Learning Opportunities

Your 2026-27 Instructional Leadership Plan: Creating Your Practical Roadmap to Teacher Growth, Supervision & Evaluation

Presented By

Corrine Thorsteinson & Ray Hoppins

Session Details

Date	Time
Mon, May 04, 2026	9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Location

Pomeroy Hotel & Conference Centre 11633-100 St, Grande Prairie, AB

Grade Levels

K-3, Grades 4 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12, Other

Navigating teacher growth, supervision, and evaluation can feel overwhelming, especially for new school leaders balancing endless tasks and competing priorities. This session is designed to help principals, vice-principals, and assistant principals cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters—improving teaching and learning.

Participants will immerse themselves in the Teaching Quality Standard (TQS) and Leadership Quality Standard (LQS) through engaging presentations, case studies, and dilemmas. They’ll leave with a simple, effective 2026-27 Instructional Leadership (IL) Plan that aligns with Teacher Growth, Supervision, and Evaluation (TGSE) policies—ready to implement immediately.

Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on key research-based strategies, meaningful discussions, their own experiences as teachers, and even some laughter along the way. This session is designed to provide new and developing leaders with clear action steps to enhance school culture, maximize teacher impact, and escape the "big magnet" pulling leaders into their offices. Join us for a session that’s practical, energizing, and transformative!

Session Outcome

As a result of participating in this session, participants will have the opportunity to learn, connect, and reflect to develop their own detailed, practical, and research-based IL Plan (ready for August 2026) that improves the skillsets of their teachers and exceeds all legislated requirements of teacher growth, supervision, and evaluation in the Province of Alberta.

Session Engagement Components

Our session will include:

Purposeful movement activities designed to energize participants, stimulate creativity, and promote engagement. Interactive modules such as simulations, role-playing, or hands-on exercises to explore Leadership Quality Standard competencies.
Facilitated reflective discussions, small-group or paired sessions that encourage the sharing of leadership experiences and reflective dialogue.
Interactive problem-solving sessions such as case studies, breakout groups, or workshop-style discussions to address real-world leadership challenges.
Structured networking events (e.g., roundtables, peer mentoring sessions) to facilitate relationship building across school systems.
Include components such as self-assessment tools, personalized feedback sessions, or one-on-one coaching to support individualized leadership growth.
Actively prompt and facilitate opportunities for participants to share their insights and experiences throughout the session.
Pre-distribution of presentation materials: Provide slide shows and handouts allowing them time to review the content in advance.

As well as:

Powerful stories of research-based strategies that principals love.
Dilemmas that administrators face where there are more than one right answer.
Activities, games, and laughter that participants will receive energy from.
Lessons learned (and mistakes made) from two experienced division leaders who also enjoyed their many years as principals and teachers.
Time to reflect and plan for the school year ahead.
A simple, practical and highly effective 2026-27 IL Plan cardboard placemat. We will use chunking techniques to ensure that participants will have their plan completed by the end of our session.

Corrine Thorsteinson

Corrine Thorsteinson recently retired as Associate Superintendent-People Services with Red Deer Public Schools. She feels fortunate to have worked in Human Resources Leadership, for over ten years, where she had opportunities to facilitate mentorship, empower others to navigate tricky personnel issues and oversee the implementation of vital HR processes and employment conditions. After 30 years in the roles of teacher, assistant principal, principal, and division office leader in Lacombe, Clive, Ponoka and Red Deer, Corrine started Agiliteams Leadership Consulting where she fills her cup with opportunities to support school and division leaders. Corrine’s BA, BEd and MEd were all achieved at the University of Lethbridge. Corrine gets joy and energy from helping others build their capacity in leadership. Corrine has been happily married to Gary for 25 years and they are the proud parents of two amazing daughters, aged 20 and 23. As a family, they’ve travelled the world. Corrine grew up in Southern Alberta and has made Central Alberta her home for the past 30 years.

Ray Hoppins

CEO of Hoppins People Services, is a corporate trainer, speaker and HR consultant. He is currently supporting Alberta corporations, post-secondary institutions, school divisions, and municipalities in empowering people, growing leaders and inspiring teams. Ray thoroughly enjoyed his thirty-three year career as a teacher, vice-principal, principal, and central office leader in Vegreville, Innisfail, Sundre, and Olds. Ray, a proud alumnus from U of L and U of C, recently retired from the role of associate superintendent of people services with Chinook’s Edge School Division. His teaching and leadership experiences transcend all grade levels from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. For the past twenty-seven years, he has facilitated workshops, short-courses and sessions for leaders on topics such as instructional leadership, communication, staff health & wellness, human resources, relationships and culture. Ray was raised on a family farm in Central Alberta, is active in his community, and currently resides in Olds with his wife Sandi. They have four grown children who regularly reach out for help with laundry, finances, and auto repair.