School board trustees fulfil a key role in shaping the future of education. Becoming a trustee can be a deeply rewarding experience for individuals driven by a passion for education and a desire to serve and give back to their community.

• Impact on Students: Trustees directly influence the quality of education children receive. They contribute to decisions that shape curriculum, allocate resources and create a positive learning environment, ultimately impacting student success.
• Community Leadership: Trustees are vital community leaders. They represent the interests of students, families and taxpayers, fostering collaboration and ensuring the school system is responsive to community needs.
• Shaping the Future: Education is the foundation of a thriving society. By serving as a trustee, individuals contribute to shaping the future of their community by helping to develop well-rounded, educated citizens.

Trustees are entrusted to govern their division by balancing the diverse needs of students, families and communities. One of the key responsibilities of trustees is to stay in touch with community stakeholders so that they understand and reflect in their decision-making, what all citizens value and want from their local public schools.

Working collaboratively with fellow trustees, they are responsible for:

• Setting Direction: Trustees establish the strategic vision and priorities for their division, ensuring that all students can succeed. This includes approving goals that reflect community input and comply with provincial guidelines.
• Developing Policy: By creating policies, trustees set the framework for how their division operates. These policies guide everything from fiscal oversight and student well-being to annual school calendars.
• Budget Approval and Oversight: Trustees approve the division’s annual budget, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and responsibly.
• Superintendent Oversight: Working together as the board, they hire and evaluate the superintendent, who is responsible for implementing board decisions and managing day-to-day operations.
• Advocacy and Representation: Trustees advocate for public education at the municipal and provincial levels, representing the interests of their communities.
• Community Engagement: Trustees actively communicate with parents, students and other stakeholders, ensuring everyone’s voices are considered in board decisions.

The board is collectively responsible for governance and all trustees are bound by its decisions. Individual trustees hold no legal authority; decision-making power rests solely with the board. However, the role of a trustee carries leadership and accountability, both to their constituents and the broader community. In this capacity, trustees can serve as role models and set a positive example for others.

What is involved in being a trustee?

• Attend regular board meetings: The Board of Trustees meets on a monthly basis for regular meetings, typically scheduled on the third Wednesday of each month beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the central Division Office in Barrhead located at 5310 – 49 Street, Barrhead, Alberta. The regular meeting schedule is set during the board’s annual Organizational Meeting.  These meetings involve discussions, debates and decision-making on a wide range of important issues. Special meetings may be called when required for specific purposes.
• Participate in committees: Trustees often serve on various committees, as outlined in Policy 08 Appendix A Committee List, focused on specific areas, such as community engagement, finance, policy, school councils, Indigenous Education, human resources and many more.
• Engage in professional development: Ongoing learning opportunities are provided to help Trustees stay informed about current educational trends and best practices.
• Connect with the community: Trustees are expected to be accessible to the community and actively seek input on important issues.

See these PHSD policies for more information: P02 Role of the Board, P03 Role of the Trustee, P05 Role of the Board Chair, P06 Role of the Vice Chair.

Terms of Office

The term of office for Public School Trustee is four (4) years pursuant to the Local Authorities Election Act.

Compensation

Trustees receive a monthly stipend to recognize their time in preparing for meetings and interacting with constituents.  Trustees are also paid a daily honorarium to attend meetings and conferences.  For more information, see Rates Annex 4 Travel, Expenses and Honorarium and P07-10 – Trustee Compensation, Memberships & Conference Attendance

Nomination Package

• Form 4: Nomination Paper and Candidate’s Acceptance (fillable PDF) – Candidates must file a nomination paper with a minimum of five (5) signatures of eligible electors, who reside in the ward in which the candidate is running.
• Form 5: Candidate Financial Information (fillable PDF)
• Form 29: Notice of Intent (optional form – fillable PDF)
• Per PHSD Bylaw No 07-2024, all candidates must submit, with their nomination, a Criminal Record Check and Intervention Record Check, dated within six months before the date the nomination is submitted.

See the Alberta Municipal Election Forms webpage for all Municipal Election Forms. Note that to access forms on the Alberta Municipal Election Forms website, each document must be downloaded, and then opened from the Downloads folder (i.e., do not click through your browser window).

Nomination Process

• Candidates should review the Election Guides and legislation information linked below, determine their eligibility and have, in hand, their record checks their before submitting their nomination.
• Nominations will be accepted in person at the Pembina Hills School Division office, at 5310-49 Street, Barrhead, Alberta between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday until 12:00 p.m. on Nomination Day September 22, 2025.
• All nominations will be acknowledged, pending formal acceptance and selected candidate information will be posted to this webpage.

Candidate Eligibility

To be eligible to be elected as a school board trustee:

There are six electoral wards in Pembina Hills School Division, established in Bylaw 06-2020 Electoral Wards that represent nearly 8,300 square kilometres with more than 3,500 students in 11 community schools, two Hutterite Colony Schools and two Outreach Schools and more than 6,600 full and part-time students from within and beyond our division border through our online school, Vista Virtual School.

*Indicates only the portion that is within Pembina Hills School Division

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Nominations open – January 1, 2025 

• Nominations will be accepted in-person at the Pembina Hills School Division central office, at 5310-49 Street, Barrhead, Alberta between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday and will be received until 12:00 p.m. on Nomination Day September 22, 2025.
• All nominations will be acknowledged, pending formal acceptance and selected candidate information will be posted to this webpage.

Nomination Day – Nominations close at 12:00 p.m. September 22, 2025

Election Day – October 20, 2025

As nominations are received, a summary of candidate information will be posted here.