Responses to ATA Questionnaire

Kim Pasula is a dedicated advocate for Catholic education, seeking re-election as Trustee for the Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools. With decades of community involvement in Red Deer, including volunteering with charities and school councils, Kim brings a parent's perspective shaped by raising his own family in Alberta's quality Catholic school system. His professional background in business, education, and community service has honed his skills in collaborative leadership and resource management, making him a strong voice for equitable education. As an incumbent trustee, Kim has championed initiatives to enhance student well-being and frontline educator engagement, drawing from his deep-rooted faith and commitment to Alberta's cherished right to school choice, where families and young people can choose Catholic education. Passionate about fostering environments where faith, learning, and innovation intersect, Kim is committed to preserving and strengthening Catholic schools so every child can thrive spiritually and academically.

Statement of Beliefs

I believe that Catholic education is a sacred calling, rooted in the Gospel's mandate to nurture the whole child—mind, body, and soul. In Alberta's diverse landscape, our Catholic schools stand as champions of hope, integrating timeless faith values with modern learning to empower students as compassionate leaders. Education is not merely about academic achievement but about forming hearts attuned to justice, service, and truth. As trustee, I am guided by the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, ensuring decisions honor the voices of parents, teachers, and students while advocating for resources that uphold our Catholic identity. True excellence in education demands collaboration, respect for educators as partners in mission, and unwavering support for families exercising their constitutional right to faith-based schooling. Together, we can build schools where every child encounters Christ's love through knowledge and community. Our mission is to ‘make Christ known to children’.

What should be the three priority areas of focus for the school board this term?

1. Student-Centered Faith Integration: Strengthening curriculum and extracurriculars that weave Catholic values into daily learning, while fostering inclusive environments that promote mental health, cultural respect, and spiritual growth for all students.

2. Honour Front-line Educators: Prioritizing competitive and fair compensation, reduced administrative burdens, and ongoing collaboration and development to attract and retain top talent and drive innovation. Become the employer of choice.

3. Equitable Funding and Resource Allocation: Advocating for increased provincial investment in core operations, including resource allocations that will allow for smaller class sizes and enhanced support for diverse learners, to ensure sustainable, high-quality Catholic education. 

These priorities reflect the needs of our Red Deer Catholic community, balancing immediate challenges with long-term vision for thriving schools. For more information about Kim’s platform, please visit his website: PasulaYourVoiceforCatholicSchools.ca.

What are my views on education funding in Alberta and the role of school boards in funding decisions?

Alberta's education funding must evolve to match the realities of growing enrollments, inflation, and diverse student needs—issues that have strained school boards for years. While I appreciate recent investments like the allocation of funds to career and collegiate programs, we need sustained, predictable increases in per-student funding to address under-resourcing. Catholic schools, funded through the same provincial framework as public systems, deserve equitable shares to maintain our unique mission without relying on excessive fundraising from families.

School boards play a pivotal role as stewards of these funds: we allocate resources transparently, prioritizing classroom needs over bureaucracy, and advocate at the provincial level for fair formulas that account for regional differences like Red Deer's growth. As trustees, we must collaborate with our stakeholders and government to refine funding models—ensuring accountability while amplifying local voices. Ultimately, adequate funding is an investment in our province's future, honoring Alberta's constitutional commitment to separate school systems and our commitment to quality Catholic education.

How can learning conditions in schools be improved?

Improving learning conditions starts with listening to teachers, front-line staff members, and students, who know our classrooms and student services best. From an educator's perspective, key steps include systematically reducing class sizes through additional provincial funding, as larger classes exacerbate workloads and limit personalized support— a concern echoed in ongoing negotiations. Investing in modern facilities would create safer, more engaging spaces, while expanding access to mental health resources and inclusive education aides, addresses diverse needs.

In Catholic schools, infusing faith-based wellness initiatives—such as mindfulness rooted in prayer—can foster resilience. By prioritizing these evidence-based changes, we not only enhance academic outcomes but also build joyful, supportive environments where teachers thrive and students flourish.

What are my views on the new K-6 curriculum?

The rollout of Alberta's new K-6 curriculum has sparked valid concerns from educators about its developmental appropriateness, limited critical thinking opportunities, and lack of proper integration of stakeholder input. As a trustee, I support a thoughtful, iterative approach: while "back to basics" elements like literacy and numeracy are essential, the curriculum must evolve through piloting and feedback to ensure it's inclusive, engaging, effective, and aligned with evidence-based pedagogy.

For Catholic schools, any provincial framework must accommodate faith integration—embedding Gospel values, social justice, and ethical reasoning. I advocate for greater teacher involvement in revisions, protecting professional autonomy and avoiding rushed implementations that burden classrooms. Ultimately, our goal is a curriculum that inspires curiosity, integrity, and spiritual depth, refined collaboratively to serve Alberta's youngest learners effectively.

How can trustees and school boards best support teachers?

Trustees and school boards are allies in the vital work of education, and the best support comes from action-oriented partnerships. First, advocate for fair compensation and working conditions at the bargaining table, recognizing teachers' expertise amid rising attrition rates. Provide tangible resources like access to cutting-edge professional learning and collaboration, and targeted support for diverse classrooms, including language and inclusion programs.

In Red Deer Catholic, this means co-creating policies with teacher input—through regular forums and joint committees—to streamline admin tasks and amplify voices in provincial advocacy. Foster a culture of appreciation via genuine engagement, recognition events, and wellness initiatives grounded in our Catholic charism of community and care. By building trust, investing in growth and innovation, and the community standing united for adequate resources, boards will enable and release administrators, teachers and schools, to focus on what they do best: igniting young minds with faith and knowledge.