October 9, 2025 update
Schools remain closed due to the ongoing labour dispute between the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and the Government of Alberta/Teacher Employers’ Bargaining Association (TEBA). We remain hopeful that a resolution will be reached soon so that students can return to the classroom.
Lockout notice
In response to the ATA’s provincial strike, TEBA implemented a reactive lockout, effective at 1 p.m. today (October 9, 2025). A lockout removes the potential for the ATA to shift its approach to labour action without notice. This will provide predictability for parents and students during this difficult time, and hopefully encourages both sides to continue negotiations to ensure the labour disruption is brought to an expedient conclusion so that students can return to the classroom as soon as possible.
Independent Learning Toolkit
Alberta Education and Childcare has developed a free toolkit for parents to support their child’s independent learning while schools are closed. The toolkit provides weekly resources in English, French, and French Immersion that align with the K-12 curriculum. Two weeks of materials are available now, with more to be added as needed.
➡️ Download the toolkits at new.learnalberta.ca.
Additional supports
In addition to the learning toolkit, the Government of Alberta has introduced a range of supports -- from financial supports to family programming -- designed to help families navigate challenges posed by the labour disruption. These supports are outlined in a letter from the Minister of Education and Childcare, and also linked within the Parent FAQ on our Labour Action webpage.
Student Resources
Aspen View students’ school technology accounts remain accessible during the labour action. Students may also continue using any resources they already have at home, such as textbooks or library books. While we encourage independent learning, please note that student work completed during this time will not be collected or assessed once classes resume.
Mental Health Supports
If students or family members are struggling, the Government of Alberta has a number of mental health resources available. You can find them here.
Stay Informed
Please continue to visit our Labour Action webpage for the latest updates, including a Parent FAQ with answers to common questions. We will also continue to share updates directly with families through SchoolMessenger and division/school websites.
Thank you for your patience, understanding, and ongoing support of Aspen View students and staff.
Parent FAQ – What happens if there is a teachers’ strike?
Last updated: October 9, 2025
We anticipate a full withdrawal of service by members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), which includes teachers, principals and assistant principals, and certificated division administrators.
There are other scenarios in which labour action is focused at specific schools and/or school divisions on a rotating basis, while other schools/divisions continue to operate normally. More information will be shared should these situations occur.
Withdrawal of service means that tasks and functions performed by teachers and principals will not occur. This includes:
- No student instruction; this includes both classroom and virtual learning facilitated by certificated teaching staff
- No preparation of learning resources; including digital resources (ex. Google Classroom)
- No marking or updating of student assessment
- No communication with students and families
- No supervision of extra-curricular activities
Yes, schools are closed to students. This includes both classroom environments and outreach/virtual learning facilities (Centre for Alternative & Virtual Education and the Vilna Off-Campus Achievement Academy). There will be some activity inside including support staff reporting to work, but schools will remain closed to the general public.
Educational Assistants (EAs) play a vital role in supporting student learning. However, under Alberta legislation, only certificated teachers are permitted to design, deliver, and assess instruction based on the Alberta Education curriculum. EAs are not authorized to lead instruction independently or replace the work of a teacher. During labour action, this means that while EAs may continue to work, they cannot perform duties that would otherwise be carried out by a teacher.
No. If a school is closed, bus routes serving that school are suspended.
Alberta Education and Childcare has created a free toolkit that parents can use to help support their child’s independent learning when schools close. The toolkit provides weekly resources, available in English, French and French Immersion, that follow the K-12 curriculum. The toolkit includes materials for two weeks of learning; additional weeks of learning materials will be added as needed. Download the toolkits at new.learnalberta.ca.
Students’ school technology accounts will be accessible throughout labour action, and students are also able to take home learning resources such as textbooks or library books.
The Government of Alberta has created a number of supports and is providing information aimed to minimize disruption for families during labour action, all available through the Alberta.ca platform. These include:
- Parent payment program
- Child care subsidy
- Finding child care
- Out-of-school care
- Family programming
- Distance education
- Home education
Students and families were asked to take home personal belongings by Friday, October 3, 2025. There may be limited opportunities for families to collect belongings from the school, but those would have to be coordinated on a case-by-case basis.
No. All division technology, including laptops, tablets and chromebooks must remain at the school during a strike or lockout.
Yes. Daycare facilities that operate independently within our schools (at H.A. Kostash, Thorhild Central and Whispering Hills Primary School) are able to continue operating during labour action. Great Beginnings programs will not operate during labour action. Parents will be responsible for transportation to and from daycare facilities.
Updates will be shared on division and school websites, and to school families via SchoolMessenger. The Superintendent will provide operational updates, and the Board Chair will communicate governance-level information.
Aspen View Public Schools is not directly involved in the current phase of teacher bargaining at the provincial level. Central negotiations take place between the Government of Alberta, through the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), and the ATA. Like all Alberta school divisions, Aspen View Public Schools must now prepare for the impact of this labour dispute and ensure families are informed.
No. School-associated extracurricular activities, including school sports, are suspended. Outside organizations with user group agreements with schools may continue; please check with individual organizations for specifics.
Yes.
No. School council activities are suspended for the duration of labour action.
If a labour action becomes protracted and significantly affects the delivery of services for which families are charged fees, a process for pro-rating or refunding fees may be considered by the Board of Trustees.
No. Marks cannot be awarded or finalized during labour action. Under current legislation and policy, only teachers and principals — both of whom are represented by the ATA — are authorized to evaluate student work and assign marks. As a result, no grades, report cards, or transcripts will be issued until the labour action has ended.
Please monitor the Labour Action page on our division website for updates. If you have a question not covered here, please submit it to communications@aspenview.org and it will be considered for addition to this FAQ document.
Previous Updates
Due to the province-wide teachers’ strike, schools are now closed. All school-based activities are suspended until further notice. This includes:
- Student instruction in all grades (Great Beginnings through Grade 12)
- School-based sports and extracurricular activities
- School councils
- Student transportation (busing)
Exceptions:
- Daycare facilities that operate independently within our schools (at H.A. Kostash, Thorhild Central and Whispering Hills Primary School) are able to continue operating during labour action. Parents will be responsible for transportation to and from daycare facilities.
- Depending on the circumstances, outside organizations with user group agreements with schools may continue; please check with individual organizations for specifics.
- Public libraries operating within school buildings (at Grassland School) will remain open.
Aspen View Public Schools has developed a Parent FAQ website with answers to common questions regarding the labour action and its consequences, which can be found at https://www.aspenview.org/operations/labour-action. Updates will continue to be shared directly with families through SchoolMessenger and division/school websites as they become available.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we manage the local impact of this provincial labour dispute.
Due to the province-wide teachers’ strike, schools will be closed to students starting Monday, October 6, 2025. All school-based activities will cease until further notice. This includes:
- Student instruction in all grades (Great Beginnings through Grade 12)
- School-based sports and extracurricular activities
- School councils
- Student transportation (busing)
Exceptions:
- Daycare facilities that operate independently within our schools (at H.A. Kostash, Thorhild Central and Whispering Hills Primary School) are able to continue operating during labour action. Parents will be responsible for transportation to and from daycare facilities.
- Depending on the circumstances, outside organizations with user group agreements with schools may continue; please check with individual organizations for specifics.
- Public libraries operating within school buildings (at Grassland School) will remain open.
Aspen View Public Schools has developed a Parent FAQ website with answers to common questions regarding the labour action and its consequences, which can be found at https://www.aspenview.org/operations/labour-action. Updates will continue to be shared directly with families through SchoolMessenger and division/school websites as they become available.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we manage the local impact of this provincial labour dispute.
On Monday, September 29, 2025, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) announced that its membership voted not to accept the tentative agreement reached with the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA). We now anticipate that a teachers’ strike will begin on Monday, October 6, 2025. At this time, our expectation is a full, province-wide teachers’ strike; however, the exact nature of labour action can change.
Starting Monday, October 6, 2025, schools will be closed to students. All school-based activities will cease until further notice. This includes:
- Student instruction in all grades (Great Beginnings through Grade 12)
- School-based sports and extracurricular activities
- School councils
- Student transportation (busing)
Exceptions:
- Daycare facilities that operate independently within our schools (at H.A. Kostash, Thorhild Central and Whispering Hills Primary School) are able to continue operating during labour action. Parents will be responsible for transportation to and from daycare facilities.
- Depending on the circumstances, outside organizations with user group agreements with schools may continue; please check with individual organizations for specifics.
- Public libraries operating within school buildings (at Grassland School) will remain open.
How families can prepare:
- Collect your child’s personal belongings. Students and families are encouraged to take their personal belongings home by Friday, October 3, 2025. Public access to schools will be limited after strike action commences.
- Families are encouraged to make alternate arrangements for child care and supervision.
- Alberta Education and Childcare has created a free toolkit that parents can use to help support their child’s independent learning when schools close. The toolkit provides weekly resources, available in English, French and French Immersion, that follow the K-12 curriculum. The toolkit includes materials for two weeks of learning; additional weeks of learning materials will be added as needed. Download the toolkits at new.learnalberta.ca.
Aspen View Public Schools has developed a Parent FAQ website with answers to common questions regarding the labour action and its consequences. Which can be found at https://www.aspenview.org/operations/labour-action. Updates will also be shared directly with families through SchoolMessenger.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we manage the local impact of this provincial labour dispute.
Today, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) announced they have reached a tentative settlement on a new collective agreement. The details of the settlement are not being shared at this time.
Both groups are moving quickly to hold votes on the settlement. A final decision will be made by October 1, 2025.
For now, the ATA’s strike notice for October 6, 2025 remains in place. This means school divisions, including Aspen View Public Schools, will continue preparing contingency plans until the settlement is either approved or rejected.
At this time, schools remain open and operating as normal. We will keep families updated as more information becomes available.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) — which represents teachers, principals and assistant principals, and certificated division administrators across the province — has announced that it will commence strike action on Monday, October 6, 2025 unless an agreement is reached with the provincial government and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), which represents all Alberta school boards.
We respect the collective bargaining process and remain hopeful that the ATA, the provincial government and TEBA will reach a fair agreement.
At this time, there are no changes to school operations. All Aspen View schools remain open, and classes and activities are continuing as usual.
Aspen View Public Schools has developed a Parent FAQ document (below) to address questions school families may have about how potential labour action could affect school operations. This FAQ and other updates will be provided to school families through email, and on the Labour Action page on our division website.
Aspen View Public Schools values all of our staff and the work they do every day to support student learning. Thank you for your ongoing support.
On June 10, 2025, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) — which represents teachers and school administrators across the province — announced that its members have voted in favour of a strike. This vote is part of the ongoing provincial bargaining process and does not mean a strike will happen right away. However, if the ATA decides to move ahead with strike action, they are required to give at least 72 hours’ notice and would have up to 120 days to begin any labour action.
At this time, there are no changes to school operations. All Aspen View schools remain open, and classes and activities are continuing as usual.
We are closely watching the situation between the ATA, the provincial government and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), which represents all Alberta school boards. We will keep you informed as we learn more. Any important updates will be shared through email, our website, and other communication channels.
Aspen View Public Schools values all of our staff and the work they do every day to support student learning. We respect the collective bargaining process and remain hopeful that the ATA, the provincial government and TEBA will reach a fair agreement.