4 ❚ The ATA News , February 17, 2026
CHRIS SCHWARZ/GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA Minister of Education and Childcare Demetrios Nicolaides at a Dec. 3 press conference ATA President Jason Schilling at a Jan. 21 press conference ATA skeptical of new advisory panel
KRISTINE WILKINSON
Cory Hare ATA News Staff A new teacher advisory council that the government promised while legislating the end to October’s teachers’ strike has now opened and closed its intake for applications, and ATA president Jason Schilling isn’t enthused about the initiative. The council will bring together up to 15 educators from a range of school settings to share practical
insights and ideas that will help shape government policies with the aim of meeting the needs of students, teachers and schools, said Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides while announcing the opening of the application period on February 2. Nicolaides said teacher involvement on the council, whose members he will be appointing, is essential to addressing class size and classroom complexity. “Teachers understand the realities of today’s classrooms,” he said. “The
Teacher Advisory Council ensures teachers have a direct voice as we work together to strengthen education for Alberta students.” Following the announcement, Schilling said there is already an organization that speaks for the province’s 51,000 teachers: the Alberta Teachers’Association. “We are confident that classroom teachers who might participate in this council will reiterate what the Association has been saying, clearly and consistently, for years,” Schilling said. “Before, during
and after the largest strike in this province’s history, this message has been communicated persistently: overcrowded and complex classrooms are unsustainable; they prevent students’ needs from being met and contribute directly to teacher burnout.” Members of the advisory council will serve terms of up to 18 months and may be eligible for reappointment. Members will attend online meetings outside of school hours. Council appointments are unpaid and voluntary.
Familiar face to lead PD program area
Mark Milne ATA News Staff T his spring, one of the busiest program areas at the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) will see a new face at the helm. On March 15, Danny Maas will take over the Professional Development (PD) coordinator duties. Maas is looking forward to the challenges his new role will present. “Certainly, what’s front of mind right now is supporting our members in meaningful ways as they contend with extremely complex classrooms through advocacy work and supports,” said Maas, “We’ve always been an Association of teachers helping teachers.” Maas graduated from the University of Alberta with his bachelor of education degree in 1993 and began his teaching career with the Edmonton Catholic School Division (ECSD). During his time with the ECSD, his roles spanned the classroom, school administration, the division central office and even a short stint with Alberta Education. In 2007, Maas achieved his M.Ed. in education technology. He used that
expertise at both the school division and ministry levels to help integrate new technology like whiteboards, iPads, iPods, Microsoft and Codex into the classroom. During his final decade with his school division, Maas sat on the ATA’s Educational Technology specialist council. “At that time, I saw first-hand the positive work being done by the Association,” said Maas. When he saw an opportunity to work in the ATA’s PD program area, he applied, thinking it would be a great way to support members across the entire province. Maas joined the ATA’s PD program area in December 2019. Just four months later, the COVID- 19 pandemic shut down in-person learning across the province. Maas’s expertise in educational technology became invaluable to PD as teachers wrestled with the new tools to deliver their lessons virtually. “I was able to offer, through Zoom, some ed tech webinars for teachers to learn about Google Classroom, the Google Suite and other digital tools, which were the only ways for them to communicate with their students during those first few months.” The PD program area, which
closely with teacher–volunteers to coordinate the nine conventions held throughout the province. Teachers’ conventions were part of Maas’s original assignment with PD, but that will change as he moves into his new role. “It’s a big piece of our work. It’s one of the few things from the Association that touches every single teacher,” said Maas. “I will miss it.” In 2023, Maas was named associate coordinator of PD to cover for a colleague on leave. He will remain in that position until the current coordinator of PD, Nancy Luyckfassel, retires this spring. In his new role, Maas plans to focus on improving member access to the wealth of information PD holds. “One of the things I’m excited about is that we have so many great resources and supports here at the Association,” he said. “I want to find effective ways of taking those high- impact strategies and providing them in easier, bite-sized pieces that they can understand and implement easily.” Information on the PD program area and its work can be found on the ATA’s main website, teachers.ab.ca.
Danny Maas, incoming PD coordinator
Maas will oversee, encompasses curriculum advocacy, Indigenous Education, diversity and equity, specialist councils and the Beginning Teachers Network. PD also develops and delivers a wide range of workshops and presentations that can be accessed either virtually or in person. One of their highest profile undertakings are the annual teachers’ conventions. Every February and March, program area staff work
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