PROVINCE HONOURS B.C. TEACHERS FOR EXCELLENCE

Twenty teachers from around the province are being honoured with Premier’s Awards for Teaching Excellence for their dedication to students and student learning.

Aboriginal Learning – Kevin Kaiser, Kelowna

Kevin Kaiser teaches English 8 and 9 at Dr. Knox Middle school in Kelowna (SD 23), where he developed a new course called First Nations English 9, which introduces students to First Nations authors and explores all cultures at the school. He invites First Nations authors and presenters to the school so students see First Nations people in a positive light, and has introduced a mentoring program for Aboriginal youth in the district.

In addition, he leads free workshops for the community on topics including cultural sensitivity and the unique needs of First Nations learners, and uses technology to engage and inspire his students; for example, he asks students to make videos, which are then posted on the class’s personal YouTube page.

Aboriginal Learning – Rosamund Latvala, Gold River

Rosamund Latvala teaches at Ray Watkins Elementary and Gold River Secondary schools (SD 84), where she has made a difference in the local Aboriginal community, both as an adult educator and teacher in the K-12 system. She started a First Nations language program at the elementary school and supports its delivery by mentoring Aboriginal education assistants and speakers. She has also helped the district develop its Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement and a board-authorized First Nations language program for the secondary school.

She has worked with teachers, support staff and administration to enhance Aboriginal student achievement by playing a vital role in the start up of an on-reserve daycare and preschool and developing a versatile adult education program – in partnership with North Island College – that caters to the specific goals of the First Nations people. In addition, she worked with staff at the elementary school to deliver a free hot lunch program to help students in Gold River achieve their best at school.

Beginning Teacher – Mali Bain, North Vancouver

Mali Bain teaches at Bodwell Secondary school in North Vancouver (SD 44), where she uses a variety of methods to promote learning and reignite a spirit of altruism and goodwill in her students. She has established friendship links with three schools in Kenya that involve travelling to Kenya with students to do volunteer work and raise funds for scholarships for Kenyan students.

She has her students create their own 100 Mile Diet meals while learning about environmental sustainability and food security, and has started several school clubs, including a volunteer club. She also pursues professional development opportunities, sharing what she learns and encouraging other teachers to do the same, and volunteers outside of the classroom by working at a soup kitchen and serving with Canadian Teachers Without Borders.

Beginning Teacher – Colin Reid, Vancouver

Colin Reid teaches Drafting and Grad Transitions at Vancouver Technical Secondary school
(SD 39), where he encourages his students to embrace new challenges and opportunities; two of his students recently received full scholarships to attend a Digital Media Summer Camp. He uses technology to integrate hands-on skills with cutting-edge 3D software, and organizes an annual field trip tour of a local electronic arts business.

In developing the school’s grad transitions program, he created a website to connect Grade 12 students and support them in their work, and he participated in a collaborative research project that helped improve his students’ marks by 26 per cent. He also adjusts and tailors his classes to best meet his students’ needs.

Community Engagement – Sharon Mackenzie, Coldstream

Sharon Mackenzie teaches grades 5-7 at Kidston Elementary school in Coldstream (SD 22), where she finds creative ways to connect her students to the community, including developing a program that allows students to interact with local seniors on a daily basis through art, writing and other activities. She has created job-shadow opportunities for her students to learn about future careers, and believes in hands-on learning that goes beyond the classroom.

She played a key role in developing a nature centre that is used by the public and all of the elementary schools in the district, and founded and served on the board of the Okanagan Science Centre.

Community Engagement – Marc Pelech, Surrey

Marc Pelech teaches Visual and Media Arts at Sullivan Heights Secondary school in Surrey (SD 36), where he creates a culture of student achievement and community engagement through student participation in civic art projects. His students worked with the BC Dairy Foundation on a “Drink More Milk” campaign, and are working with city managers on local beautification and cultural celebration projects. His students have also created a sustainable online resource for art teachers, parents and students interested in applied art partnerships.

He has been a leader in the school and community, serving on the board of the Surrey Arts Council and the school’s audiovisual standards committee where he regularly provides in-service instruction for teachers on media arts. He has been honoured for his contributions by the local city council, board of education, Lieutenant Governor and Governor General.

Community Engagement – Chris Seppelt, Port Coquitlam

Chris Seppelt teaches Religion, Social Justice and Advanced Placement Art History at Archbishop Carney Secondary school in Port Coquitlam (SD 43). To help his students understand good citizenship, he has supported their volunteering at a Downtown Eastside soup kitchen and at the Crabtree Corner family services centre. He has introduced students to local leaders, politicians and decision-makers to illustrate the role of politics in social change, and has supported social justice causes at home and abroad, including leading fundraising drives for African AIDS orphans and Covenant House.

He also inspires students to make a lifelong commitment to those less fortunate; he leads an annual spring break trip to the Bronx, NY where students volunteer at a family homeless shelter, and inspires student-led outreach for causes such as housing and awareness of the genocide in Darfur.

Distributed Learning – John Goldsmith, Chilliwack

John Goldsmith teaches grades 11 and 12 at the Fraser Valley Distance Education School in Chilliwack (SD 33), where he created one of the first virtual classrooms in the province and effectively adapts new technologies and skills to use with his students. Over the past 12 years, he has presented at nearly every distance learning conference in B.C. and Alberta, readily giving his time and advice to other teachers and supporting provincial organizations, such as LearnNow BC and the BC Social Studies Teachers’ Association.

He maintains a blog about new and innovative online resources for teachers, leads weekly training sessions for newly enrolled students, and also leads a team within the school to improve the school’s websites, share new technologies and mentor new staff.

Environmental Awareness – Patricia Fushtey, Agassiz

Patricia Fushtey teaches grades 3 and 4 at Kent Elementary school in Agassiz (SD 78), where she helped develop the School Garden Project, which has community and environmental goals, including supporting carbon neutrality, promoting environmental awareness and stewardship, and providing hands-on learning activities for students. As part of this project, she also created a partnership with the University College of the Fraser Valley to receive help from landscape design students and to incorporate curriculum learning outcomes within the project activities.

She engages the school and community in a river clean-up project, embeds First Nations culture into environmental activities, and shares her knowledge and passion for the environment through working with the Green Legacy Society to address local environmental issues.

Healthy Living/PE and Coaching – Karen Blake, Vancouver

Karen Blake teaches Physical Education, Science, and Health and Careers at David Thompson Secondary school in Vancouver (SD 39). She sponsors and coaches school and community sports teams, and participates on the staff nutrition committee, which promotes healthy food choices for students, staff and parents.

She models healthy behaviour by biking to work and participating in recreational sports. She also leads school activities that promote health and wellbeing, including Jump Rope for Heart, and runs a two-day social responsibility conference to engage students in the idea of connecting with self; this includes addressing topics, such as body image, bullying and online safety.

Lifetime Achievement – Dean Dogherty, Courtenay

Dean Dogherty teaches Science and Psychology 12 at Georges P. Vanier Secondary school in Courtenay (SD 71), where he uses innovative approaches, including hands-on activities, field trips and guest speakers to engage his students. He shares his extensive knowledge of children with special needs with schools, parents and communities, and has won an award for his use of technology to support students with special needs in the classroom.

He helped develop Science 9, Psychology 12 and Technology 11 curricula, and serves as a leader and role model as the school’s athletic director, grad sponsor and coach of the soccer and cross-country running teams. He also coaches hockey and soccer in the community.

Lifetime Achievement – Zaitun Mahedi, Vancouver

Zaitun Mahedi teaches sciences at Crofton House School in Vancouver (SD 39), where she serves as a role model for students and beginning teachers, and inspires students to embrace learning with a positive, open mind. She believes in embracing each student’s individuality and promoting the growth of the whole child.

She encourages collaboration and initiates working relationships with others in the school and community, including parents. She also fosters students’ leadership and mentoring skills; one way she accomplishes this is through having Grade 12 students hold science lab events for younger students.

Lifetime Achievement – Don Morrison, Victoria

Don Morrison teaches at Spencer Middle school in Victoria (SD 62), where he embraces the unique needs and challenges of students with social, emotional, physical and intellectual difficulties and works to ensure they get a high-quality education.

He has brought in new programs for students, including cross-grade literacy and numeracy blocks for students who struggle in these courses, and a gifted program for students who excel. He has created a Learning Centre that is open to all students who need extra assistance and works with parents and classroom teachers to help them maximize the potential of each student. He works to ensure the Special Education Department runs smoothly, and pursues professional development opportunities and serves as a resource to his colleagues.

Literacy – Paula Nannery, Vancouver

Paula Nannery teaches English 12 at St. Patrick Regional Secondary school in Vancouver (SD 39). Her leadership has increased enrolment in her course from 65 to 90 per cent in a school where English is not the first language spoken in more than half of the students’ homes.

She helped establish advanced-placement English courses outside of her regular teaching duties, and has introduced a mandatory reading program that continues to be the backbone of the school’s Language Arts program. In addition, she is part of the curriculum development groups for the Ministry of Education and the Western Canadian English Curriculum Consortium, and ensures that she is in touch frequently with parents to provide updates on achievement and to involve them in their children’s education.

School Leadership – Paul (PJ) Lavoie, Surrey

Paul Lavoie teaches at Johnston Heights Secondary school in Surrey (SD 36), where he coordinates two major drama productions each year and also works with the cafeteria staff to produce a dinner theatre event. As a Student Leadership teacher and student council coordinator, he encourages students and parents to be leaders in the community, and has worked with the school’s model United Nations team, which recently attended its first conference.

He helps foster social and personal responsibility at the school by working on events and activities, such as the Terry Fox Run, spirit weeks, breast cancer awareness, the student newspaper, a school song, blood drives, and coordinating school dances. He also supports and mentors new teachers in his role as department head, works with teachers on spirit-building activities, and recently piloted a Relationship Always Matters project that involves staff and the entire student body at the school.

School Leadership – Avi Luxenburg, Courtenay

Avi Luxenburg teaches Information Technology at North Island Distance Education school in Courtenay (SD 71), where he has worked with staff, parents and community members to develop a program for gifted learners, and has recently integrated Social Studies, English and Information Technology into a new Humanities 9 course. He has shown initiative and innovation by bringing new ideas to his colleagues and to parents, including developing tutorials and fostering professional development.

He created the first student council for the online school, and is supporting council members in building a sense of community through contests, clubs and online drama productions. He also spends time coaching parents face-to-face to help them better use the software for electronic PAC meetings and has created an online forum for parents to help them better understand the online world in which their children are learning.

School Leadership – Sherry Stade, Kamloops

Sherry Stade teaches Leadership and Physical Education at Valleyview Secondary school in Kamloops (SD 73), where she encourages students to become leaders in their school and community, and has played a key role in creating a student mentorship program at the school, while being a mentor for younger teachers.

She leads events and activities that engage parents and the broader community and invests countless hours in extra-curricular activities with her students, including organizing and hosting leadership conferences for students from across B.C. She also works to improve existing courses and to create a number of new ones, including a PE class for girls who do not excel in traditional athletics.

Skills Training and Career Prep – Susan Atwood, West Vancouver

Susan Atwood teaches Work Experience and Grad Transitions at Rockridge Secondary school in West Vancouver (SD 45), where she helps coordinate work placements among students; six years ago, there were no work placements, and now there are more than 150 each year. She supports her students to build networks and connections in the community, to experience success and make informed choices for their futures as she works with them on their successful transition from the classroom to the workplace.

She serves on provincial committees, receives ongoing professional development and shares her learning with colleagues. She also works with police, youth workers, drug and alcohol counsellors, and community members to organize parent information sessions and presentations to the local Chamber of Commerce and the school’s Parent Advisory Council.

Skills Training and Career Prep – Roger Conrod, Victoria

Roger Conrod teaches Carpentry and Career Prep at Lambrick Park Secondary school in Victoria (SD 61), where his advanced woodworking class has formed its own company that operates outside school hours. He encourages students to explore a range of training opportunities and many graduates from his programs are now operating successful businesses.

He engages parents, local business owners and dignitaries in the life of the school by developing solid relationships and bringing in guest speakers who give his students a view of the real world.

Skills Training and Career Prep – Karen Larsen, Langley

Karen Larsen teaches Planning 10 and Grad Transitions 12 at R.E. Mountain Secondary school in Langley (SD 35), where she works with students to set and meet individual goals that relate to their unique strengths and abilities. She also works with colleagues to set up research assignments and encourages other staff to commit time and expertise to the school’s career program.

She has provided thousands of career-preparation placements for students over the years and works with students, parents and employers before, during and after work-placement and apprenticeship experiences. She serves as an advisor for student teachers and shares her expertise with her colleagues. She also plans, organizes and leads a two-day Healthy Living and Career Opportunities Conference that involves all staff at the school and allows students to explore the opportunities available to them.

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Media contact:	Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Education 250 356-5963

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