ATHABASCA — Teachers at Hutterite colony schools within Aspen View School Division were the subject of a discussion at the Aspen View School Division’s (AVPS) first board meeting for the 2024-2025 year, when trustees heard how the division plans to increase resources and supports for the niche educators.
Another pilot project to come out of last year’s negotiations with the Alberta Teachers Association, the initiative analyzed the unique teaching environment at colonies.
Three spring meetings between AVPS Supt. Constantine Kastrinos, two colony teachers, and AVPS’s curriculum coordinator resulted in multiple areas of need highlighted, including access to resources and support for teaching staff.
“The meetings and the conversations were very positive, and I think we started in a positive way because these are new conversations — we haven’t had them before,” said Kastrinos. “I think the teachers are already feeling they have more contact, and are getting more attention, getting more resources.”
Under AVPS’s current model, colony teachers are assigned a principal and a nearby partner school to assist with regular administration work and general oversight of the school.
New Pine Colony is paired with Boyle School, the Athabasca Colony with Landing Trails Intermediate School, Smoky Lake Colony’s partner school is H.A Kostash, and Deep Creek Colony was initially under the CAVE, but changed to Grassland School.
Colony teachers are often the sole educator, responsible for all teaching duties, except in the cases of colonies with educational assistants. AVPS colony teachers expressed a desire for more connections with other educators, and the consensus out of the meetings was ensuring the four colony teachers spend collaborative time with each other is a priority.
To address the need for both divisional and colony-specific professional development (PD), Kastrinos encouraged the teachers to attend staff meetings at their sister schools to build relationships, and planning for colony and division PD days on religious holidays for Hutterites was initiated.
“I see a lot of value in providing these teachers, who teach somewhat remotely, in isolation in a lot of times, with a social circle and support network. However, we can make that happen to keep our teachers passionate about education,” said trustee April Bauer.
Other supports to arise from the project include the creation of a handbook for colony-specific teaching questions complete with sections on visitor etiquette and assessment resources, as well as a directory so educators can connect to the correct supports for their needs. The handbook and directory are currently works in progress.
Colony teachers also expressed a desire to travel to other colonies and meet teachers outside of the AVPS division, an ask Kastrinos said the division is looking into.
In an effort to provide all colony students under AVPS with more hands-on experiences, Kastrinos said he has begun conversations with the New Pine Colony as to how unique learning opportunities could fit within colony values and expectations.
Limited technology and internet connections are also barriers to colony teachers accessing resources and professional development utilized by other schools, leading to ongoing discussions on how to improve educator access to modern teaching tools while respecting Hutterite culture.
“Each of them would have varying thoughts,” said Nikipelo. “Some are more traditional than others.”
