Labour Updates

Students will return on October 29, 2025

• Yes, all transportation routes will run as normal starting October 29, 2025.
• Some routes operated by Southland Transportation were updated during the job action. Families were notified, but please review your student’s route on the Southland Transportation website to confirm pickup and drop-off times.

We have a few important updates regarding the school calendar in light of the time lost due to the recent job action. These adjustments ensure students have the opportunity to continue their learning effectively.

Changes so far:

• Monday, November 3, 2025 - Regular Classes – Originally a Professional Development (PD) day for Lethbridge City Schools, will now be a regular class day.
• Friday, November 7, 2025 - Regular Classes – Originally a Professional Development (PD) day, will now be a regular class day for:
  St. Joseph’s Coaldale
  St. Catherine Picture Butte
  St. Michael’s Bow Island

Bus transportation will run as normal for both of these days.

• Monday, November 10, 2025 - Wellness Day remains unchanged and there will be no school for students and staff.

This only affects CCH and Trinity, they will use the remainder of this week and all of next week (which were originally exam days) to recover instructional days for quarter 1.

Classes will run on November 3-7, with the last day of quarter 1 classes on November 7.

• Teachers will focus on supporting students’ learning and well-being as they transition back.
• The Government of Alberta has not directed any changes to the school calendar or instructional hours.
• Any future adjustments will follow provincial guidance, and updates will be communicated as soon as they are confirmed.

November 2025 Diploma Exams are optional. Students can choose to write them, and the Division will accommodate requests.

Students who choose not to write the exams, will still complete their courses and graduate on time, with grades based on school-awarded marks. This does not affect post-secondary eligibility

At this time no changes have been announced for:

• January Diploma exams or Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs)
• April Diploma exams
• June Diploma exams

Families can find official updates and details about provincial exams on the Alberta Education website.

• Option classes and field trips: As has been our process, any unspent fees for option classes that could not be delivered, or field trips that will not be rescheduled, will be refunded.
• Early Learning Program (ELP): Based on the time lost due to job action, families will receive a one-time refund of 10% of their annual fees. Refunds will be issued automatically in November; no action is required from parents.

Updates will also be shared via SchoolMessenger email whenever new information becomes available. If you are not receiving these emails, please check your spam or junk folder and ensure you have not unsubscribed. If you have unsubscribed, please contact your school office or submit in the online form to update your subscription preferences.

We understand that parents and guardians may have questions now that students are returning to schools. To support families, we have left our previous form open where you can submit your questions directly to the Division.

Please note: we are unable to answer questions about the bargaining process or matters related to the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), or the Back to School Act as these are provincial issues.

The Google form will be monitored during regular business hours (Monday–Thursday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm, and Friday, 8:30 am –1:00 pm), and we will respond as quickly as possible.

https://forms.gle/1wyqH2D539Zsrt3B9

No. Beginning October 6, 2025, if a job action takes place, all Holy Spirit Catholic Schools (Early Learning – Grade 12) will be closed to students.

No, During the job action, bus services will not be operating. Families are asked not to bring students to bus stops, as there will be no buses running.

All school-based activities, both curricular and extracurricular, will pause until classes resume.

Updates will also be shared via SchoolMessenger email whenever new information becomes available. If you are not receiving these emails, please check your spam or junk folder and ensure you have not unsubscribed. If you have unsubscribed, please contact your school office or submit in the online form to update your subscription preferences.

Student access to Google Classroom is paused during the labour action, this is in-line with other paused curricular and extra-curricular programs. Because teachers are not available to supervise student use, we want to ensure that students remain safe and that their privacy and security are protected.

• We have developed a range of contingencies that can be implemented depending on the length of any labour action, designed to minimize disruption to student learning. As the duration of labour action becomes known, we will communicate what (if any) adjustments to scheduling or calendar may be required.
• We are actively advocating on behalf of CCH students regarding provincial diploma examination administration and scheduling, while ensuring that any actions we take prioritize the best interests of these learners.
• Our focus remains on supporting students to complete key outcomes and successfully transition through the quarter system, even with unexpected disruptions.

Alberta Education has confirmed on October 17, 2025, that November 2025 diploma exams will be optional for students. They made this decision in recognition of the instructional time that has been lost due to the ongoing job action.

This announcement impacts students at Catholic Central High School and Trinity Learning Centre specifically, and you may also be wondering about any impacts on your student(s) in other grades as a result of this decision.

At this time no changes have been announced for:

• January Diploma exams or Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs)
• April Diploma exams
• June Diploma exams

We continue to monitor these announcements and will work closely with our school based administrators and teachers upon the conclusion of labour action to ensure that key learning outcomes are addressed, and will communicate any of these plans with you at that point. We will continue to advocate for fair and reasonable solutions that reflect the duration of the labour action.

Students who wish to write a diploma exam in November may request to do so, and the Division will work with them to accommodate that request. These optional exams apply to all schools across Alberta and will take place on the currently scheduled dates.

As stated by Alberta Education, students who choose not to write the November diploma exams will still be able to complete their courses and graduate on time. Their final course mark will be based entirely on the school-awarded grade provided by their teacher. This decision will not affect students’ eligibility for post-secondary applications or acceptance.

Families can find official updates and details about provincial exams on the Alberta Education website or through the Parent Supports During School Closure page.

While we wait for additional updates, you can explore curriculum resources and supports on our Curriculum Development page. There, you will find links to Exambank practice exams, additional PAT resources, and other curated materials to support your child’s learning at home. Since access to Exambank requires a password from your child’s teacher, and if you do not already have a password, for the duration of the job action please email Learning Services with your request.

At the present time, Alberta Education has made the writing of November diploma exams optional. Students who elect not to write these exams will receive their school awarded mark as their final mark.

Students should not be impacted by this on their ability to apply for or register in post secondary, as they will have a completed course and school awarded mark that a post secondary institute can use for verification.

Starting October 14, parents and guardians can apply through the Alberta Parent Portal to receive $30 per child, per day (or $150 per week) while schools are closed due to labour action. The program applies to children aged 12 and under who attend a public, separate, or francophone school in Alberta. Payments will be retroactive to October 6 and sent by e-transfer starting October 31. Only one parent or guardian per child can receive the payment.

Additional funding may be available for families of children with active Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) agreements, please follow the same process below but note you will also need to provide your child’s FSCD File ID number, found on their FSCD agreement, a separate application process is not required.

To apply for these payments, please visit the Alberta Parent supports during school closure website for more details.

Part of the application requires your child’s ASN. You can find the ASN on your child’s report card. If you cannot locate it or do not have access to it, please contact your child’s school or fill out the online request form for assistance.

Doors will remain locked, but if an item is forgotten, families may call the school office for guidance on arranging access.

Communication will continue from the Board Chair, Dr. Carmen Mombourquette. Families will also receive updates by email, and new information will be posted on this webpage.

We ask that families do not call schools directly with job action questions. This helps keep phone lines open for urgent matters. If you have questions, please use our online form and we will respond as soon as we are able during business hours.

• We do not know how long it will last.
• Divisions usually adjust schedules or reallocate instructional time to meet required instructional hours rather than extending into summer.
• As the duration of labour action becomes known, we will communicate what (if any) adjustments to scheduling or calendar may be required.

Once resolved, schools will reopen, and your child’s learning and educational progress will be our top priority. Teachers and staff are committed to welcoming students back and supporting a smooth transition.

Yes. Because WCB is covered by Alberta Education, Work Experience placements will continue during the job action. However, hours worked during the job action may not be counted toward high school course credit.

RAP placements will continue. Hours worked toward high school credit may not count during the strike period, but apprenticeship hours recognized by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) will continue to count toward certification.

• Lethbridge Polytechnic – Courses will pause during the job action. Please check your email for directions from Lethbridge Polytechnic.
• Olds College – Courses will pause during the job action. Watch your email for guidance from Olds College.
• SACI (Southern Alberta Collegiate Institute) – Courses will pause during the job action, except for Pre-Employment courses. Students will receive direction by email from SACI.

For students already enrolled, this program is self-directed and managed by a third-party provider. Learning will not be interrupted.

Yes. Students in the Green Certificate Program may continue under the supervision of their designated supervisor.

No. All new registrations for Work Experience, RAP, Dual Credit, Health Care Aide, and Green Certificate will pause until the job action ends.

We understand that parents and guardians may have questions about how the current labour action could affect their child’s school experience. To support families, we’ve created a form where you can submit your questions directly to the Division.

Please note: we are unable to answer questions about the bargaining process or matters related to the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), as these are provincial issues.

The Google form will be monitored during regular business hours (Monday–Thursday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm, and Friday, 8:30 am –1:00 pm), and we will respond as quickly as possible.

https://forms.gle/1wyqH2D539Zsrt3B9

Labour Updates: Alberta Government Announces Next Steps for Labour Action - Oct 24

The Government of Alberta has announced that on Monday, October 27, 2025, it intends to introduce back-to-work legislation. At this time, we do not yet know when students will be returning to school, as the bill will follow the normal legislative process on that day.

We want families to be aware that, depending on how the legislation on the bill progresses, students may return to school sometime next week. We will share updates as soon as we have confirmed information, likely following the Alberta Government's announcements.

Our focus is on providing the support needed to make the transition back to school smooth and positive for everyone. Thank you for your continued patience, understanding, and support. We are excited for the day students and staff return, and we remain committed to supporting every child as they continue to grow, learn, and thrive in our faith-filled school communities.

The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) has issued a lockout notice to the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), effective October 9, 2025, at 1:00 pm.

This is a provincial matter between TEBA and the ATA and does not further impact students, as schools still remain closed to students during the ongoing provincial job actions.

For more details, please see TEBA’s formal notice on their website.

We recognize this is a difficult and uncertain time for families and students. We understand the disruption this causes and share your hope that students will be back in their classrooms as soon as possible.

As this is a provincial matter, our role is to provide clear and timely information about what this means within the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division. The information below is accurate as of today, and we will provide updates if anything changes.

Starting Oct 6, 2025 if a job action happens and for the duration of the event:

• All Holy Spirit schools (early learning through to Grade 12) will be closed to all students.
• All curricular and extra-curricular activities will pause until classes resume.
• Please take home personal and perishable items on October 3, 2025.
• All in-person Dual Credit activities at Lethbridge Polytechnic and Olds College will be paused.
• RAP programs will continue as normal, they do not take place in the classroom but with their employer.
• This job action includes both Teachers and school Administrators (Principals and Associate Principals).
• Doors to schools will remain locked during the closure. If your child has forgotten items at school, please contact the school office for guidance on accessing them.

Further communication will continue from the Board Chair, Dr. Carmen Mombourquette during this period. Updates will be posted here on this page, and families will be notified by email when new information is available. To help keep school phone lines open, we kindly ask families not to call schools regarding job action. The division will continue to share all updates directly with you.

To help keep school phone lines open for urgent matters, we kindly ask families not to call schools directly with questions about the job action or its impact on students. Instead, we are preparing an online form that will be accessible on this page, where you will be able to submit these questions, more information to follow October 3, 2025.

When the job action is resolved and school resumes, supporting students’ educational progress will be our top priority. Families are encouraged to reassure children that we look forward to welcoming them back to school as soon as possible.

Ms. Chantel Axani, Superintendent of Schools
Holy Spirit Catholic School Division

The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) and the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) have completed the vote on the tentative agreement. At this time, an agreement has not been reached, but we remain hopeful that a resolution may still occur before the scheduled job action on October 6, 2025.

What this means for our schools, at this time:

• Schools remain open, and day-to-day operations are proceeding as usual.
• More detailed information about what families and staff can expect will be shared on October 1, 2025.

Our top priority continues to be our students. We thank families, and staff for their understanding and support during this period.

Ms. Chantel Axani, Superintendent of Schools
Holy Spirit Catholic School Division

The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) and the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) have reached a tentative agreement. ATA members will vote on this agreement from September 27-29. Results are expected shortly after the vote.

What does this mean

• If ATA members vote in favour of the agreement, there will be no disruption to learning.
• If ATA members reject the agreement, the job action notice remains in place for October 6, 2025.

Please be assured that our top priority continues to be our students. At this time, schools remain open and day-to-day operations are proceeding as usual. While we remain hopeful for a positive outcome, this is an informational update only

We will continue to post updates as more information becomes available.

Learn more:
The following links lead to external sites for families who would like more background information on teacher bargaining in Alberta. These sites are not managed by our Schools or Division:

• TEBA: https://www.alberta.ca/teachers-employer-bargaining-association
• ATA: https://www.teachers.ab.ca

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support of your children during this challenging time.

Ms. Chantel Axani, Superintendent of Schools
Holy Spirit Catholic School Division

On September 10, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) announced its intent to begin strike action on October 6 if a provincial agreement is not reached. As this is a province-wide matter, the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division’s focus remains on supporting our students, staff, and families while ensuring learning continues.

"The Board of Trustees and Holy Spirit Catholic School Division respects the rights of teachers and all workers to engage in collective bargaining. We are hopeful that a resolution will be reached before October 6 to avoid any labour action. We are grateful for the commitment of our teachers and administrators, and we remain focused on providing our students with a positive and engaging learning environment." - Dr. Carmen Mombourquette, Board Chair, Board of Trustees

Currently there are no changes to Holy Spirit Catholic Schools. We encourage our community to check this page for updates, and any new information or changes will be shared here about our division as they become available.

Ms. Chantel Axani, Superintendent of Schools
Holy Spirit Catholic School Division