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Chris Kohlman
My name is Chris Kohlman, and I am running for re-election as the district representative for South East.
I am a special education teacher at Ralston School in the Prairie Rose School Division. I have been a teacher since 1999, and I have taught in a variety of settings, from rural to urban and from public to separate. My wife Bonnie is a teacher as well, at Crescent Heights High School in Medicine Hat, and together we have two young daughters. I am a board games enthusiast with more than 250 games in my collection!
I look forward to continuing to grow more knowledgeable in my role as your district representative. One of the best parts of the position is the opportunity to visit schools, which I do on a regular basis. Not only do I try to meet as many teachers as I can but, most importantly, I try to reach out to those teachers who may have a question or who looking for some information.
We have a few challenges that I believe we will need to address going forward. When the framework agreement was legislated by the government in 2013, teachers expected that there would be reductions in their workload. This hasn’t been the case. Workloads are the same or worse, and classroom conditions have deteriorated.
Inclusion within our schools has not been supported with the necessary funding needed to make it successful. We now face the prospect of trying to address these issues with the government while resource revenues have plummeted.
Teachers do amazing work across Alberta because they care about the kids they teach. It truly inspires me, and I have been honoured to represent you on Provincial Executive Council over the past two terms.
I would very much appreciate your support this election!
Heather McCaig
I proudly present myself as a candidate for district representative. Through my work as local president and vice-president in Medicine Hat Public during the past 15 years, I appreciate the value of relationships and the ever-present need for teacher support. It would be a privilege to represent the interests of all the dedicated, hardworking and excellent teachers in southeastern Alberta. I believe I can support teachers in all six locals by working with local presidents and their executives in their activities.
My experience in leadership positions for many organizations will help me to support and represent South East teachers at the provincial level. I have always had a passion for working in the ATA and have been a strong advocate for education and ALL teachers.
I began my career as a student teacher and teacher in three of our districts: Prairie Rose, Medicine Hat Catholic and Medicine Hat Public. This has helped me gain a greater understanding of the uniqueness of southeastern Alberta. I was asked by the Association to sit on the Alberta Teacher Retirement Fund Board, and I have served provincially as an economic consultant for 10 years. This experience has given me a broader provincial perspective on many issues facing our locals.
It is extremely important to have representatives at the provincial table who completely comprehend issues in a nonreactive manner, are willing to carefully think issues through and take action that will lead to positive results for teachers. I am this strong advocate for teachers’ needs. I can be assertive when necessary; I listen attentively when teachers speak; and I always do my best to meet their needs. I am proud to be a teacher in South East Alberta. I look forward to being your choice for district representative for South East Alberta.
Watch Heather McCaig's campaign video.
