Congratulations to teachers Pat Kelly and Jillian McLeod, both of whom are recipients of major awards.
Pat Kelly, who teaches kindergarten to Grade 8 arts education at Dundonald and Chief Whitecap schools, received the 2023 Saskatchewan ORFF Chapter Sylvia Yam Award of Teaching Excellence. This award recognizes music teachers like Sylvia Yam who consistently bring the joy of music to their students, family, friends and community. Pat's passion for music began in Grade 6 when he started playing the clarinet and continued into Grade 9 with the bass guitar. After graduating high school, he played in a band and lived on the road for many years before obtaining a double degree from the University of Saskatchewan. In 2014, he completed a Master's of Elementary Music Education from the University of Alberta. Some of the things Pat has loved to do in his nearly 30 years of teaching are leading a seniors/youth world drumming group and directing singing assemblies, school choirs, Christmas concerts, spring talent shows and Remembrance Day services.
Jillian McLeod, who teaches band and arts education at Sylvia Fedoruk, Queen Elizabeth and Buena Vista schools, received the Canadian Music Educators Association Builders Award. This award recognizes those who advance music education in any Canadian province through building community or establishing significant collaborative efforts. Jillian has played with the North Saskatchewan Wind Symphony, the University of Saskatchewan Wind Orchestra, the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra and the CBDNA North Central Intercollegiate Band. In addition to being a musician, she enjoys research and uses her research skills to inform her teaching pedagogy. She has presented her research on nineteenth-century conductor, Louis Jullien, and on the musical and political influence of American conductor Helen May Butler. Her work has also been published in the University of Saskatchewan Undergraduate Research Journal. Jillian has Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Music Honours degrees from the University of Saskatchewan.
