Hello, everyone. My name is Kristi Puszkar, and I am honoured to run for School Board Trustee for Ward 3 (Airdrie). I believe that education and community are deeply connected — when we support the whole student and the whole family, we build stronger, healthier schools and communities.
I am a proud Airdronian, a parent, and a long-time advocate for wellness, inclusion, and Indigenous/FNMI representation. My work has always centered on creating spaces where people feel safe, supported, and seen — whether in classrooms, sport arenas, or community circles.
Statement of beliefs
Public education is the foundation of a thriving, equitable society. Every child deserves access to safe, inclusive learning environments that nurture not only academic success, but also emotional, physical, and cultural wellbeing. Trustees have a responsibility to champion these conditions — listening to families, supporting educators, and ensuring that decisions reflect the values of our community.
Priority areas
Transparency & Collaboration – Open communication and genuine partnership with families and staff.
Funding – Advocate for equitable, sustainable funding that meets the needs of growing communities.
Infrastructure – advocating for more space for our record growing population.
Views on funding
Education in Alberta remains significantly underfunded, leaving school boards in the difficult position of being asked to do more with less. This is not sustainable. Our students deserve funding that keeps pace with population growth, inflation, and the evolving needs of classrooms across the province.
While trustees have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that public dollars are managed wisely and transparently, they also have an equally important advocacy role — to call attention to the systemic funding gaps that undermine student success.
The so-called “Alberta Advantage” cannot come at the expense of our public education system. A strong education system is the foundation of a strong province. Sustainable, equitable funding is not a luxury — it is a necessity to ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in safe and supportive schools.
How learning conditions can be improved
Improving learning conditions begins with ensuring that class sizes are manageable and that every student receives the attention and support they deserve. This means investing in more teachers, as well as Educational and Specialized Learning Assistants who can provide targeted support for students with diverse learning needs.
In the early years, we must prioritize play-based learning over screen time to help children build curiosity, creativity, and foundational social skills.
We also need to ensure that schools are built where students live. Many families in Airdrie face long commutes due to limited school capacity, and high schools are already overcrowded with no new facilities planned in upcoming funding cycles.
Students learn best in well-supported environments — with smaller classes, adequate staff, and schools that reflect the growth and needs of their communities.
How trustees and school boards can best support teachers
Alberta’s public education system continues to function because of the dedication and care of teachers and staff. Trustees must honour that commitment through both respect and advocacy.
We must be vocal champions of publicly funded, publicly delivered education, pushing for the staffing, resources, and supports that teachers need to help students succeed. Teachers should not be expected to wear dozens of hats—counsellor, nurse, coach, and social worker—all in one day.
Trustees can best support educators by ensuring manageable class sizes, strong assistant and wellness supports, and access to professional development. Listening to teachers and aligning policy with classroom reality is essential. Supporting teachers means trusting their expertise, amplifying their voices, and advocating fiercely for the conditions that make great teaching possible.
Views on the new K-6 curriculum
The new K–6 curriculum presents significant concerns regarding both its development process and implementation. It was not meaningfully created in collaboration with subject matter experts, classroom teachers, or knowledge holders, which has led to inconsistencies in content and a lack of balance across subject areas.
Curriculum reform is important, but it must be evidence-informed and thoughtfully implemented. Alberta’s students and teachers deserve a curriculum that is tested, refined, and responsive to real classroom experiences before being fully rolled out.
A progressive and phased approach — one that allows for pilot testing, feedback, and adjustment — would ensure that the material truly supports critical thinking, creativity, and inclusion. Our children’s education should never be treated as an experiment; it must be grounded in expertise, consultation, and balance.