Teachers told ‘You are enough ’ during SWATCA keynote speech

By Lethbridge Herald on February 20, 2026.

Herald Photo by Joe Manio Laurie McIntosh watches an emotional clip on the big screen Thursday morning, pausing to compose herself as she shares a heartfelt message about connection, compassion, and the value of teachersÕ work.

By Joe Manio

Lethbridge Herald

It looked like convocation — but instead of graduates in caps and gowns hundreds of Alberta teachers filled the bleachers and floor seats inside the Triple Gymnasium & Indoor Track at the University of Lethbridge (U of L) Thursday, clutching coffee cups and conference programs as they gathered for the opening keynote of the South West Alberta Teachers’ Convention Association (SWATCA) convention.

Held Feb. 19-20, the annual conference is open to members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association and offers professional development, workshops and networking — and on Day 1, something equally vital: reassurance.

Taking the stage after breakfast, “homegrown” teacher Laurie McIntosh — who teaches with the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division — delivered a keynote that was as personal as it was practical.

Her message was simple.

“You are enough,” she told colleagues, her voice catching. “You do enough. You have enough. You are enough — and what you do in your buildings contributes greatly to your community.”

It was a heartfelt address. McIntosh teared up more than once, and many in the crowd wiped their eyes as well.

Speaking after her keynote, she said she hoped teachers would leave with a renewed sense of worth.

“I want them to know that what they do every day matters,” she said. “That they’re worthy to be there.”

The message resonated in a profession under strain. Alberta classrooms face funding pressures, growing complexity and lingering tensions after the United Conservative Party government used the notwithstanding clause to override teachers’ collective bargaining rights and force them back to work.

McIntosh, however, did not talk about politics. Instead, she focused on what she calls the “golden moments” — the small, everyday interactions that build belonging in schools.

“Connection really boils down to acknowledgement,” she said. “Sometimes we’re looking, but we’re not really seeing. When people feel acknowledged, they feel like they belong in a community instead of just existing in a space.”

That sense of connection, she argued, is foundational to good teaching — especially now.

In practice, it means collaboration among colleagues, honest conversations about challenges and the courage to be transparent about how the job feels.

“We don’t expect everyone to understand what we’re going through,” McIntosh said. “We just want people to believe us. We’re asking for compassion — and for people to believe us when we say we need help.”

Speaking in Lethbridge, surrounded by friends, family and colleagues, made the moment especially meaningful.

“I was sitting here with hope-holders,” she said. “People who have supported me and shaped me.”

She acknowledged that many educators feel unsupported by the broader system.

“I truly believe we are not set up for success,” she said. “Within a system that doesn’t always take care of us, we have to be creative in finding ways to care for ourselves. If we’re not getting the validation and resources we deserve, we have to build those communities ourselves.”

That, she suggested, is why gatherings like SWATCA matter.

Beyond breakout sessions and keynote slides, the convention offers time — to reflect, reconnect and remember what brought educators into the profession.

“We don’t get enough time to connect and reflect like we should,” she said. “That reflection gives us the capacity to access the strategies we already have.”

Her hopes for everyone post keynote and post-convention were simple.

“I hope they go home, watch the Olympics, drink their coffee and spend time in the community. That’s what will energize them for Monday,” she said.

As the conference continues Friday with more workshops and networking, the pressures facing Alberta classrooms will remain.

But for a few hours inside the Triple Gymnasium & Indoor Track, the scene resembled convocation for another reason: a reminder of calling.

No gowns. No degrees. Just a gymnasium full of teachers, reminded that they are already enough.