Northland School Division

Tansi, Edlánat’e, Hello students, parents, guardians, staff, and community members,

Welcome back to another school year. Hope you had a safe and enjoyable summer.
To our new families and staff, welcome to Northland School Division. It is an honour to serve you as Superintendent.

This year, we continue to focus on the priorities in Northland School Division’s Education Plan https://www.nsd61.ca/download/514301. Following feedback from community engagements, Priority 1 has been updated to Connections Supporting Truth and Reconciliation. This change reflects what we heard from students, families, and community members about the importance of acknowledging the full truth of our history as we work toward reconciliation. These priorities reflect what parents, guardians, and community members have told us is important, and they guide how we make decisions. At the centre of this work is a simple goal: Northland students thrive. As I often say, “Nothing happens… absolutely nothing happens in education until it happens to kids.”

Our priorities for the 2025–2026 school year are:

Priority 1 - Connections Supporting Truth and Reconciliation: Students and staff will increase and strengthen visible connections to the land, Indigenous languages, school communities, and collaborative partnerships.
Priority 2 - Holistic Learning: Each child enrolled in a Northland School Division school will demonstrate excellent literacy and numeracy skills and have a solid foundation in social-emotional skills.
Priority 3 Excellent People Supporting Students: Northland School Division will attract and keep invested staff and leaders by providing lifelong learning opportunities, quality resources, good teacher lodging, and fair pay and benefits.
Priority 4 - Responsible Resourcing: Northland School Division will maintain high standards for equitable access to supports and school site infrastructure while operating responsibly.

This year, we are focusing on several key areas:

• Collaborative Response Model: Regular team meetings to plan early supports based on student needs.
• Land-based learning and Indigenizing curriculum: Including the new Woodland Cree language pilot in Wabasca-Desmarais, developed with the University of Alberta.
• Literacy, numeracy, and student wellness: Strengthening supports across all grades.
• Collegiate programming: Helping students graduate with job-ready skills or post-secondary credits.
• Digital confidence: Teaching students and staff to use data and digital tools responsibly.
• School-based leadership development: Supporting staff to lead learning within their schools.

I want to briefly address the potential teachers strike. This matter is between the Alberta Teachers Association and the provincial government. It is not a Northland decision, but we will share updates as we learn more.

I look forward to visiting communities and connecting with you as we work together to help Northland students achieve their goals and dreams.

Welcome back, and let us make this an amazing year.


Sincerely,


Cal Johnson
Superintendent of Schools and CEO
Northland School Division