For The Good Of All Students

Rory J. Koopmans, B. Admin., #203, 8912-156 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5R 5Z2

January XVth, MMX

Hon. David G. Hancock, QC, MLA, Minister of Education, Progressive Conservative, Edmonton-Whitemud

Dear David:

I know that Catholic & Seperate School Trustees like to keep their decisions and meetings seperate. Even secret at points I suppose. But why not allow for the good of the student populations for the School Boards to meet & come up with decisions as Joint Committees of the Whole? If boards can make decisions say on a human basis jointly that can have a positive impact on both the Catholic & Public student body as a collective, then why not use the brains of one collective. So here in Edmonton it would be 9 Public & 7 Catholic Trustees. The combined forces of 16 team members have to be better than having the boards duke it out with one another.

Of course I realize this will be a little harder for County Boards what with the farther distances between rural points, but there is such a thing as teleconferencing or livechats over the internet. So say a gas leak occurs in the Edmonton neighborhood of 95th Avenue & 163rd Street. This would arguably affect not just the residents of that neighborhood, but also the students of the immediately adjacent Catholic School, St. Francis Xavier & the Jasper Place Composite High School.

Arguably, Principal Stiles of JP will want to get together with Principal Goss of St. FX and coordinate a combined emergency response with public official, emergency responders, and the Trustees of both divisions who are clearly going to be needed to ensure the absolute safety of every child. Just because someone is Catholic or Public in terms of being a student, doesn't mean their life is any less important. This is why Trustees should be given more power & respect. Working as a conglomerate of 16 will help guarantee that each & every student will go on to have a better life & serve this fine Province ably.

If students have two Boards fighting with vitriol over jurisdiction on every point, nothing will get done and the team concept becomes useless. Lets get the Boards of both Catholic & Public onside, not onside for themselves, but for students & their families!

Graciously,

Rory J. Koopmans

Source: The Office Of The Minister Of Education, Province Of Saskatchewan. Hon. Ken Krawetz.