Updated 10/24/25

Pembina Hills Families:

The Government of Alberta has announced plans to introduce legislation (Bill 2, Back to School Act) on Monday, October 27, that would require teachers to return to work. This legislation needs to move through the formal process before it becomes law, but if passed, students will return to school. Stay tuned for information regarding the date of return and further details.

We have also been informed that

• Parent Payment Program applications will remain open for two weeks after the disruption ends; therefore, there is still time to apply if you have not yet done so.

• no decisions have been made regarding possible changes to the January diploma exams or Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs).

We will provide you with updates as quickly as possible when they become available.

Previous News:

The teacher strike began on Monday, October 6. All Pembina Hills teachers, including Vista Virtual School (VVS) teachers and markers, are members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and are participating in the strike. The information below is subject to change without notice.

What this means for VVS students

• VVS teachers, administrators and markers will not be available during the strike.
• There will be no online or in-person supervised assessments starting October 6. 
• UPDATE: There will be no access to course quizzes starting October 6. This means that some students may have to wait until after the strike to complete certain assignments, as access to assignments which use the online quiz tool will also close on October 6th (ex. students in certain Science, CTS, and E-Learning courses).
• Moodle will still be open for assignment submission on October 6. Moodle courses with conditional releases require one section to be completed before the next opens. Since there will be no supervised assessments or teacher feedback starting October 6, which are needed to unlock the next section, some students may not be able to continue. Students in Science courses will have to wait until after the strike to complete assignments, as the online quiz tool needed to submit them will be closed on October 6.
• Starting October 10 at 4:00 p.m. MDT: Online assignment submissions will be closed to students. 

If your Moodle course is locked due to a conditional release, please do not contact VV Support or your course teacher. VV Support cannot unlock your access and your course teacher or marker will not be available. 

Additional Information

• During the strike, teachers, administrators and markers will not have access to their emails. We ask that you hold your questions until they return.
• Our Calgary campus will continue to be open during regular hours for material pick-up and drop-off only. Appointments are required.
• Shipment of materials will continue.
• The Government of Alberta announced it will be offering financial support and educational resources for families. See the Alberta.ca website for more information.

Updated: The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) has given notice of a reactive province-wide teacher lockout. The lockout will begin at 1:00 p.m. on October 9, 2025. A lockout is when TEBA legally prevents teachers from working for legal and strategic reasons in bargaining.

• • A lockout does not change school closures; students are still not attending school.

We will continue to provide updates to you through SchoolMessenger, and updates will also be posted on the Pembina Hills Labour Action webpage.

We know this is an uncertain and stressful time, and recognize this creates challenges for students and families. We remain optimistic that a resolution between the ATA and the province will be reached soon and that student learning can return as quickly as possible.

Thank you,

Vista Virtual School