February 27, 2026

Our Conversations Now Will Affect Our Province’s Future

Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to once again extend our deepest condolences for the tragedy that occurred in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. We are keeping all those impacted in our hearts and thoughts as they navigate this unimaginable loss in their community. For us as leaders for our school divisions and in our communities, a traumatic event like this acts as a reminder to review our safety protocols, strengthen our emergency response and enhance the mental health supports in our schools.

This event also reminds us that classroom complexity encompasses many societal aspects, such as inclusion, socioeconomic status, English Language Learners, and other student needs, teacher supports, and systemic factors. As we face greater classroom complexity, it is more important than ever to have the resources to tackle it.

The provincial government recently announced additional resources of $143 million to support complexity in classrooms. School boards will be expected to hire teachers, educational assistants and other relevant staff for 476 complexity teams. These teams are to be deployed at schools identified by the department with the highest complexity based on data gathered from school divisions in November 2025. Acknowledgment of complexity and funding to support complexity by the government is an appreciated step in the right direction. Concerns previously expressed by the Association about recruitment and retention are even more relevant now. As we are already facing shortages of teachers and educational assistants in Alberta, there could be significant challenges in hiring more. The PSBAA will continue to take your voices forward.

This February, it was inspiring to see how school divisions across our province are innovating to address the needs of their students and communities. At the PSBAA’s professional development day, members learnt about the Newcomer Kiosks at Fort McMurray Public Schools and the alternative programs at Prairie Land Public School Division. Both presentations highlighted initiatives that leveraged community engagement and research-based practices to boost student achievement and well-being.

In addition to its other advocacy efforts, the PSBAA will continue its Promote, Elevate and Protect Public School Education initiative, inviting all members to share content we post on social media and on our website with your networks. Important topics we’re looking to cover this year include classroom complexity, school builds, staff recruitment and retention, and more.

We also encourage members that missed our orientation webinars to watch the recordings available in the Members section of the PSBAA website. We’d also like to promote our Professional Development Module Program. Those who complete all the modules by May 15 will receive a Certificate of Completion at the PSBAA’s Spring General Assembly.

The conversations we have now will affect the future of students, families, staff, communities and our entire province. Now is the time for trustees to engage, whether that’s the discussion at a school council meeting, Board table, community event or government session. If we are the voices of our communities, we must use them effectively—and ethically—for the benefit of students across our province.

Lorraine Stewart, President