Name: Leading Place-Based Education to Strengthen Rural Student Pathways
Start: 2026-04-20T10:45:00-0600
End: 2026-04-20T11:45:00-0600

This is the Sched site for the uLead 2026.

Welcome to uLead 2026. We are thrilled you will be joining us at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel for our annual school leadership conference hosted by the Council for School Leadership of The Alberta Teachers’ Association.

If you have any questions during the event, we will have uLead team members throughout the venue wearing red and black plaid. The registration desk will also have our team available throughout the conference. This table can be found just outside of the Van Horne Ballroom, where all of our keynote presentations are taking place.

If you need a digital map of the facilities, you can click here

In order for our team to best determine room allocations for breakout sessions would ask that delegates log in (top right corner of this page) and select sessions that they are interested in attending.

Finally, if you are interested in earning University credits for attending uLead, please visit the uLead website

Leading Place-Based Education to Strengthen Rural Student Pathways

Monday April 20, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT

Norquay Room (Main Building)

At Holden Rural Academy, Alberta's first place-based charter school, learning is organized around the principle that "the place is the teacher." The school has developed a model that ties student learning directly to community, work, and postsecondary pathways. This session will share insights from a multi-year researchâ€“practice partnership between researchers from the Werklund School of Education and Holden Rural Academy. Participants will hear how school leadership practices, ranging from designing curriculum with community partners to protecting time for work placements, are shaping student readiness for both postsecondary education and rural workforce futures. We will highlight successes, tensions, and practical leadership lessons that can be adapted to other contexts.

Speakers

Sharon Friesen

University of Calgary

Dr. Sharon Friesen is a Professor at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. Her research interests include the ways in which K-12 educational structures, leadership, teaching, and learning need to be redesigned to meet the demands of contemporary society. She... Read More →

Stephen MacGregor

Assistant Professor | Director, Experiential Learning, University of Calgary

Dr. Stephen MacGregor is an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary's Werklund School of Education, where he works closely with schools and communities to strengthen leadership and teaching practice. His research focuses on how educators and leaders can work together to share... Read More →

Wesley Oginski

Superintendent, Holden Rural Academy

Wesley Oginski is an experienced Alberta educator and leader with experience in small rural and large urban school authorities, including Grande Yellowhead Public Schools, Rocky View Schools and Northland School Division. He began his career as a teacher in a small rural school in... Read More →

Monday April 20, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
Norquay Room (Main Building)

Instructional Leadership

uLead2026 - The Summit of Educational Leadership

Sharon Friesen

Stephen MacGregor

Wesley Oginski

Get help with the event

uLead2026 - The Summit of Educational Leadership

Sharon Friesen

Stephen MacGregor

Wesley Oginski

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