Elections

My name is Scott Woods‑Fehr, and I am seeking your vote to continue representing you as PSTA President for another two‑year term.

Since 2002, I have worked across a range of roles from classroom teacher to special education teacher in K–12 schools. These experiences have given me a deep understanding of the day‑to‑day realities our members face and shaped my ability to advocate thoughtfully and effectively on behalf of Prairie Spirit teachers.

Stepping into the role of PSTA President brought a steep learning curve as I shifted from classroom teacher to association leader. The work demanded a new set of skills: navigating complex agreements and professional relationships, and balancing member needs with the collective good. Now in my sixth year as President, I bring confidence, clarity, and collaboration to the role, supported by a strong working knowledge of the PSTA Constitution and both local and provincial agreements. This foundation allows me to respond quickly and effectively to member concerns.

I’ve always believed in the power of collective action and in the essential role organizations like the PSTA play in giving teachers a strong, unified voice. That conviction drew me to the association early in my career, as the only substitute teacher who regularly attended representative assemblies. In 2009, I was elected as an STF Councillor, a role I held for over a decade before being elected PSTA President in 2020.

Through nearly 17 years on the PSTA Executive and close to six years as President, I have seen significant changes in education both locally and provincially. This experience has strengthened my understanding of our local association’s work and its relationship with Prairie Spirit School Division.

As President, I am seconded 100% from my teaching position, allowing me to be fully available and responsive to the needs and concerns of PSTA members. I make a point of visiting schools regularly to stay connected, listen directly to members, and ensure my work remains firmly grounded in the daily realities of Prairie Spirit classrooms.

I have also worked to strengthen the PSTA’s systems and practices, including transitioning our email, documents, and website from PSSD‑managed platforms to independent services. Throughout these changes, the Executive and I have remained committed to fiscal responsibility. While membership fees have fluctuated over time, in recent years they have remained at or below the 2014-15 rate.

When challenges arise that affect our members, I believe the PSTA President must respond quickly and decisively. Over the past two years, I have continued to work closely with the PSTA Executive, PSSD Senior Administration, STF leadership, and other local associations to address concerns and advocate effectively. I’ve expanded our membership email list and used surveys to ensure teachers’ voices are clearly heard and documented when decisions impact our working conditions. With recent STF bylaw changes making all Prairie Spirit substitute teachers members of the PSTA, I look forward to ensuring this shift strengthens our association and brings meaningful benefits to all members.

As PSTA President, I am committed to maintaining the positive, open relationship our association has built with the Board and Division staff, while continuing to advocate strongly for the needs of teachers.

The work we do together through the PSTA shapes the future of our profession and strengthens the collective voice of teachers across Prairie Spirit. I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me and remain deeply committed to advocating for your well‑being. I hope to continue this work on your behalf as PSTA President.
Your vote matters. Please re‑elect Scott as PSTA President and ensure strong representation for the next two years.

We can do better, and I’m ready to lead this work.

As your next President, I recognize that I work for and represent YOU. You deserve to know exactly what that leadership will look like.  I am committed to:

ACCOUNTABILITY of the President’s Time

• Making the work of the President visible, purposeful, and clearly connected to member needs.
• Reporting weekly and monthly on how my time is used. The President’s role is fully funded by member fees. You deserve transparency in how that time is spent.
• Maintaining an office at division office to build strong working relationships and respond quickly to emerging issues.
• Regularly visiting all Prairie Spirit schools to stay connected with members, meet with school staff representatives, and understand the diverse working conditions across our division.

ADVOCATING for Members

• Communicating clearly and respectfully with all stakeholders — the school division, school board, and elected officials — while firmly representing member interests.
• Championing the understanding that your working conditions are students’ learning conditions.
• Hearing and advocating for all teachers, including Indigenous and racialized teachers, substitute teachers, new teachers, 2SLGBTQ+ teachers, and specialized teachers such as LSTs and CSTs.

STRENGTHENING Our Organization

• Developing a clear strategic plan that builds member knowledge, engagement, and collective capacity.
• Embedding meaningful Truth and Reconciliation actions into our work as a local.
• Positioning our local to be prepared and united for the next round of LINC bargaining and empowering members to advocate collectively.
• Strengthening connections between Prairie Spirit teachers and the STF.
• Reviewing and refining governance policies to ensure members are properly represented.
• Empowering school reps to be strong, school-based leaders and revamping the Representative Assemblies to better gather, share, and act on information from schools.

I have the experience, the skills, and the willingness to lead the Prairie Spirit Teachers’ Association with transparency, integrity, and purpose. I am ready to do this important work on your behalf.

The PSTA Executive and standing committee members work to support teachers in Prairie Spirit. Nominations may be made from the floor of the May 16^th Representative Assembly.

Nominee Biographies

Open positions and nominees are as follows:
Vice President
The Representative Assembly elects one vice-president to preside over general meetings of the membership and assist the president in carrying out the responsibilities of the office and assumes the role of president in representing and chairing meetings in the event the president is unable to attend.
Nominees:

1. Heather Wolfe

STF Councillors
There are ten (10) STF Councillor positions available for 2023-2024. STF Councillors sit on the PSTA Executive and represent teachers within the STF. They also attend annual meetings of Council where they learn about educational issues in Saskatchewan, elect the STF Executive, and discuss and debate resolutions to guide the Federation.
Nominees:

1. Amanda Nelson
2. Amy Korver
3. Amy Orth
4. Brett Berry
5. Chad WIlliams
6. Diana Jemieff
7. Dustin Chahley
8. Heather Wolfe
9. Jason Brose
10. Marcy Raciot
11. Mark Perry

Local Implementation and Negotiation Committee
There are six (6) LINC positions available for 2023-2024. LINC members implement, monitor, and negotiate our Local Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Nominees:

1. Amanda Nelson
2. Amy Orth
3. Carmen Kingsbury
4. Cary Pepper-Martens
5. Chad Williams
6. Craig Reinhardt
7. Heather Wolfe
8. Jason Brose

Professional Development Committee
There are five (5) PD Committee positions available for 2023-2024. The PD committee consults and collaborates with PSSD to help meet the professional learning needs of PSTA members. They also plan the PSTA General Assembly, and work to ensure that all provisions related to professional development/adult learning contained within LINC are implemented.
Nominees:

1. Amanda Nelson
2. Amy Korver
3. Lisa Kuchler

Communications Committee
There are three (3) Communications Committee positions available for 2022-2023. The Communications Committee works to enhance communication within the PSTA, and with our education partners and communities. They also work to promote the PSTA and enhance the image of the teaching profession.
Nominees:

The nominations for PSTA Executive and Standing Committees for the 2022-2023 year are now open for the term of one year, from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. 

The PSTA Executive and standing committee members work to support teachers in Prairie Spirit and we hope you will consider becoming a member of the executive or one of our standing committees.

The nomination forms can be downloaded from the PSTA website in the Documents & Forms section.

Nominations close from the floor of the May Representative Assembly on May 17^th, 2022.

Send Nominations to:

• Chief Returning Officer, Amy Korver, Delisle Elementary School, amy.korver@spiritsd.ca
• Please cc all nominations forms to the PSTA President, scott.woods-fehr@spiritsd.ca

The following positions are open for nominations:

• Vice President: The Representative Assembly elects one vice-president to preside over general meetings of the membership and assist the president in carrying out the responsibilities of the office and assumes the role of president in representing and chairing meetings in the event the president is unable to attend.
• STF Councillors: There are ten (10) STF Councillor positions available for 2022-2023. STF Councillors sit on the PSTA Executive and represent teachers within the STF. They also attend annual meetings of Council where they learn about educational issues in Saskatchewan, elect the STF Executive, and discuss and debate resolutions to guide the Federation.
• Local Implementation and Negotiation Committee: There are six (6) LINC positions available for 2022-2023. LINC members implement, monitor, and negotiate our Local Collective Bargaining Agreement. The PSTA has ratified a LINC Agreement for 2020-2023 so there will not be any negotiation meetings this term but it is a good opportunity to learn the role and prepare for future negotiations.
• Professional Development Committee: There are five (5) PD Committee positions available for 2022-2023. The PD committee consults and collaborates with PSSD to help meet the professional learning needs of PSTA members. They also plan the PSTA General Assembly, and work to ensure that all provisions related to professional development/adult learning contained within LINC are implemented.
• Communications Committee: There are three (3) Communications Committee positions available for 2022-2023. The Communications Committee works to enhance communication within the PSTA, and with our education partners and communities. They also work to promote the PSTA and enhance the image of the teaching profession.

CANDIDATE FOR PSTA PRESIDENT: Scott Woods-Fehr

My name is Scott Woods-Fehr and I am seeking your vote to represent you as PSTA President for another two years.

Two years ago, I submitted my nomination form for the position of PSTA President. After serving as an STF Councillor on the PSTA Executive for 11 years, I felt I had a good understanding of the role of President and I was ready to apply my experience and skills in a new challenging position. With the support of a strong PSTA Executive and my previous experience, I was excited and prepared to represent Prairie Spirit teachers. And then the COVID pandemic changed everything. Previous questions and requests for support around professional and assigned time, prep time, and leaves were ongoing but suddenly a large portion of requests for support focused on new concerns like blended learning, quarantine leave, safety measures, and vaccination policies.

The PSTA Executive has had many successes in the past two years as we transitioned our General Assembly, Executive and Representative Meetings and elections online. And my tech skills and passion for technology have been assets. I have made the operations of the PSTA more efficient with tech features to increase quality of communication and overall transparency including online claim forms and email money transfers to reimburse members and transparent with an updated website where I have posted our governance documents to make them more easily accessible to PSTA members.

Since my term began in July 2020, I have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for collaboration between the PSTA and PSSD leaders. I am reminded that the only way the PSTA can accomplish our goals and support teachers is through positive collaboration with our Senior Administrative Staff in the division office. When it was apparent teachers would not be using personal leave days for trips and family obligations, I had the opportunity to work with Superintendent of Human Resources, Jon Yellowlees to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to allow teachers to carryover an additional 2 personal leave days to the next year. The number of days a teacher can carryover is outlined in our LINC Agreement so it was an area we have a shared voice with the Division in the direction and implementation of our Agreement. There have also been times when a decision is outside of the responsibilities of the PSTA and we need to lean on the strength of our positive relationship with Prairie Spirit Administrative Staff and the Prairie Spirit School Board.

I have learned that sometimes even with a positive collaborative relationship, the PSTA is unable to do more than investigate, understand the rationale and share the concerns of teachers we represent. The sudden introduction of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation led to a school calendar change to include an unanticipated holiday where requirements for assigned time and instructional time left few options to address the calendar change. The division had to move a day-in-lieu from this spring to accommodate the new holiday and understandably, many teachers were unhappy with the decision. I did my best to help concerned teachers understand the complexities surrounding calendar development. And I shared concerns of teachers with our Director of Education and Human Resources Superintendent so they understood the impact this change had on teachers and how significant the loss of a day-in-lieu after evenings of interviews is to teachers especially in the context of educating in a pandemic.

As PSTA President, I pledge to continue to maintain the positive and open relationship the PSTA has developed with our board and division staff. At the same time, I will continue to advocate for the needs of teachers with a strong voice. My experience in a variety of K-12 classroom settings, as a special education teacher, and in small and large schools has allowed me to understand the different positions and perspectives of teachers across our division.

The work of the PSTA is incredibly important for the future of our profession and I thank you for putting your trust in me as your representative and hope to have the opportunity to continue to represent you locally and provincially. I hope you will consider my name when you vote for PSTA President.

CANDIDATE FOR PSTA PRESIDENT: Chad Williams

My name is Chad Williams and I currently teach grade two at Venture Heights and pre-service teachers in Curriculum Studies at the U of S. I am eager and excited to accept the nomination for Prairie Spirit Teachers’ Association president, and I am seeking your support.

I am currently in my 14th year of teaching, and in my 12th year with Prairie Spirit School Division where I have taught elementary, middle years and high school. I have been fortunate to be a part of K-8, K-12, and 9-12 schools. These experiences are necessary and pivotal in ensuring the president speaks for all teachers in our school division.

In addition to my role as a classroom teacher with PSSD, I currently hold or have held the following positions:

• PSTA councillor
• Member of the LINC committee
• Member of the PD committee
• Chair of the LGBTQ2S ad hoc committee

I currently sit on the following Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation / Canadian Teachers’ Federation committees:

• Supporting Indigenous Ways of Knowing in Mathematics Working Committee (STF)
• Practicum Advisory Committee (U of S – STF)
• Advisory Committee on Diversity and Human Rights – Alternate (CTF)
• Professional Growth Network – Saskatchewan Mathematics Teachers’ Society – Past-President (STF)

My experience working closely with PSSD and the STF will ensure we maintain positive relationships and productive dialogue, while supporting and advocating for teachers and students.

As we continue to work closely with PSSD over the next two years, I believe we need to focus on the following:

• Staff and student well-being
• Teacher intensification with EDSBY roll out
• Lasting effects of COVID-19 on teaching and learning
• Data collection to better prepare for next LINC negotiation
• Better understand the impact of Learning Facilitators

My experience in teaching, committee work, and professional development facilitation has given me the skills, knowledge, and experiences to be the stronger voice for teachers the PSTA needs as president.

If you have any questions regarding my potential leadership as PSTA president, feel free to reach out via email at chad.williams@spiritsd.ca. I would be happy to continue conversations with PSSD teachers around what matters to you.

Regards,
Chad Williams