft curriculum. 

The ASBA would submit the responses they received to the minister who would draft a final report for the ASBA, all by January 2022. 

“I think the majority of the boards were disappointed to see this, when they felt very confident that we’ve heard significantly from our stakeholders and Albertans are continuing to press upon the minister some of the challenges i.e., with the delay, the pandemic we’re in, the wellness of staff and students, ensuring that we get that feedback to inform the curriculum, and I don’t need to mention all of the concerns about age-appropriate content and/or lack thereof,” explained Hrynyk. 

The association decided to defer their decision on the matter. 

Hrynyk explained, “The conversation was in two arenas, one of those being we don’t know the details, what’s expected. We know we’re going into summer and we didn’t want to create additional work, so what is our ability to actually get more feedback than we have gotten, as well as the fact that there’s an election coming up in October and that puts this to a report that’s due Jan. 8."

Whether or not to accept the funding and the responsibility of reaching out to their parents, guardians, and stakeholders is now in the hands of the board of directors. 

Hrynyk said she would keep the NLPS board of trustees updated as the topic goes ahead. 

Meagan MacEachern, Bonnyville Nouvelle 

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