uLead2026 - The Summit of Educational Leadership: Full Schedule

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

10:00am MDT

Pre-Conference with Hannah Beach (Separate pre-conference registration required)

Saturday April 18, 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm MDT

Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

Our full day preconference schedule is as follows:

9:00 Breakfast and Registration
10:00 Session 1 with Hannah Beach
11:15 Break
11:30 Session 2 with Hannah Beach
12:45 Lunch
1:30 Session 3 with Hannah Beach
2:45 Break
3:00 Session 4 with Hannah Beach
4:15 Mountain Mixer Social

Speakers

Hannah Beach

Hannah Beach is an award-winning educator, author, emotional health consultant, and keynote speaker who speaks about the power of relationship and play worldwide. She is the co-author of the best-selling book Reclaiming Our Students: Why Children Are More Anxious, Aggressive, and... Read More →

Saturday April 18, 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm MDT
Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

2:45pm MDT

Lead in the Water: 5+1 Strategies for Leaders in Difficult Times

Sunday April 19, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm MDT

Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

If you spend your days wrestling with an uncertain future on behalf of someone else, you're already leading. And if we're honest, you're probably doing it while trying to keep your own head above water. In this session, we'll name the truth of leadership in times marked by conflict, crisis, and complexity. We'll explore practical, sustainable ways to care for ourselves and the people we serve. And together, we'll sketch a roadmap for building communities that don't just make it through the storm â€” but learn how to move, breathe, and even thrive in the water.

Speakers

Brian Miller

MS Principal, Great Falls School District

Brian T. Miller is a middle school principal, writer, and co-host of the Schurtz & Ties Podcast. He's known for his honest reflections on leadership, culture, and the everyday work of helping teachers and students thrive.

Sunday April 19, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm MDT
Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

School Culture

4:00pm MDT

Embedding Human Rights and Equity into Leadership

Sunday April 19, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT

Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

Leadership is about decision making. This session will be focused around the phrase 'centering the needs of the under-represented and under-served' and will examine who school leaders centre in decision making and how school leaders can navigate the challenges of honouring human rights, competing human rights and facing resistance.

Speakers

Irfan Toor

Social Justice and Anti-Oppression Advisor, Ontario Principals' Council

Irfan Toor (he/him) has been an educator for over 30 years in many different roles and locations. Irfan has spent time as a teaching assistant, a classroom teacher, a school based Vice-Principal and Principal and also as a system based Principal. He is currently the Social Justice... Read More →

ULead (Apr 2026) Centering Human Rights pdf

Sunday April 19, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

DEHR

10:45am MDT

Renewing Treaty and Agreements Education: Learning From Elders

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

Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

As part of the new Alberta Teaching Quality Standard, teachers and system leaders across Alberta are required to have a foundational understanding of the implications of treaties with First Nations and legislation and agreements with MÃ©tis. However, questions remain about what this foundational understanding entails and how this work can be ethically enacted in schools by a largely non-Indigenous teaching population. This session will address these questions by presenting insights from a recent professional growth initiative that brought together system leaders and educators from the Calgary Catholic School Division and the Calgary Board of Education, with local Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Holders.

Speakers

Robert Ranger

Robert Ranger is the Learning Services Supervisor for the Calgary Catholic School District, and is MÃ©tis. In his role, he also leads the Indigenous Education Team focussing on empowering Indigenous youth.

David Scott

Associate Professor, University of Calgary

David Scott (Ph.D.) is an associate professor of curriculum and learning in the University of Calgary's Werklund School of Education. His research focuses on how non-Indigenous educators negotiate curricular directives to engage foundational Indigenous philosophies and historical... Read More →

Monday April 20, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

Indigenous

2:45pm MDT

Reconnecting With Our Roots

Monday April 20, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm MDT

Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

A look at the First Nations, Metis & Inuit Education Team's approach that has developed a strong and meaningful relationship with students, families and staff. The growth of the F.N.M.I Education Program that has helped increase the number of self declared students from 318 (September 2018) to 642 (November 2025). Reconnecting with our roots through leadership guided by Respect, Truth, Humility, Courage, Wisdom, Love and Truth.

Speakers

Darrell R Willier

First Nations, Metis & Inuit Education Coordinator, MHSD 76

Darrell Willier is from Sucker Creek Cree Nation of north west Alberta. He has been in the education system since 1990 after graduating university and is currently with Medicine Hat Public School Division since August 2018.

Courtney Lagasse

Courtney is Metis, with her family roots originating from the Red River Settlement. Courtney is a First Nations, Metis, and Inuit support for Medicine Hat Public School Division. Courtney is currently in her fourth year with the school division and pursuing a bachelor's degree in... Read More →

Shirley Boomer

Shirley is from the Mistawasis Cree Nation of central Saskatchewan. She has been in the education system in western Canada for 25+ years and now with Medicine Hat Public School Division since December 2018.

Monday April 20, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm MDT
Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

Indigenous

4:00pm MDT

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING for The Council for School Leadership

Monday April 20, 2026 4:00pm - 4:30pm MDT

Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

This will be a CLOSED meeting. Only Alberta teachers who are members of CSL are permitted to vote.

This is the AGM of the Council for School Leadership. All members of CSL are welcome to attend. At this session you will learn about the events CSL hosted last year, vote on the 2026-27 budget as well as elect members to the executive of the CSL.

If you would like to join the AGM, but will not be in Banff for uLead, you may register to attend virtually, by clicking here.
Please note, we will be reviewing registrations and sending confirmation emails with the zoom link to eligible CSL members on Saturday April, 13th. Those who are not members of CSL at that time, will not receive a zoom link to the AGM.

We will not be able to accept virtual registrations after 0900 2024 04 13.

Monday April 20, 2026 4:00pm - 4:30pm MDT
Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

AGM

10:30am MDT

Elevating Health Education Through School Leadership

Tuesday April 21, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am MDT

Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

This session invites school leaders—as lead learners—to reimagine health education as a core element of pedagogical leadership. When health education is prioritized as a foundation for learning, it can enhance student wellbeing, strengthen school culture, and improve academic outcomes. Grounded in national research, this session will demonstrate how leadership decisions and leadership practices themselves shape the quality and impact of the school community experience. We will share examples from Canadian contexts where placing health education at the heart of school vision led to measurable improvements in student and whole-school success and wellbeing. Participants will reflect on their leadership practice through the lens of leadership for learning and leave with actionable strategies to embed health education into the fabric of their school's culture and instructional leadership.

Speakers

Lauren Sulz

Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta

Lauren D. Sulz, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. She teaches undergraduate courses in physical and health education curriculum and pedagogy, and graduate courses on physical and health literacy and health-promoting schools. Dr... Read More →

Kim Hordal

Assistant Principal, Edmonton Public Schools

Kim Hordal-Hlewka is the Assistant Principal of Michael Phair Junior High that opened it’s doors in the fall of 2017. Kim has taught Kindergarten to Grade 9 Physical Education and was the Physical Education, Health and Comprehensive School Health Consultant for Edmonton Public Schools... Read More →

Doug Gleddie

Professor, The Healthy Schools Lab - University of Alberta

Doug is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. He teaches physical education curriculum and pedagogy to undergraduate students. He also teaches graduate courses in health and physical education, reflective practice, physical literacy and research methods... Read More →

Tuesday April 21, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am MDT
Baron Shaughnessy Room (Conference Centre)

10:00am MDT

2:45pm MDT

4:00pm MDT

10:45am MDT

2:45pm MDT

4:00pm MDT

10:30am MDT

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