PRPS bus driver Bryan Goethals. Courtesy/PRPS

By Jesse Gill

Education

Prairie Rose Public Schools approves wage and benefit increase for non-unionized support staff and bus drivers

Aug 26, 2025 | 6:04 AM

Prairie Rose Public Schools held a special public meeting on Monday where the board of trustees approved wage and benefit increases for non-unionized support staff and bus drivers.

Starting Sept. 1, 2025 non-unionized support staff will see a 6 per cent pay raise, bus drivers will also see a 3 per cent bump in pay.

Health/Wellness Spending Account for non-unionized support staff will also see a $75 increase.

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Seven Persons School education assistant Shelly Lagran. Courtesy/PRPS

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The board also put forward a directive for administration to undertake a market wage grid review for non-unionized support staff to ensure wages remain comparable within the education sector.

“The board of trustees recognizes the essential work of our support staff, whose contributions directly impact the success of our students,” said PRPS board chair Lois Bedwell.

“Our decision reflects the importance of providing fair compensation, but also the need to remain competitive with other school divisions across Alberta,” she added.

“Attracting talent to work in our jurisdiction is a priority to ensure we have thriving and supported school environments.”

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Irvine School admin assistant and education assistant Michelle McHugh. Courtesy/PRPS

In addition to providing compensation for staff, PRPS has announced they will also prioritized support for students in classrooms.

From 2022 to 2025, allocations for student support in schools increased from $2 million to nearly $3 million dollars.

The number includes 114 educational assistants who work directly with students.

The PRPS added several student directed supports:

• Students who meet criteria for a severe behavioral code have one to one support.
• Students with a severe medical code have at minimum 2:1 support.
• A Resilience Strategist has been added to work with our most complex students and their families.
• A designated Student Support Advocate works directly with students and families facing barriers to attendance.
• The student wellness counsellor team has been increased by 0.2 FTE.
• Occupational Therapy contracted hours have been doubled.
• PRPS has partnered with the PALIX foundation to foster positive childhood experiences in our schools for all students using models such as the brain story and the resilience scale.

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PRPS payroll staff Amber Kitching and Carla McNally. Courtesy/PRPS

The PRSD said its budget remains balanced, as the approved support staff increases were built into the previously approved 2025–2026 operating budget.