~Division Office
Board Approves 2026-2027 School Year Calendar
The Board of Trustees has approved the 2026-2027 School Year Calendar following extensive consultation with parents, staff, and school councils. The calendar includes 183 instructional days for elementary and junior high students and 184 days for high school students, with 195 operational days for staff.
Based on feedback from the parent survey conducted in November, the calendar reflects three key priorities: following a format similar to 2025-2026, starting school as close to Labour Day as possible, and providing an extended long weekend in November rather than a full fall break.
Due to Labour Day occurring as late as possible in September 2026, school will begin on Monday, August 31, 2026. School opening days for staff are scheduled for August 27-28, also occurring later than in previous years.
The calendar also features a shortened fall break around Remembrance Day, allowing students to participate in community ceremonies close to November 11. This adjustment reflects parent preferences expressed in the survey while still providing a mid-semester break for students and families.
Spring break and Easter holidays align in one continuous period, maximizing time for family activities and travel. Professional learning days are strategically placed throughout the year, including a staff opening day on September 18 and collaboration days on January 29, April 30, and June 7.
The school year concludes on June 25 for elementary and junior high students and June 28 for high school students, to accommodate provincial diploma examination schedules. Two operational days at year-end provide teachers with time to complete final reporting and classroom organization.
The detailed calendar is available on the division website. Schools with alternate operational calendars will use this approved calendar to determine their respective operating calendars in the new year.
Annual Education Results Report (AERR) Approved for 2024-2025
The Pembina Hills School Division Board of Trustees approved the Annual Education Results Report (AERR) for the 2024-2025 school year. This comprehensive report demonstrates how the division has collected, analyzed, and evaluated key performance data to measure student success and progress.
The AERR examines results across four main domains: Student Growth & Achievement, Teaching & Leading, Learning Supports, and Governance. The report includes data from Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs), diploma exams, high school completion rates, and various other measures of student engagement and citizenship. Results show that Pembina Hills students achieved intermediate to high levels in most areas, with particular strengths in citizenship and education quality.
Areas of continued focus include literacy and numeracy support in early grades, where the division implemented new screening tools like the Assessment of Foundational Reading Skills (AFRS). The division is piloting the Self-Regulated Strategy Development program for Grade 5 students to further strengthen writing instruction.
The report also documents important initiatives in Indigenous education, including the first division-wide Land-based Learning Camp at Métis Crossing, and the signing of a Métis Education Services Agreement with Rupertsland Institute. These partnerships strengthen the division’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
While the division faces challenges with high school completion rates and the achievement gap for some student groups, targeted interventions including enhanced credit recovery programs and improved student tracking systems are being implemented. The complete AERR is available on the division website.
Board approves pay grid adjustments for support staff
At the December 17, 2025, Board meeting, trustees approved a 6% increase to most support staff pay grids, effective September 1, 2025. The adjustment does not apply to job classifications that received a pay increase in June 2025 (bus drivers and transportation shop staff).
Support staff play an essential role in the daily life of our schools and worksites. From educational assistants who support students in classrooms, to school office and library support staff who assist families and help keep schools running smoothly, to maintenance teams who ensure facilities are safe and welcoming, and information technology staff who support the systems that enable teaching, learning, and communication across the division — and every essential role in between — this adjustment recognizes the collective impact of this work and reflects the Board’s commitment to regularly reviewing compensation to ensure it remains fair and competitive.
Support staff pay grids continue to be reviewed regularly as part of the division’s ongoing compensation and budget planning processes.