Colleagues,

With the last few years being so unsettled, I wish you all a hopeful blessing as we step into a new school year with Central bargaining starting up again, and new (and improved) take on the K-6 Social Studies curriculum.

1. 2023-24 continues the bargaining process once again for our central table bargaining. Currently we have the ATA working on creating Bargaining videos and infographics. I urge you to attend the BUGM for your board, to voice your concerns and cast your vote in any motions carried. This year may be another tight spending year for government, but we hope that the next round of bargaining, our efforts will not go wasted. Stay connected and keep a look out for those new bargaining videos to help ease yourself with the role your carry as a professional teacher in Park Plains East.

2. The Social Studies K-6 curriculum is again going to draft form, but things have taken a better turn from the Minister's Office. Teachers are able to voice their concerns as a panel of experts alongside other stakeholders. It is an exciting time and draft curriculum will be made available in the coming year. For those early on in their teaching careers, I encourage you to reach out if you are struggling, and as resources become available, share any best practices from your colleagues, so we may deliver world class education again in Alberta. For those of us that have taught through the last big curriculum update, I wish with you that the government makes wise and swift decisions so our students are learning thought provoking current outcomes to help their skills soar, and to make our high school student complement, job ready and driven, to take educated risks for their personal development. Signals from the Provincial ATA and the UCP government point to the high probability that this round of government will see change, which speaks again to the importance of ensuring you are engaged and informed about the process.

3. The ATA is urging all of us to step up our presence in our schools so that face to face conversations about the profession and strength in numbers will help us be on the same page. Letter writing in the past few years has not made a dent, so it's back to Teacher reps, colleagues and our substitute colleagues getting our group together again. Teacher reps are a vital role in each school and should be able to help redirect faculty that have questions, or fell free to contact me directly.  My hope is that you all feel comfortable to talk with your Teacher rep, and if you are one, comfortable in your role.

This will undoubtedly be another year of extreme challenges, behaviours, parent demands, funding woes, and unpredicted weather. but I do believe that on the horizon are opportunities that teachers in this province have long desired and deserved. Should we choose to actively engage in the political, social and economic issues that affect public education in this province, in a manner that exemplifies our professional body of talented pedagogical pathfinders, then hand in hand, teachers of this local, and across the province, will secure a future that is bright and prosperous for all.

Yours in Education,

Brian J. E. Skinner

President - Park Plains East