Parkland School Division is proud to announce its five nominees for the Edwin Parr Teacher Awards: Jenna Stumbur (Duffield School), Shae Careless (Millgrove School), Alyssa Dunbar (Athabasca Delta Community School), Kiran Kawa (Graminia School) and Morgan Kowalczyk (École Broxton Park School).
The Edwin Parr Teachers Awards are presented annually by the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) to honour outstanding first-year teachers. The ASBA bestows the awards upon a maximum of six teachers, each representing a different provincial zone. School boards may nominate any first-year kindergarten to Grade 12 teacher who has taught in an Alberta school jurisdiction that is a member of the ASBA. Parkland School Division is within Zone 2/3.
School boards must select one teacher as their official nominee, who will represent their zone. On March 7, at the Regular Board Meeting, Trustees recognized all five nominees and announced that Ms. Stumbur's nomination would be submitted to the ASBA Zone 2/3 Edwin Parr Selection Committee for consideration. A PSD selection committee narrowed down the field to five and recommended Ms. Stumbur to be PSD's entry for the Zone 2/3 award.
PSD is proud of the difference these five teachers have made in their schools and their students' lives. It is commendable that they have each made a strong impression in such a short time. All five demonstrate a dedication to education and the entire division wishes Ms. Stumbur good luck as she continues in the ASBA's selection process for the Zone 2/3 award. The ASBA is expected to announce the winner in May.
Ms. Jenna Stumbur (Duffield School)
Grades 6-9 Math, Science, Career & Technology Foundations and Health
"This year has confirmed for me how important relationships and making genuine connections with students is not only in the classroom but in other environments like school sports and recess," said Stumbur.
"Altogether, I feel very fortunate to be a part of PSD and look forward to the continued learning ahead."
When Jenna accepted a position at Duffield School, she had never taught Numeracy but in conversation with her academic advisors and with Jenna herself, School Administration did not doubt that Jenna would welcome the challenge of teaching the complexities of Junior High mathematics. She has quickly earned the respect and admiration of colleagues throughout the school division because she has created an environment in her classroom in which every student is learning through collaborative problem-solving and engaging learning experiences.
"I've learned a lot about trying new methods and collaborating with staff members to continuously develop my teaching skills and approach. I see deep-rooted value in hands-on activities, small-group instruction and cross-curricular project-based learning because they meet the diverse needs of my classroom and allow for authentic learning experiences."
Jenna welcomes visitors into her classroom to observe the Building Thinking Classrooms model she has embedded into short- and long-term planning. In her first month of teaching, another principal from the division observed her class and asked how many years of experience Jenna had because of her depth of understanding and knowledge of the math curriculum.
Her passion for teaching science through active, meaningful lab experiments is evident, and when working with students in the science lab, she moves beyond the learning curriculum because she makes strong connections to real life and also to Indigenous culture while she is in the lab with students. When an observer walks into the science lab, (s)he sees a group of scientists, in full lab coats and goggles, huddled together, cooperating to complete an experiment. This positive environment has changed the way our students feel about science, and Jenna's enthusiasm has encouraged students to love and appreciate science, particularly girls who now realize that science is an avenue they may wish to explore and pursue in the future.
Miss Shae Careless (Millgrove School)
Grade 1
Shae has created a warm, welcoming environment where each child is recognized for their unique and special gifts. She often comments on how much she enjoys her students, appreciates their contribution and has established remarkable relationships with them. Shae celebrates as they progress, meets each child exactly where they are at and provides a rich learning environment. Her structure provides clear expectations and ongoing positive feedback that creates a reliable environment where students feel safe and are thriving.
Shae started an Art Club, for students in Grades one through three, where they create interesting projects that get displayed throughout the school. She views this project as an opportunity for students to explore art, make connections and enjoy a safe and creative space. Shae also organized and provided information for staff and parents for a school-wide Jump Rope for Heart campaign.
Recently, Millgrove School showcased a variety of teacher literacy programs and Shae welcomed staff into her classroom. The visiting teachers commented on her outstanding small-group instruction and some followed up with emails asking for suggestions. This collaboration and outstanding skill set is evident daily in her classroom.
Shae is not only eager to be involved but is leading the way! Her dedication is evident in the time she spends planning and her dedication is exemplary. She recently discovered her Métis heritage and has explored and shared her experience in class, including with students participating in sharing circles. Shae seamlessly integrates Indigenous Foundational Knowledge throughout the day and supports the students' learning experiences.
Ms. Alyssa Dunbar (Athabasca Delta Community School)
Grades 3 & 4
Alyssa's professionalism and caring nature have been a gift to the students and staff alike at Athabasca Delta Community School (ADCS). She is an extraordinary beginning teacher who cares for her students and goes to great lengths to help them succeed.
She consistently approaches teaching and learning from a student-centred perspective and works intentionally with her students to help them develop independence. Alyssa presents engaging lessons and activities for her students and consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that each student's unique needs and individual learning outcomes are met. This approach has helped Alyssa build many positive relationships with students, parents and school staff. Her students say they feel welcome in her classroom and think of Alyssa as their champion. She sees challenges as opportunities to grow and incorporates both students and parents in culturally-relevant activities to help everyone develop important skills. Her actions and words reflect a clear respect for each person's dignity and worth.
Alyssa is a dedicated professional who is enthusiastic and passionate about teaching and has swiftly become a valued member of the ADCS staff. She is a hardworking, compassionate and dedicated teacher who will continue to grow and positively impact students' lives.
Mr. Kiran Kawa (Graminia School)
Grade 2
In his first year, Kiran has demonstrated instructional excellence and flexibility along with an exceptional ability to recognize and provide additional support for students' learning needs.
Kiran quickly gained the trust and respect of his colleagues, his students and the broader school community through relationship building. He works collaboratively with his team, listening and learning from other educators, as well as contributing meaningfully to the group. With students, he takes the time to build strong connections and uses his knowledge of their interests to motivate them. These strong relationships contribute to the sense of well-being that students have within his classroom.
In addition to the incredible work that Kiran does for his students, he dedicates himself to coaching some extracurricular activities at Graminia. He coached the Senior Basketball team through a successful season, supported our cross-country runners at their races and acted as a staff sponsor for a lunchtime ping pong club.
As Kiran grows and develops as an educator, his ability to positively impact the lives of staff, students and families will continue to strengthen.
Mme. Morgan Kowalczyk (École Broxton Park School)
Grade 6 French Immersion
Morgan is a professional who executes her obligations and responsibilities with ease and is growing her softer skills of teaching with poise. She has developed a wonderfully caring and inclusive learning environment-one that students are eager to join! She is often found surrounded by groups of students from both her class and different grade levels. This is the result of Morgan's engaging lessons and her involvement in extracurricular activities, including Choir Club and the Badminton Team.
Morgan has a great breadth of knowledge when it comes to content and Alberta's Programs of Study, and she also fosters a learning environment where students feel completely comfortable in attempting new challenges and considering various perspectives. She consistently develops lessons to explicitly embed Indigenous Foundational Knowledge in all subject areas.
Morgan has faced several challenges teaching a French Immersion Grade 6 homeroom class experiencing the rippling effects of learning loss due to the pandemic, differentiation of students working within various grade levels of reading, and redesigning her teaching approaches to support students participating in the French Immersion Parkland Student Athlete Academy. Each challenge poses various degrees of needs yet Morgan ingeniously juggles these pressures through fluid timetabling suitable to providing a greater degree of small-group instruction, leveraging online content for students and applying universal/targeted strategies to accommodate students learning at their own pace.
Through her abilities to persevere, reflect, collaborate, seek answers, collaborate, persevere and reflect, Morgan has a promising future as an educator.
About the Edwin Parr Teachers Awards
In 1964, the Alberta School Trustees' Association (the ASBA's predecessor) established the Edwin Parr Teacher Award to remember the long and meritorious service of past President Edwin Parr. Nominees of the award are selected based on their:
- Knowledge of student learning styles;
- Skill in utilizing a variety of student evaluation methodologies;
- Skill in diagnosing the entry knowledge and/or skill of students for a given set of instructional objectives;
- Skill in assisting students to develop a positive self-concept;
- Involvement in professional development;
- Involvement in extracurricular and community activities; and,
- Interpersonal skills with students.
