Happy new year colleagues! I hope you were able to take some time for yourself, your family and your friends over the holiday break.
During the latter part of the winter break, I gathered with some friends and we were ruminating about a myriad of issues. We come from different backgrounds and work in different fields, so our conversation was very diverse, yet there was one common thread — the desire for better days and a feeling of hope. I commented to my friends that we must work for hope and that we create hope by working together. We can wish for change all we want, but wishing is not a realistic strategy.
Over the next year, the ATA will have several opportunities to address some of the serious concerns we face in public education, such as funding, curriculum and increases in class size, complexity and incidences of aggression. The 2024 provincial budget will bring details on whether the government will fund education appropriately, especially given the growth we have seen. The social studies curriculum redesign is supposed to be a more transparent process that includes input from teachers and the Association. We will also see the start of central table bargaining.
Your involvement and assistance will be key to the Association’s ability to meet these challenges and opportunities over the next year. By seeking to understand, becoming engaged and informed, we can all play a role in bringing about positive change. Over the next year, the Association will provide you with a number of opportunities to contribute your input. Please watch for them.
I welcome your comments. Contact me at jason.schilling@ata.ab.ca.
