April 29, 2026

Edmonton Catholic Schools’ Board of Trustees has approved its Three-Year Education Plan for 2026-2029, setting a clear direction for how schools will nurture student learning, faith formation, and well-being over the next three years.

Required annually by Alberta Education and Childcare, the Three-Year Education Plan outlines how school divisions will support student growth. ECSD’s new plan will begin with the start of the new school year and guide work across all schools through to 2029. The plan was previously called the Division Plan for Continuous Growth.

The plan is centred on three priorities:

• Learning and Living our Faith
• Excellent Learning Experiences
• Nurturing Student Well-being

These priorities were established by the Board of Trustees following engagement with School Councils, school leaders, and students through our Student Voice Team.

“The Board of Trustees values the voice of families, students, and staff. It was critical for us to listen carefully to what our educational partners considered of greatest importance as we established priorities for the next three years. These priorities will provide great focus for our schools as they participate in the continuous improvement cycle,” shared Board Chair Sandra Palazzo.

At the heart of the plan is ECSD’s mission to provide a Catholic education that inspires students to learn and prepares them to live fully and to serve God in one another. Families will see this reflected in consistent teaching practices, a strong focus on student belonging and well-being, and faith woven into daily learning and relationships.

This is a fixed, three-year plan that allows schools to focus on sustained improvement while reviewing progress each year. Strategies may be refined annually to respond to student needs and areas of growth.

What is Optimal Learning?

This Three-Year Education Plan builds on the journey of Optimal Learning in Edmonton Catholic Schools.

Optimal Learning is a shared framework that describes the conditions students need to learn well and thrive across all schools in the Division.

Developed through research, professional standards, and engagement with school leaders, educators, families, and students, the Optimal Learning framework provides a common language for teaching and learning while respecting each school's unique context.

At its core, Optimal Learning focuses on creating consistent conditions for student success. This includes:

• Clear understanding of what students are learning and why
• Purposeful lesson design and engaging learning experiences
• Supportive, welcoming classroom environments
• Timely feedback that helps students grow
• Opportunities for collaboration, creativity, and real-world learning

Faith is woven throughout the Optimal Learning framework. Learning is understood not only as academic achievement, but as the formation of the whole child, intellectually, spiritually, socially, and emotionally.

“Optimal Learning reflects the thoughtful work already taking place in our classrooms,” shares Chief Superintendent Lynnette Anderson. "By focusing on shared learning conditions, we are creating clear, consistent learning experiences for students, while honouring and supporting the unique journey of each learner."

By focusing on optimal learning conditions for each learner rather than one-size-fits-all approaches, the Optimal Learning framework helps ensure students experience high-quality learning across classrooms and schools, while allowing teachers the flexibility to meet the needs of their students.

We look forward to engaging more with our families about Optimal Learning over the next three years.

Learn More

Families and community members can follow progress through the Division Assurance Dashboard, which shares survey results and key measures related to the priorities in the Education Plan.

The full Edmonton Catholic Schools Three-Year Education Plan 2026-2029, including more details on Optimal Learning, is available here.