Black Gold School Board holds stakeholder engagement sessions to gain a deeper understanding of supports for students
The Black Gold School Board wishes to thank the students, staff and parents who participated in a recent opportunity to provide input. Trustees were looking to hear experiences of students who require additional support in their learning journey, as well as from their parents.
“Classroom complexity has become an increasingly important consideration throughout the province, and in our school division as well,” says Devonna Klaassen, Board Chair, Black Gold School Division. “We want to ensure that all of our students have what they need to be successful at school. We are thankful for the opportunity to have heard so many valuable insights. As a Board we will carefully consider this feedback in our work.”
Stakeholder engagement was underway throughout February and included one-on-one conversations with students who access support in their learning. Also, parents of students who access learning support were invited to in-person evening meetings in Calmar, Leduc and Beaumont over the last week. Also, the division gathered staff perspectives in September through principals who shared their thoughts with senior leaders.
The Board focused its engagement last year on Policy 19 - Safe, Caring, Respectful and Working Environments. In that process the Board decided it wanted an extended stakeholder engagement this year. The Board will consider all of the feedback it has collected when working on Policy 19. The Board and division will continue to consider the input that was gathered in the provincial classroom complexity survey that schools participated in November 2025, and the corresponding investment of the complexity teams.
Klaassen says, “Our work is to ensure that our core values, our policies, and our decisions truly set the stage for every child to feel a genuine sense of belonging. We want all students and all of our school communities to flourish.
“We have been looking closely at the opportunities and challenges facing our schools,” says Michael Borgfjord. “In Black Gold we value student-centered learning, relationships, and a safe and supportive environment. We are committed to ensuring an environment where these values can be put into action. Thank you to everyone who shared their insights with us. Listening to your experiences in our system has been a meaningful opportunity for us. We have a stronger understanding of what our system is doing well, and where we can improve.”
Borgfjord says over the next few weeks, the Board will be reviewing the feedback that has been gathered. The division will analyze the data with school leaders reflecting on current practices and opportunities to refine processes and structures to bring greater consistency and clarity for students, staff and parents/caregivers. The division anticipates sharing a summary of feedback publicly within a few weeks.
Borgfjord says, “We are looking for practical steps we can take to ensure students receive what they need to be successful. The feedback we received is an integral part of our processes to ensure all students continue to experience success.”