Dear Colleagues,

As we progress through Advent and prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, I wish you all the joy of the season.  I hope that you will enjoy your upcoming and well-deserved respite as we inch closer to our Christmas break. 12 more school days!! (But who is counting?)  Despite the Christmas season being one of the busiest times of year, please remember to take time to relax, put your feet up and enjoy time with your loved ones.

The first four months of the 2011-2012 academic year have been hectic with changes brought about by the withdrawal and later return of educational funding to our district.  Teachers have told us that they are facing increased class size, increased workload and increased paperwork. The Local continues to strive to improve teaching conditions for our membership.  We have sought the input of teachers on issues concerning you. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at president@ataloc55.ab.ca on any matter you would like to discuss.

Changes in the political landscape continue to roll forward. Transformational Education discussions, held in major Alberta centres in the early fall, brought forward new ideas for our education system.  With the election of now Premier Redford and the naming of Thomas Lukaszuk as our new Minister of Education, these discussions have expanded to include parents as well as interested teachers and school-based as well as senior administrators.  The future appears to hold more discussions.

As you know, Chief Superintendant Dr. Miller has announced her departure and the Board of Trustees has begun their search for a new Chief. I encourage you to fill out and submit the survey that was sent to every teacher regarding your thoughts on new leadership.

The Provincial ATA continues its discussions with the government and the Alberta School Board Association, endeavouring to build a framework for another long-term agreement between Locals and Boards. Our Negotiating Subcommittee continues to work hard to best represent teachers in the spring.

I hope you enjoy an enjoyable and restful holiday season as we prepare to plunge into the final part of the school year on our return.

Professionaly yours,

Wendy Beier