Navigating the Education System: How your Trustee Can Help Bridget Stirling, EPSB Trustee for Ward G

Who is your trustee? Elected official Represents the public’s voice in public education Governance role

Why should I contact my trustee? Questions or concerns about policy, budgets, or infrastructure Issues in education that you think are best addressed at a political level When you need help navigating the system and don’t know what your next step might be When you’ve followed the appropriate steps to resolve an issue and still need help

What can’t my trustee do? We can’t hire or fire staff We can’t change a classroom assignment for your child We can’t determine the decisions of lease holders in our schools We can’t change things outside our legislated authority, although we can advocate

When do I contact my trustee? There are some steps you need to take before you call us about an issue at your child’s school: Talk to your teacher or other staff person involved Contact the principal to try to resolve the issue at the school level Most issues can be resolved at this level!

Some things to consider Often, if you call us about a concern, we will send it to the appropriate team You can contact these teams directly: District Support Services: 780-429-8030 Inclusive Learning: 780-429-8050 Transportation: 780-429-8585

But shouldn’t I call my trustee first? Sometimes, you’ll get help faster if you call directly Most of the time, one of these teams can help solve your issue Calling directly doesn’t mean you can’t follow up with your trustee after

What if you’re unhappy with the solution? You can contact your trustee for help! A couple of things you need to know: We can ask staff to take another look at a situation, but we can’t overturn an administrative decision unless it goes to formal appeal and comes before the board We need to be careful how much we advocate because we are also your point of appeal

How do appeals work? Each district will have its own policies on appeals Some of this is set out in provincial law under the School Act EPSB’s policy is set out in AB.BP Appeals This is then interpreted in the administrative regulation AB.AR Appeals Process The appeal will go to the Superintendent, and then to the Board of Trustees or Minister of Education

What if I want something changed in the system? Sometimes, your child’s issue may make you consider that something needs to change in policy This is a great time to contact your trustee! Many policy solutions came about through family or community members sharing a concern with a trustee

What’s the end goal? EPSB’s cornerstone values are accountability, collaboration, equity and integrity These are at the heart of how trustees approach our work We want to reach collaborative solutions with families to ensure the success of students

How do I contact my trustee? If your child is in EPSB, you can look on your school’s website to find the trustee You might have another trustee who represents your neigbourhood – you can find this on our website: https://www.epsb.ca/ourdistrict/board/trustees/findmytrustee/ If you call 780-429-8000, the switchboard staff can help you get to the right person

Email: bridget.stirling@epsb.ca Questions? Email: bridget.stirling@epsb.ca Phone: 780-429-8086