The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Question: Alberta’s education minister announced that my separate school board is becoming public and my spouse’s public board is becoming separate—will these changes put our teaching jobs at risk?

Answer: They shouldn’t.

The education minister has tabled legislation that will transform the two districts in Sturgeon Valley. There should be no changes to the employment status of teachers. The collective agreement and employment relationship in place with each school board will transfer to the new school boards. In this respect, the only real change is the name on the letterhead. The St. Albert Protestant Separate School District will become a public district named St. Albert Public School District and the former public district becomes Greater St. Albert Catholic Separate School District.

The current school system in the Sturgeon Valley area is indeed unique and merits an explanation. When school boards in Morinville, Legal and St. Albert were established, the majority of citizens were of the Roman Catholic faith, so their schools became the public system. Elsewhere in Alberta, Roman Catholic residents were the minority, so their schools became the separate system. Because the Catholic school board was the first public school board in St. Albert, the separate school board was named the St. Albert Protestant Separate School District.

As well as changes to the school districts’ names, other ­organizational changes may ­occur, such as the rights of a Catholic board to require ­students and teachers to be adherents of the Catholic faith. However, changes should not affect the rights and entitlements of employees.

Teachers are not obligated to sign new teaching contracts because the current contracts remain valid. Therefore, if you are asked to sign a new contract that differs from the current one, please contact Member Services. In Edmonton and area, call 780-447-9400; from elsewhere in Alberta, call toll free at 1-800-232-7208.