WORKLOAD, VOLUNTARY SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL REFLECTION

As the 2026/27 school year gets underway and teachers begin to consider what, if any, additional commitments they will make to their school communities, it is important to remember that the 2026 Annual Representative Assembly passed a resolution encouraging teachers, as individuals, to reflect on their workload and personal capacity before agreeing to voluntary commitments for the new school year.
The resolution does not call for withdrawal of professional services or assigned duties. Decisions regarding extracurricular and voluntary activities remain individual decisions made by individual teachers after reviewing their workload, circumstances and any applicable collective agreement provisions.
Individual teachers have the right to consider what, if any, boundaries they will create to protect their two most finite resources, their personal time and mental health.
The resolution also recognized that school leaders are experiencing an increasing workload and should not be expected to automatically absorb additional voluntary responsibilities when others are no longer able to do so.
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WORTH KNOWINGThe following resolution was debated, amended and passed unanimously:
Be it resolved that teachers, as individuals, after reviewing any applicable collective agreement provisions, consider their instructional responsibilities and workload before agreeing to provide voluntary services.
The resolution reflects concerns that teachers and school leaders across Alberta have consistently raised about workload, classroom complexity, and professional sustainability.
Teachers and school leaders continue to report mounting pressures on their time and growing concerns about workload. Many are finding it increasingly difficult to balance instructional responsibilities, assigned duties, extracurricular commitments and personal responsibilities. The resolution recognizes that reality.
It is important to be clear about what the resolution does and does not mean.
The resolution is not a call to withdraw professional services or to assign duties or responsibilities connected to employment. Teachers and school leaders remain committed professionals and will continue to meet their obligations under the Teaching Quality Standard (TQS), Leadership Quality Standard (LQS), legislation and their collective agreements.
The resolution is also not a directive from the Association. Decisions about voluntary activities remain individual decisions made by individual teachers.
For many, extracurricular activities and voluntary commitments are an important and rewarding part of school life. Teams, clubs, performances and student activities create opportunities and experiences that matter deeply to students and school communities.
At the same time, those activities require time, energy and personal commitment beyond assigned professional responsibilities. Teachers and school leaders have consistently stepped forward to provide those opportunities, often while already managing increasingly complex classrooms and mounting expectations on their time. In many cases, that work has come at a personal cost.
There comes a point when people need to honestly assess what they can reasonably continue to take on.
The resolution asks teachers, including school leaders, to reflect on their current workload and personal capacity before agreeing to any additional voluntary commitments for the 2026/27 school year.
For some, the answer may still be yes. Others may choose to step back from certain commitments, either temporarily or for the long term. Circumstances vary from person to person. Only the individual teacher can make that assessment.
It is also important to recognize that if classroom teachers individually decide not to take on additional voluntary activities, school leaders should not automatically be expected to absorb those responsibilities.
School leaders are also facing mounting workload pressures and growing operational demands. Although principals and vice/assistant principals are not subject to assignable and instructional time limits like classroom teachers, their capacity is not unlimited, and they are not responsible for ensuring that all voluntary activities continue regardless of circumstances.
School leaders remain teachers first and foremost. They understand the realities of classroom complexity, workload pressures and the growing demands placed on the profession. Workload and expectations must be manageable.
Members should review any applicable collective agreement language regarding extracurricular activities and voluntary service before making additional commitments. Equally important, members must continue to ensure that assigned professional responsibilities and duties are fulfilled.
What the resolution recognizes is that workload, capacity and sustainability are important. Teachers and school leaders continue to provide extraordinary service to students across Alberta. The resolution reminds us that voluntary service cannot be considered unlimited or without personal impact on those who provide it.
Teachers and school leaders seeking support or clarification on the resolution, workload concerns, or any other employment-related matter are encouraged to contact Teacher Employment Membership Support (TEMS) at 1-800-232-7208