Webinar Series: Elevating Educational Assistant Practice for Complex Learning Needs

     
      


Each webinar is eligible for 1.5 CEP credits for regulated member’s professional learning.

This two-part webinar series is designed for Alberta system education leaders and educators who are committed to fostering Educational Assistant (EA) excellence. The series will present CASS survey results and explore pro-active, evidence-based strategies that keep skilled Educational Assistants (EAs) in our classrooms. Participants will explore strategies to get the right people (recruitment) and strategies that intentionally cultivate environments where EAs thrive and students succeed (retention).

Both sessions will connect theory to practice by featuring Alberta-based stories of practice, relevant research, and collaborative reflection. Participants will deepen their understanding of the critical role EAs play in navigating and supporting classroom complexity.

Grounded in Alberta’s professional practice standards, this series emphasizes leadership approaches that enhance EA capacity, wellbeing, and organizational resilience, creating the conditions for success for all learners.

As a result of participating in this series, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the critical role Educational Assistants play in navigating and supporting classroom complexity
  • Analyze research-informed EA approaches and local stories of practice that improve recruitment and retention
  • Apply actionable takeaways and practice based insights to build a sustainable EA workforce
  • Identify specific pedagogical and emotional support systems required to maintain EA well-being and efficacy
  • Strengthen the professional relationship between teachers and EAs through intentional collaboration strategies to support classroom complexity
  • Collaborate with system leaders to foster school cultures where EAs are recognized as vital members of the professional learning community
  • Translate context-responsive system actions into practical, classroom-based strategies that improve learning outcomes for students with complex needs

This webinar series will be held online from 9:00 – 10:30 am on the following dates:

  • Part One: Thursday, May 7 – 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
  • Part Two: Thursday, May 14 – 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Part One 

This session explores the vital intersection of research and practice in the recruitment and retention of Educational Assistants (EAs) to support complex learning needs. CASS member survey findings on the EA workforce will be presented. The session transitions to a field-based K-12 leadership journey, highlighting a vice-principal’s three-year transformation that began with one fundamental question to the EA staff: “What do you need from leadership to feel supported?” This story of practice highlights intentional actions, such as purposeful onboarding and strengthening teacher-EA collaboration, that have successfully enhanced the impact of EAs in supporting student success and fostering inclusive learning environments. The Horizon School Division team will also be sharing their journey as a system in piloting for the past two years the Edmonton Public Schools Educational Assistant Modules and the professional development that is available as a system to support EAs.

Presenters:

Dr. Edgar Schmidt – CASS Leadership Consultant

Horizon School Division:
Kimberly Wright – Vice Principal, Milk River Ridge School
Terri-Lynn Duncan – Associate Superintendent, Learner Services
David LeGrandeur – Director of Learner Services

Part Two 

In this second installment of the series, the focus shifts to the systemic actions that keep skilled Educational Assistants (EAs) in our classrooms. We explore strategies to get the right people (recruitment) and strategies that intentionally cultivate environments where EAs thrive and students succeed (retention). The session will highlight authentic stories of practice from Alberta school authorities, focusing on:

  • Systemic Support for Professional Growth: How leadership buy-in translates into ongoing pedagogical, emotional, and social collaborative processes that empower EAs.
  • Strengthening the Collaborative Core: A look at the specific processes school authorities use to fortify the EA/teacher relationship, ensuring a unified approach to maximizing student achievement.
  • Research-Informed Next Steps: A summary of the key findings and actionable “next steps” identified in recent EA workforce studies to help guide your authority’s future planning.

Presenters: TBD