ATA News

Ready...set...grow

This is the time of year when teachers turn their attention to (among dozens of other things) their professional growth plans.

A demonstration of a lab experiment

Teachers’ conventions

Teachers’ conventions enhance professional practice by providing teachers and school leaders with opportunities to share innovative practices, discuss professional issues and meet the learning goals identified in their professional growth plans.

Each of the Association’s nine teachers’ conventions is organized by a regional convention board. Members are assigned to conventions based on their employing school authority and ATA local.

Teachers’ conventions will take place in person during the 2023/24 school year. If you have any questions, please contact executive staff officer Danny Maas at daniel.maas@ata.ab.ca. For more information about teachers' conventions, click here.

North Central Teachers’ Convention
Dates: Feb. 8–9
Location: Edmonton Convention Centre, Westin Edmonton and offsite venues
Contact: Carryl Bennett, president, president@nctca.ab.ca
Website: mynctca.com

Calgary City Teachers’ Convention
Dates: Feb. 15–16
Location: Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, Hyatt Regency Calgary and offsite venues
Contact: Lisa Fulton and Shae Frisby, co-presidents, cctcapresident@gmail.com
Website: cctca.com

Endless Skies Teacher’s Convention
Dates: Feb. 15–16
Location: Edmonton Convention Centre
Contact: Melissa Petruk, president, Estcapresident@gmail.com
Website: estca.teachers.ab.ca

Central Alberta Teachers’ Convention
Dates: Feb. 22–23
Location: Red Deer Polytechnic
Contact: Evelyn Gotell, president, catcapresident2024@gmail.com
Website: mycatca.com

Southeastern Alberta Teachers’ Convention
Dates: Feb. 22–23
Location: Medicine Hat College
Contact: Cam Bernhard, president, cam.bernhard@grasslands.ab.ca
Website: seatca.atapd.ca

South Western Alberta Teachers’ Convention
Dates: Feb. 22–23
Location: University of Lethbridge
Contact: Jessica Ens, president, ens.jessica@gmail.com
Website: www.swatca.ca

Palliser District Teachers’ Convention
Dates: Feb. 22–23
Location: Calgary TELUS Convention Centre and Hyatt Regency Calgary
Contact: Jill White, president, president@pdtca.org
Website: www.pdtca.org

Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention
Dates: Feb. 29–Mar. 1
Location: Edmonton Convention Centre, Westin Edmonton and offsite venues
Contact: Lloyd Bloomfield, president, president@getca.com
Website: www.getca.com

Mighty Peace Teachers’ Convention
Dates: Mar. 7–8
Location: Charles Spencer High School, St Joseph Catholic High School
Contact: Laurie Dirsa, president, mptcpresident@gmail.com
Website: mptca.teachers.ab.ca

Specialist Council Opportunities

The Association has 21 specialist councils that organize annual conferences, workshops, webinars and other opportunities to help teachers and school leaders meet their professional development goals.

The information on this page lists the assigned dates for major specialist council conferences and events for the 2023/24 school year. For an up-to-date list of all specialist council conferences and events, please check out the ATAPD Sched site.

Alberta School Learning Commons
No events scheduled at this time.

Career and Technology Education Council
Date: Oct. 26–28
Location: Canmore Hotel and Conference Centre, Canmore
Theme: Evolve
Website: reg.unityeventsolutions.com/se/ATACTECTEMPLATE/ATT

Council for Inclusive Education
Date: Oct. 12 (preconference); Oct. 13–14 (conference)
Location: Fantasyland Hotel, Edmonton
Theme: Weaving the Threads of Inclusive Education
Website: reg.unityeventsolutions.com/se/ATACTECTEMPLATE/ATT

Council for School Leadership
Date: Apr. 14–16
Location: The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff
Theme: The Summit of Educational Leadership
Website: ulead.ca

Council of School Counsellors
Date: May 2024
Location: Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge
Website: ataschoolcounsellors.com

Early Childhood Education Council
Date: April 18–20
Location: Banff Park Lodge, Banff
Theme: Rejuvinate
Website: www.ecec-ata.com

Educational Technology Council
Date:March 15–16
Location: Canmore
Theme: Plug Into Learning
Website: bit.ly/ETCATA2024

English Language Arts Council
No events scheduled at this time.

English as a Second Language Council
Date: Oct. 21
Location: Microtel Inn and Suites in Red Deer AB 126 Leva Ave, Red Deer, AB T4E 1B9
Theme: Annual General Meeting, guest speaker TBA
Website: www.eslcata.com
Please email presidentelect@eslcata.com to register your intent to participate.

Fine Arts Council
Date: Oct. 21
Location: U of A Edmonton North Campus
Theme: Connecting Through the Arts
Website: reg.unityeventsolutions.com/se/ATAFACTEMPLATE/ATT

Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education Council
No events scheduled at this time.

Health and Physical Education Council
No events scheduled at this time.

Indigenous Education Council
Date: Nov. 17–18
Location: Barnett House, Edmonton
Theme: Soaring with Knowledge
Website: www.indigenousedc.ca/soaring-with-knowledge-annual-conference

Le Conseil francais
Date: Nov. 28–29, SARO, Calgary; Nov. 30–Dec. 1, Barnett House, Edmonton
Theme: French reading and writing instruction
Website: www.leconseilfrancais.com

Math Council
Date: Oct. 19–20
Location: Delta Hotels Calgary Downtown, Calgary
Theme: Dare to be Creative, Curious and Courageous Mathematicians
Details: reg.unityeventsolutions.com/se/ATAMCTEMPLATE/ATT

Middle Years Council
Dates: April 25–27
Location: Banff (Banff Park Lodge)
Theme: Managing the Madness
Website: www.ata-myc.com

Outreach Education Council
Date: Nov. 16–18
Location: Delta Hotels by Marriott Edmonton South Conference Centre
Theme: Exploring Alternatives
Website: reg.unityeventsolutions.com/se/ATAOECTEMPLATE/ATT

Religious and Moral Education Council
Date: Oct. 13–14
Location: Banff Centre, Banff
Theme: Braiding Together: Dialogue Towards Truth and Reconciliation
Website: reg.unityeventsolutions.com/se/ATAOECTEMPLATE/ATT

 Science Council
Date: Nov. 2–4
Location: Coast Canmore Hotel and Conference Centre
Theme: The Truth is Out There
Website: reg.unityeventsolutions.com/se/ATAOECTEMPLATE/ATT

Second Languages and Intercultural Council
Date: Oct. 21
Location: &Zoom
Theme: Best practices in additional language learning
Website: slic.teachers.ab.ca/Pages/Home.aspx

Social Studies Council
No events scheduled at this time.

Active ATA members are able to choose a no-cost membership in the specialist council of their choice.
To choose yours, visit https://L.EAD.ME/SC-SIGNUP.

The ATA Educational Trust offers $500 grants to members to help offset the costs of attending specialist council conferences. Apply by Sept. 30 at 11:59 p.m. at https://L.EAD.ME/CONF-GRANT.