Endorsements

I continue to be humbled by the encouragement I receive from people within Ward C about my candidacy for Trustee. I felt compelled to share some of them!

From Barb Nason – EPSB Parent

Whether Susan is in her role as Parent Council Chair, School Board Employee, community member or a parent her calm professional demeanour and positive attitude contribute to her ability to be a leader and a role model.  She has dedicated many years to bringing people together and getting them to engage in dialogue and action to provide students of Edmonton Public Schools with a meaningful educational experience.

From Lisa Blue – Human Resource Development, Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association

Susan has been a long time friend and colleague of mine who I believe will bring a sensitive, articulate, and intelligent voice to our city. She is willing to be a prominent voice in our community affairs and I believe she has the strength to stand up to the special interests within our diverse district and she also understands the challenges and has the experience and skill to make positive changes.  

Inspiration

This past weekend I had the opportunity to sit amongst other Trustee Candidates (public and separate) having meaningful conversations about education. ARTES, the Association for Responsive Trusteeship in Edmonton Schools, generously arranges and hosts these meetings and often arranges guest speakers to add value to the content and quality of the meetings.

Our guest speaker was none other than Sue Huff, the Ward C EPSB Trustee from 2007 – 2010. Sue came to us with her thoughts outlined and with the intention of having a conversation about the role of Trustee. Her delineation was thought provoking, stimulating and illuminating for me in my pursuit of this role and is impacting my thinking this week as I further consider my ‘Why?’.

One topic that rose to the surfaced was in regards to the corporate culture, if you will,  of Edmonton Public and the need to explore the heart of the matter,  the ‘way of being’ that is lived currently. I realized that my experience in leadership will be crucial as we explore ways to uncover the heart of the matter for the 8 000 people who work for the district.

Sue shared an awesome acronym (CHEAP BFNV) that I am compelled to share since it specifically identified the requirements we should have as leaders as we help an organization grow, evolve, and become the best it can be. Like many large organizations the culture can be defined and modeled by senior leaders but only becomes a real culture when it is lived and breathed by the people within in.

I am excited about positively impacting the EPSB culture.

A Village

It Takes A Village – To Elect Susan Ketteringham

I have decided to ‘Run for Trustee of Ward C’ and I am so much looking forward to the journey and process. I absolutely know that I will positively deliver while in the role and at this stage I am equally as enthusiastic about the “running” component and all that it entails.

In recent months I have had the pleasure of connecting with many of you within the community broaching the topic of education and the trustee role in general.  Amidst those discussions a great number have asked “how can I contribute?” and “how can I support you?”  Contributions and support can be made in a variety of ways and all will be embraced and are appreciated.

I have provided some suggestions below to assist those of you who wish to show support and please feel free to add to the toolkit should you have additional ideas or suggestions!

1. Vote on October 21^st, 2013. Even if you can’t (or won’t J) vote for me, please exercise your right (and responsibility) as a citizen and vote.

2. I use twitter (@sketteri), facebook, and LinkedIn. Connect with me there and share the fact that I am embarking on this mission on behalf of the students in public school in Edmonton. Every 'like', 'share', 'RT' will help.

3. Read my blog, post comments, and share it with the people in your network. (kett4wardc.blogspot.ca)

4. Do you live in Ward C? If you do, will you offer to take a lawn sign in September?  Do you know someone who lives in Ward C? Ask them to take a lawn sign! Email me the details at ketteringham@shaw.ca

5. Do you have words of encouragement for me in pursuing the role of Ward C Trustee? Post them and give me permission to share them in other electronic or printed methods.

6. I spend a lot of time walking and talking. Do you want to join me in talking to our Ward C neighbours? I guarantee laughs and some fabulous conversations.

7. Do you like to walk and think? Let me give you some postcards to deliver to our Ward C neighbours so they can begin to know who I am. There are a *lot* of awesome people to meet on the way.

8. Do you like to drive? Let me give you some signs to deliver to different Ward C addresses here in Edmonton for the citizens who want to support my candidacy.

9. Do you feel time-starved yet still want to contribute? I would be grateful for any monetary donations. You are able to donate using the “donate” button on the bottom of my blog. If you want to e-transfer money my email address is ketteringham@shaw.ca, or you can mail it the old-fashioned way to 12208 – 140^th Street T5L 2C7. I promise you that I will spend every penny wisely.

10. Are you part of a parent or community group that is interested in sharing their thoughts and perspectives on public education? I would love an introduction.

It takes a village to raise a child, it will require the same village to see me in the Ward C Trustee seat. I am open to any suggestions you have to help make K-E-T-T-E-R-I-N-G-H-A-M a household name. 

Learning Curve

I expected that becoming the next Ward C Candidate for Edmonton Public would have a learning curve; perhaps I would even venture to say that I *hoped* it would. What I was not prepared for was being asked this specific question:

“So, Mrs. Ketteringham, what party are you affiliated with?”

My fleeting initial thoughts were of the Soccer Fundraising Party (click here if you want to donate) we are hosting at my house this weekend. Rapidly it was replaced with a fundraising event (click here if you want to donate) my son and two of his Grade 3 friends are attending Saturday night. Then I thought perhaps the reference was about my son’s upcoming 9^th birthday party. Then, just as quickly, it dawned on me that it was about a political party.

Really?

I realize now that I have always voted for the person, who they are and what kind of leader they will make.  I vote for the person who will communicate openly and advocate with integrity, even if we won’t always agree.  For me, it’s about finding a candidate who will work to resolve problems, not just tow the party line.   

Let me be clear: I am running for trustee to represent a community of people vested in the children of their community.  I am pursing a role with Edmonton Public School Board Ward C to be a leader who seeks solutions, and works in whatever way necessary to reach the best possible outcome with effectiveness and efficiency.  I am not representing any one party.  Aligning oneself with one party for all time makes little sense to me, especially when our children are involved.  There are many ways to approach a problem, and many perspectives, in my opinion, generate a better outcome.  I wouldn’t want to support a leader who only had one worldview, and I would hope that no one party would find my leadership worth supporting:  I intend to be the leader who seeks resolutions that transcend party lines.  Only a person can serve another.  Person to person, I intend to represent, and advocate, to hear, learn, and teach.

Perhaps the premise of a ‘party’ assures people of common values, priorities, and principles. I challenge you to get to know those very things about the person you intend on voting for. I know I always do.

Perhaps the question seeks to know me better, what kind of person I will be when difficult decisions need to be made, or priorities need to be set.  Perhaps concerns of party lines are a way for you to begin to trust me more, especially with your precious children.  To those questions, I can respond that I am a person who will work with other people until the wee hours of the night if necessary to find the best possible solution for our children, and their education.  Then the decisions that I participate in, I will take responsibility for:  making all efforts I can to see the thoughts come into action, and be in conversation with people who disagree. My husband and I teach our son to take responsibility for his decisions, so what kind of a person would I be if I didn’t model that myself?  To me, this style of leadership isn’t reflective of a party, it’s reflective of a person

So, if there is any one party that stands out in your mind that reflects my expectations of leaders, let me know!  I suspect, though, that what you are seeking is reassurance about who I am and how I will respond to situations none of us can foresee.  To that, I say, let’s get to know each other.  

Why Trusteeship? What Are You Aiming For?

I am intent on becoming the next Ward C Trustee for the Edmonton Public School Board. This role, in this Ward and all it entails, is my aim and is my purpose.

It is hard to describe how remarkable it feels to be able to articulate that particular sentence, out loud, in public. It comes from a great deal of soul-searching, list-making and more conversations with parents, teachers, administrators, business leaders and community members than I care to, or am even able to, remember.

I am intent because I believe in living my life on purpose. I know who I am, and what I have to offer.   I look forward to listening---really LISTENING--- to the people who are as passionate about public education as I am.  Practical, real-world experience driven by intention and purpose – that is what I hear parents and community members yearning for; I aim to give it to them.  I am intent upon action.  I aim to act upon what I hear, with integrity and purpose.  I hope you do too:  October 21^st is rapidly approaching and I hope you vote with purpose.

I chose Trusteeship because the role deserves the best possible candidates to manage, lead, govern and inspire.

I chose Trusteeship because I am passionate about public education. The outcomes are important to me as a parent with a student in a public school in Ward C. Perhaps more importantly I am passionate about the role of TRUST from people like you.  The role deserves the best possible candidates to manage, lead, govern and inspire because from this role leadership is given to a vital process that develops our greatest asset:  our children.  I have heard from various people and groups that they want a process that delivers and executes the outcomes that they expect. Like open schools in mature neighbourhoods and communities, intelligent infrastructure planning, sustainable income and expense streams, and responsive representation – that is what I hear parents and community members yearning for; I aim to give it to them.

I chose trusteeship because I am capable of serving the public interest. The opportunity to be an advocate for the students, and their families, the service providers that support them and their communities at large is an exciting one for me. I am an outspoken advocate.  I ask the hard questions, and work to be part of the solution to them.  I also believe in relationships, and that there is no way to be a trustee without honouring the people for whom you serve.

Honour begins with clarity of purpose within one’s self.  To that end, I recently created a training session for a group of leaders.  In the pre-formative interview process with those leaders they were asked to define their philosophy of life in a short statement called a ‘Bumper Sticker’ philosophy. My Bumper Sticker reads ‘You get what you expect, and accept’.

I expect insight and input from people like you.  I expect to listen and act upon what I hear.  I expect to advocate, tirelessly at times, for the interests of our children, and the education system in which they learn.  I accept the clarity I receive from the people in Ward C: what you are prepared to accept as well as what you are not.  I look forward to a rich term as trustee, honouring your hopes, dreams and expectations of public education in Edmonton.