Local schools change schedules to align with diploma cancellations

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on November 4, 2025.

Local school authorities are making small pivots to scheduling after the province announced Grade 9 and 12 students will not have to take upcoming provincial and diploma exams after losing close to a month of instructional time due to the teacher strike.

On Monday, the Medicine Hat Public School Division issued an update, stating school principals will work collaboratively to make plans for possible shifts to exam week in January and will be updating parents and guardians in the upcoming weeks.

Students will all receive their school-awarded mark as their final mark this semester and will also receive a notation on their transcripts, ensuring there will be no impact on ability to transition into post-secondary education.

Students who choose not to write the exams will receive their school-award mark as their final official course mark, however this is completely optional. Students who do want to write their exams on a voluntary basis will be provided the opportunity at a later date in April or June 2026.

On Friday, the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education said no changes will be made to its 2025-26 school calendar following the strike, and students who opt into writing provincial exams will have the opportunity next April or June.

The MHCBE says due to its current school year calendar exceeding the required number of instructional days, schools are able to maintain existing calendars without.

At the most recent organizational and special board meeting held by the Prairie Rose Public Schools board on Oct. 28, trustees approved modifications to the 2025-26 school year, changing two upcoming professional days to normal instruction on Nov. 7 and Nov. 10.

The board said it made the changes with the understanding that further adjustments may be made by Alberta Education.