Alberta Private Study Tour 2016
A local initiative supporting school leaders
An invitation to Participate and Expression of interest
Over the last three years school leaders in NSW have had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr David Townsend, an academic and researcher from Alberta Canada who is a strong supporter of public education in Canada and Australia.
David has participated in conferences, workshops and master classes in NSW over the last three years focusing on the concept of school improvement supported by a model of collaborative inquiry focusing on the development of professional growth plans for school leaders and teachers.
For over two decades David has also been working with many school districts, schools, school leaders and teachers in Alberta. We have previously run two private study tours to Alberta which have been very successful. With David we visited a number of schools between Calgary and Red Deer. It was a very rewarding visit - professionally and personally. Some of the School District Leaders and school leaders we met have contributed, via Skype, to conferences on the North Coast. They are keen to continue to build the professional collaboration.
This ongoing collaboration has led to a group of educations from Southern Cross University, DoE and North Coast Schools developing and implementing a project called the North Coast Initiative for School Improvement. This project received funding in 2015 and is being very well received in schools across NSW.
We have been invited to bring a small group of school leaders to Alberta over the 2016 Easter vacation on a private study tour. We can cater for a group of between 15 and 20 people.
Would you like to participate in this opportunity to visit Alberta (and Canada) over the 2016 Easter vacation?
What are we proposing?
- We are proposing that participants would make their own travel arrangements to and from Canada, and within Canada.
- The study tour would commence on Monday 11th April in Calgary.
- We would ask that participants make their way to Calgary by the morning of Monday the 11th of April and we will meet with school leaders from newly established Charter Schools in Calgary. You will stay overnight in Calgary.
- We will travel to Red Deer via a visit to Olds High School on Tuesday and stay together in hotel accommodation in Red Deer on the night of the Tuesday 12th April.
- We would spend Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th April visiting schools in and around the Red Deer District of Alberta.
- Friday morning 15th April we will travel to Edmonton to visit Center High School.
- Whilst in Reed Deer participants would be able to choose to stay in Hotels or opt to be hosted by a school leaders/teacher from a Red Deer School (further information about this will be provided at a later date).
- We will supply a list of motels for each location and ask that participants book their own accommodation prior to the study tour. Meal costs will be the responsibility of participants.
- We will arrange transport whilst in Alberta and ask each participant to make a contribution towards the cost of the transportation.
- Participants can depart from Edmonton on Friday afternoon (15th April) and are free to make travel arrangements to visit other locations during the remainder of the school holidays. Alternatively you can enjoy your weekend and then travel with us on Sunday to visit the Northern Lights school district for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We will stay in hotels during this time.
- Each participant will be responsible for arranging their own travel insurance.
- Participants will require a current passport.
- There may be minor changes to the itinerary between now and April
We are inviting interested people from North Coast Schools who have expressed an interest in the North Coast Initiative for School Improvement, Principals School Leadership, Directors and other DoE personnel, Southern Cross University staff and Masters of Education students. Numbers will are limited to the first 20 people who can confirm they will definitely be participating.
What to do next?
If you are interested in taking part in this private study tour to Alberta use the following link to register your interest. Even if you have previously contacted me to express your interest in participating please use this link to confirm your ongoing interest.
Further information
As has been previously indicated, participation will be limited to the first 20 people who indicate that they definitely will take part. If we exceed 20 interested people a reserve list will be established in case we have any last minute cancellations dues to exceptional circumstances.
Regards
David Silcock
Principal, School Leadership / High Performance
Learning, High Performance and Accountability
NSW Department of Education
610 Ballina Road (PO Box 4029) Goonellabah 2480
Ph: 02 66235951
Fax: 02 66235917
Mobile: 0407284031