10/03/2025
Please see the following message from GYPSD Superintendent Kurt Scobie:
Message to Parents - Labour Action Commencing October 6th , 2025
Based on the information the ATA and TEBA shared this week, teachers will commence full labour action on Monday, October 6. This labour action will impact all Grande Yellowhead Public School Division students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
Impact on School Operations
We ask that you do not send your child to school on October 6, 2025, or for the duration of the labour action.
While teachers are on strike all school-related activities will cease. This includes:
-instruction/ grading/ assessments/ online instruction/ student work
-field trips
-extracurricular activities
-athletics
-school clubs
We have 5 schools where our Junior Kindergarten programs are run by non-ATA staff. These are the only schools that Junior Kindergarten students can attend during the labour action.
These Junior Kindergarten Programs are located at:
Sheldon Coates
Jasper Elementary
Ecole Westhaven
Ecole Mountain View
Crescent Valley
Important Information
Valuables and Belongings: Please ask your children to bring home any and all valuables and personal belongings.
Buses: During the strike buses will not be running; please do not have your children wait for buses.
School Fees: We understand you may have questions about fees for services: During a strike, if a service you’ve paid for, like a local field trip, is cancelled, the money will be credited to your account.
More information will be provided as soon as the full impact of the strike is known.
School Communication: During the strike, all school general phone lines and email inboxes will remain operational. If you need to reach out to your child’s school, please connect that way.
Please be aware that many staff members will not be in the buildings, and it may take some time for someone to get back to you.
Teachers and principals will not be available to communicate with families during the strike.
Government Supports
Yesterday, the provincial government announced a number of supports for families, including:
Financial Support for parents with children 12 years of age and younger. Eligible parents or guardians would receive $30 per day, or $150 per week, per student, for the duration of the labour action. The first payment will be made on October 31. Payments may be used to offset additional costs like child care, educational supports like tutoring, or other activities to keep students engaged. More information about the application process will be available on the province’s website soon.
Learning supports for parents to assist with continued learning.
Alberta Education and Childcare have created a free toolkit for parents to support their child’s learning in the event that schools are closed. The toolkit provides resources that follow the Grades K-12 curriculum. The resources are available in English, French and French immersion and focus on the core subjects of language arts, social studies, math and sciences. The resources, which will be available on the province’s website, will be updated weekly.
Stay Connected
If a tentative settlement is reached over the weekend, we will share information with parents, families and guardians through our website,and on Division facebook accounts.
Sincerely,
Kurt Scobie
Superintendent of Schools
Grande Yellowhead Public School Division
