Advocacy Tools
An update regarding the advocacy work for band education done by the ABA
It has been a busy time in the Alberta Band Association office during what is usually a slow period for our work these past summer months! The Alberta Band Association has been incredibly active, advocating for the inclusion of band education in the province with the return to school in the fall. Hundreds of letters have been sent to every school board superintendent, chair and vice-chair in the province, as well as the Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Culture, Multiculturalism and the Status of Women, Education, Advanced Education and Health as well as a many other public authorities in the province.
The Alberta Band Association has drafted strategies for indoor instrumental music ensemble rehearsal and performance and these strategies have been sent to Alberta Education and Alberta Health for consideration and implementation. We have been told that the government will be releasing guidance for wind ensembles in September - as soon as we have access, we will post the information here!
In the meantime, we need you to raise your voice to support the work the Alberta Band Association has been doing. The best way to make the government listen is to receive communication from multiple sources expressing concern. From discussions with various government officials and critics, it has come to light that to have our voice heard is not only to pen a single letter on your behalf, but to have you, our members, also write to the Minister of Education, the Minister of Health, the Premier, the Critic for Culture, the Critic for Education, and your MLA citing your own stories, thoughts, suggestions for improvements, concerns, and struggles. The more often the government hears your concerns, the more likely they will be to respond. The more we offer ideas and solutions, the more willing the government will be to consider our asks.
We recommend sending letters to:
Your MLA (List of Alberta Members of the Legislative Assembly)
The Minister of Education and the Critic for Education
The Minister of Health and the Critic for Health
The Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women and the Critic for Culture
The Premier and the Leader of the Opposition
Your Superintendent List of Alberta School Boards and Contacts
Your School Administrator
Tell your School Administrator that you’re working on finding a solution to be able to offer band in the next school year and that you would like to work with them to find a way to keep your students safe. Ask if they're open to re-introducing band in the second or third quarter for your school and offer ideas as to how the school could make that happen.
The Parents of Your Students
The Alberta Teachers’ Association
Ask your union representative how you can help mobilize your union to support band education in the province. The ATA Fine Arts Council's mandate is advocate for arts education in the province - contact your Fine Arts Council representative and offer your assistance to help with their advocacy efforts.
To that end, we have a created a number of letter templates you can use, should you not want to pen your own. As we continue to craft responses and letters, we will continue to post various templates on the site.
Letters to Administrators
Letters written by the ABA Board for teachers to share with administration colleagues to help teachers advocate for their programs.
Letter to Administrators - A letter asking administrators to allow music to happen in the school and allow teachers to be creative with their teaching.
Letter to Administrators - A letter making administrators aware that the ABA has submitted strategies for indoor instrumental ensemble rehearsal to Alberta Health and is waiting for approval.
Letters to Parents and Guardians
A letter provided by the ABA that teachers can send out to their parents to get their parents on board with advocating for school music programs.
Letter from Parents
A second option provided by the Women Band Directors International Organization to engage parents in advocacy
A Template from the Women Band Directors International of Parent/Director Letters
Letter to School Boards
The Letter that the ABA sent to School Boards across the province this summer. Once the guidance for instrumental ensembles has been released, we will send more information to districts.
Letter to School Trustees
Other Statements That May Be of Interest
NAfME Unified Statement of American Arts Organizations - Art Is Essential
Information on Social Emotional Learning and the Arts
It has been a busy time in the Alberta Band Association office during what is usually a slow period for our work these past summer months! The Alberta Band Association has been incredibly active, advocating for the inclusion of band education in the province with the return to school in the fall. Hundreds of letters have been sent to every school board superintendent, chair and vice-chair in the province, as well as the Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Culture, Multiculturalism and the Status of Women, Education, Advanced Education and Health as well as a many other public authorities in the province.
The Alberta Band Association has drafted strategies for indoor instrumental music ensemble rehearsal and performance and these strategies have been sent to Alberta Education and Alberta Health for consideration and implementation. We have been told that the government will be releasing guidance for wind ensembles in September - as soon as we have access, we will post the information here!
In the meantime, we need you to raise your voice to support the work the Alberta Band Association has been doing. The best way to make the government listen is to receive communication from multiple sources expressing concern. From discussions with various government officials and critics, it has come to light that to have our voice heard is not only to pen a single letter on your behalf, but to have you, our members, also write to the Minister of Education, the Minister of Health, the Premier, the Critic for Culture, the Critic for Education, and your MLA citing your own stories, thoughts, suggestions for improvements, concerns, and struggles. The more often the government hears your concerns, the more likely they will be to respond. The more we offer ideas and solutions, the more willing the government will be to consider our asks.
We recommend sending letters to:
Your MLA (List of Alberta Members of the Legislative Assembly)
- Let your MLA know that the Strategies for Indoor Instrumental Music Rehearsal and Performance have been sent to Alberta Health for consideration and ask them to follow-up with the Ministries of Health and Education to ensure that the Strategies are being considered.
The Minister of Education and the Critic for Education
- Let the Honourable Adrianna LaGrange know that band education is an important part of the student experience and tell her about your success stories. Cite concrete examples (changing the names, of course) of students and the success they found playing in band and then send the same letter to Education Critic, MLA Sarah Hoffman
The Minister of Health and the Critic for Health
- Ask the Honourable Tyler Shandro if the Strategies are being reviewed and be sure to ask tell the Health Critic, MLA David Shepherd that you asked
The Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women and the Critic for Culture
- Write to the Honourable Leela Aheer and express your concern over the lack of arts funding in this province and the dismantling of the arts economy and then write to the Culture Critic (MLA Nicole Goehring) and let her know about your programming and how it will be impacted by the funding distributed to the arts
The Premier and the Leader of the Opposition
- Write to Premier Jason Kenney and tell him your concerns about his current plan for education and the arts and then write to MLA Rachel Notley and tell her about your concerns about removing arts education in this province and the impact you feel it will have on Alberta’s students.
Your Superintendent List of Alberta School Boards and Contacts
- et your superintendent know that the Strategies for Indoor Instrumental Music Rehearsal and Performance are under consideration and they should wait before deciding to eliminate band education in your school district this year. Offer them a plan to get your students back to safe playing in your school and show your willingness to be creative with your teaching delivery methods for band education.
Your School Administrator
Tell your School Administrator that you’re working on finding a solution to be able to offer band in the next school year and that you would like to work with them to find a way to keep your students safe. Ask if they're open to re-introducing band in the second or third quarter for your school and offer ideas as to how the school could make that happen.
The Parents of Your Students
- Ask your band parent association to write to your MLA, the various ministries listed above, your school board and your administrator to help you advocate for your program. A single voice won’t necessarily be heard, but many voices can’t be ignored.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association
Ask your union representative how you can help mobilize your union to support band education in the province. The ATA Fine Arts Council's mandate is advocate for arts education in the province - contact your Fine Arts Council representative and offer your assistance to help with their advocacy efforts.
To that end, we have a created a number of letter templates you can use, should you not want to pen your own. As we continue to craft responses and letters, we will continue to post various templates on the site.
Letters to Administrators
Letters written by the ABA Board for teachers to share with administration colleagues to help teachers advocate for their programs.
Letter to Administrators - A letter asking administrators to allow music to happen in the school and allow teachers to be creative with their teaching.
Letter to Administrators - A letter making administrators aware that the ABA has submitted strategies for indoor instrumental ensemble rehearsal to Alberta Health and is waiting for approval.
Letters to Parents and Guardians
A letter provided by the ABA that teachers can send out to their parents to get their parents on board with advocating for school music programs.
Letter from Parents
A second option provided by the Women Band Directors International Organization to engage parents in advocacy
A Template from the Women Band Directors International of Parent/Director Letters
Letter to School Boards
The Letter that the ABA sent to School Boards across the province this summer. Once the guidance for instrumental ensembles has been released, we will send more information to districts.
Letter to School Trustees
Other Statements That May Be of Interest
NAfME Unified Statement of American Arts Organizations - Art Is Essential
Information on Social Emotional Learning and the Arts