Excellence in Teaching Awards (ETA)  |  2014 Awards

Their work is building Alberta – preparing the next generation of successful Albertans for the future.

Since the program began in 1989, more than 500 teachers and principals have received Excellence in Teaching Awards. Each year, the program shares tremendous stories of these individuals inspiring students to reach their full potential. They have earned recognition from their students, colleagues and community, as well as the Government of Alberta.

Lisa Armstrong

Dr. J. K. Mulloy School
CALGARY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Lisa teaches music to students from Kindergarten to Grade 4. By all accounts, Lisa is a teacher who helps students develop a love of music, be able to see the music in the world around them and experience that music and rhythm in their bodies and lives.

Students are encouraged to try different levels of complexity while playing instruments, search YouTube for variations of songs, research information on composers and even create their own song variations with partners and small groups.

Lisa also mentors her teacher colleagues and presents workshops for the Calgary, Lethbridge and Palliser Teachers’ Conventions.

Since its inception in 2004, Lisa has been a driving force behind the Music Professional Learning Community within the Calgary Board. A performance showcasing hundreds of students from all socio-economic, ethnic and ability levels has now become an annual event staged at the Jack Singer Hall.

Students, colleagues and the public have found a rich resource of collaboration and leadership in Lisa Armstrong.

Lloyd Bloomfield

Harry Ainlay High School
EDMONTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Lloyd is the Department Head of Career and Technology Studies (CTS) as well as an integral part of the Design Studies program at Harry Ainlay High School. 

Lloyd’s experience as a journeyman carpenter and his own drafting expertise support his students’ pursuit of design skills in graphic arts and architecture. His recent introduction of 3D printing has even awakened the entrepreneurial spirit in some of his students. 

Outside class, Lloyd is an advocate for robotics and the Harry Ainlay Robotics Team regularly places highly in local and regional competitions.

While working tirelessly within the school, Lloyd is also deeply committed to programs that involve students outside the building as well as the ongoing professional development of teachers in the Edmonton district and beyond. 

Outside the school Lloyd is involved in the placement of University of Alberta education students involved in CTS studies and has served as Program Chair for the Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention Association. 

Tania Brown

G. W. Skene School
CALGARY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Tania’s current teaching assignment involves the Bridges Program at G. W. Skene School. The school serves a complex, multicultural community. Tania, a Learning Leader for the school, believes that all students are capable of great accomplishments, no matter how challenging their home lives and family socio-economic status may be. 

Tania has achieved success supporting children with serious psychological disorders and experiencing school failure. Her combination of high expectations and personalized programming encourages many students to re-join inclusive classroom settings. As Learning Leader, Tania furthers the strategic objectives of the school through her thoughtful relationships with staff, families and students. 

Tania helped to select the Circle of Courage as a guiding philosophy for the school. She intuitively understood that an approach integrated into daily work rather than as an “add on” program was needed.

Tania now leads professional development on the Circle of Courage as well as organizing student events to introduce the philosophy to the school’s community of learners.

Terry Colp

M. E. LaZerte School
EDMONTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Terry Colp has abundant teaching and life experiences that have made him a remarkable teacher. He has taught all levels of English in junior and senior high from behaviour assistance classes to International Baccalaureate curriculum.

His life experience in community theatre as an artistic director, playwright, screenwriter and producer for the Fringe and Folk Music Festivals give him personal and professional resources from which to design creative and innovative learning challenges for his students.

Terry has extensive experience creating and leading professional development for GETCA and the ATA Language Arts Council. As English Department Head and a member of the A Team (Assessment Team) Terry has had a significant impact on teaching and learning at the M.E. Lazerte School. At the heart of all these strategies is a desire to engage students in their learning.

When Terry feels he needs improvement in his own approach to teaching he changes virtually everything he is currently teaching and how he is teaching it. In doing so, he models risk and reward in education. 

Mariko Eto

Louis St. Laurent School
EDMONTON CATHOLIC SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Mariko Eto’s outstanding efforts over 25 years of teaching include pioneering several learning initiatives that saw more mainstream services and supports come to ESL learners within the district, the growth of a robust robotics program within her school and a level of advocacy for student leadership that has empowered more student choice and voice within her community of learners.

As well as being an exceptional proponent of specialty councils and ongoing professional development, Mariko is a true champion for deepening capacity in her math department.

Mariko believes in developing well-rounded citizens. She has worked with the Student Council to undertake many social justice activities including bullying and racism. Each year a core group of young people adept at making a difference in the community raise thousands of dollars for causes such as the Make a Wish Foundation, cancer research and the Stollery Children’s Hospital. 

Mariko’s career reminds us that it is the daily interactions with learners, peers and parents, little actions and kind words that take root, grow and blossom to bear great fruit.

Janet Fast

L.Y. Cairns Junior-Senior High School
EDMONTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Janet works with students with mild cognitive disabilities. She meets and exceeds both parental and student expectations of achievement through a diverse repertoire of teaching skills. Janet has an uncanny ability to establish connections with students in a way that motivates them to reach goals.

An essential aspect of her success is the personal contact she maintains with parents and students at home via weekly updates and shared links. 

Realizing the importance of explicit instruction for her students in the decision-making process Janet developed a two-stage program: Thinking Before Acting and Walk the Talk. 

The first stage develops a six-step decision-making process that is applied in the second stage to real life relationship and consumer situations. This system also allows other school staff to use a common vocabulary in decision-making situations students may encounter in other classes.

This work led to Janet becoming the school’s Literacy Coach as her knowledge and ability to guide staff through in-class demonstrations and consultation is legendary. 

Catherine Fox

Sunrise School
GRASSLAND REGIONAL DIVISION

Catherine is the principal of Sunrise School, a multi-division, alternate school in Brooks. Approximately 35 junior high and senior high students attend the Supported Learning Program. Students typically come to Sunrise through a referral process.

Catherine and her staff - three teachers, an administrative assistant, and support staff – ensure that food is available in the morning and at lunchtime and for healthy snacks as required. Each student chooses a specific staff member as a responsible adult to listen or advise them. 

Catherine removes barriers for her students and helps them achieve success. This alternative school has high expectations of its learners. Last year Sunrise had the largest graduating class (10) in its history.

Within this supportive learning environment, more students are realizing their own potential and gaining the motivation and confidence to go on to post-secondary studies. And they all express deep gratitude for the principal who supported them.

Coreen Hudec

Lillian Osborne High School
EDMONTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Coreen is a highly skilled teacher of Mathematics. She is also the leader of the High School Flexibility Project and has implemented new assessments to check student understanding. 

Students use their cell phones to access the Socrative Student Response Website, join her virtual classroom and answer an exit question. In class, students hold up individual whiteboards with their responses. Both approaches provide immediate feedback. 

Coreen also provides anyone who needs math help in the school or District with a copy of her computer drive: sharing lessons, projects, quizzes and exams. 

Coreen leads by example volunteering in local and international communities. She works with YESS (Youth Empowerment and Support Services), canvasses for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and has volunteered in Peru. 

Her example inspires her students to get actively involved in local movements and volunteer in autism intervention programs, Art in the Park, and Helping Hampers.

Through her endless giving and encouraging others to do the same, Coreen stimulates an educational and environmental effect that changes lives.

Elise Lee

École Agnes Davidson School
LETHBRIDGE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elise teaches Grade 1 and 2 French Immersion and served as the Learning Support Teacher in her school. She has developed three schoolwide programs to promote speaking French.

Elise created a French Help website to provide additional resources for students and parents and has developed numerous resources for teachers.

A member of many school and district committees including Technology, Professional Development and One School One Book, Elise has served on local and provincial Alberta Teachers’ Association French Councils.

Having taught different grades in the mainstream program, Francophone and French Immersion Programs, Elise has an excellent understanding of the curriculum and diversity of student needs. Working with Alberta Education, she has evaluated resources in French Language Arts, Social Studies, Music and Fine Arts and created bridging documents in CTS.

Her favourite educational mantra is “Kids don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Elise is an excellent teacher who daily demonstrates how much she knows and how much she cares.

Arlene Lipkewich

A. Blair McPherson School
EDMONTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

In her role as Teacher Librarian, Arlene is the keystone of her school’s vision of an Innovative, Inquiring Community.

To service a large student population of English language learners, Arlene has planned and hosted a series of family field trips around the Mighty Love of Reading theme. 

These evenings allow families to experience local libraries and bookstores. Transportation is provided where required and students and families are excited to see and meet with their teachers outside of the regular school setting. Arlene has worked to ensure that 98% of the students have their own library cards.

Arlene’s in-school reading program You Decide has motivated students from Grades 1 – 6 to read five books especially selected for their grade level. The program finishes with a huge, school-wide celebration in the gym where students can vote for their favourite book.

This excellent teacher’s enthusiasm is contagious. Arlene’s dedication to education allows her to not only better herself, her students and their families, but also to inspire others to reach their full potential.

Ginette Marcoux

McKernan School
EDMONTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Ginette is responsible for the only Late French Immersion Program in the Edmonton district. Her passion for the French language combines with commitment and dedication to her Grade 7 students and has them performing at the levels of six-year French Immersion students at the end of their first year of study.

This success comes from Ginette’s effective adaptation of Maxwell’s Accelerative Integrated Method (AIM) for use with adolescent students studying a second language. The approach uses gestures, stories, music and dramatic techniques to enhance learning. Ginette also makes use of her own adapted materials to modify existing textbooks for new French speakers.

Ginette’s involvement with Alberta Education and Edmonton Public Schools has helped to design a framework for teaching Late French Immersion.

She shares her expertise on the use of the Smartboard in the context of teaching second languages with colleagues around the province.

Ginette’s boundless energy, her love of teenagers, and her proven ability make her an outstanding teacher. 

Heather McKay

Andrew Sibbald School
CALGARY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Heather, an innovative teacher passionate about literature, challenges her kindergarten students to “see, think and wonder.” She developed a “Wonder Project” using blogs and Twitter to connect her kindergarten students and their individual “wonders” to the larger community.

Heather’s students received answers to their questions from around the world. This successful outreach resulted in an invitation for Heather and team partners to attend the Cultivating the Scientist Within Every Child Conference in Toronto.

Heather’s enthusiasm for science extends to other students in the school and generated a lunchtime STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) club as well as creating daily dialogue in an online Professional Learning Network among 34 schools worldwide.

Heather creates a stimulating learning environment by connecting with students, uncovering their interests and allowing them to create and maintain ownership of their learning.

As one parent wrote, “When faced with a closed door, she finds a window.” 

Tracy Melnyk

John Paul II Catholic High School
ELK ISLAND CATHOLIC SEPARATE REGIONAL DIVISION 

Tracy holds a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education with a specialization in English. In her thesis, Tracy examined how the Diploma Exam affects students. Accordingly, she ensures that her students are exceptionally well prepared for this milestone.

Tracy was instrumental in bringing the Advanced Placement Program into the school and, as an AP teacher, she constantly implements new strategies to engage students in literature and challenge their writing skills.

She has taken a lead role within the staff to examine the High School Flexibility Model.

Her remarkably productive classrooms are a result of her innate ability to build relationships with every student. Tracy constantly revises tools and assignments to more effectively meet student needs. One such source of support: her own webpage MellytheTeach.

In addition to her regular classroom course load Tracy serves as the liaison among the Alberta Distance Learning Centre and the students taking ADLC courses, the team-teachers, school administration and parents of over 350 students involved.

Brenda Mykytiuk

H. A. Kostash School
ASPEN VIEW PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION 

Brenda Mykytiuk is an outstanding kindergarten teacher at Smoky Lake’s H. A. Kostash School and an Early Childhood Specialist. Her class is full of 21st Century learners working on iPads, listening to CDs, interacting with the Smartboards, and working with math manipulatives. 

Brenda’s influence on learners extends beyond the classroom. She works with a team of teachers researching best practices in math instruction and sharing those practices with other kindergarten teachers. She formed and chairs the Early Childhood Development Coalition, a county-wide organization that promotes the well-being of children from birth to school age.

Brenda also works with an Apple Schools initiative to bring healthy lifestyle choices to all students at the school. She is a long-term member of the Smoky Lake Community and School Association and the Teacher Representative for the H. A. Kostash Parent Council.

Brenda is focused and motivated and her dedication to her school and her students is evident in everything she does. 

Tia Myrick

École J. H. Picard
EDMONTON CATHOLIC SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Tia teaches English Language Arts, dance and musical theatre in addition to serving as Department Head of English. Gifted with a renovated space for a dance program, Tia designed and implemented the dance programs for both junior and senior high school students.

Her motivational techniques with students are extraordinary. She takes boys and girls who have never had any dance experience and treats them like they are part of a competitive dance studio where her high expectations garner great results. Evidence of her hard work is abundant in the award-winning musical theatre events produced at the school.

Tia also co-founded the school’s Glee programs and this blossoming of performing arts activities benefits hundreds of students physically, socially and emotionally.

Her positive energy, dramatic skills and sense of humour bring laughter and enjoyment to a classroom where everyone feels safe, respected and valued.

The resurgence of the Fine Arts Academy at the school is a tribute to this gifted communicator, wonderful collaborator and passionate leader.

Joanne Olsen

Youngstown School
EDMONTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Joanne Olsen is an integral member of Youngstown School’s inclusive learning community. She is a masterful classroom teacher as well as an Intervention Teacher and Literacy Coach. She has broadened the community’s understanding of literacy by a series of innovative and creative approaches to supporting students, staff and families. 

Joanne also attends ongoing professional learning for her role as Literacy Coach. In her second year of Edmonton Public School’s Leadership Development Framework, she encourages her teaching colleagues to connect with resources. 

Joanne’s innovative use of technology involves creating an online ‘Literacy Board’ and coaching staff on its use. This approach has been transformational for Youngstown School. Joanne has brought about “whole school” collaboration in timely, targeted intervention for all students reading below grade level. She also employs her knowledge of current and emerging information and communication technology to engage students.

Joanne organizes and facilitates intramurals for kindergarten to Grade 3 students and works closely with staff to manage the Grades 4 – 6 intramurals to ensure there is schoolwide participation.

Gregory Rankin

George McDougall High School
ROCKY VIEW SCHOOL DIVISION 

Greg Rankin teaches full-time, coaches football and serves as the Learning Coach at his school. He is also deeply involved in project-based learning and cross-curricular work and is fiercely focused on making education more meaningful and engaging for students.

A key innovative program is “Building Futures”. The project is a partnership between a local builder and other professional organizations in the residential homebuilding industry. It has attracted a lot of attention from other high schools in the division as well as other school jurisdictions.

Grade 10 students learn their entire curriculum while building a house. All core courses and several option courses are taught through this process and it provides the students with hands-on work in a real life situation.

Participation in the program has demonstrated student improvement in both academic and behavioral issues. Formerly struggling students are far exceeding expectations their teachers and parents had set for them. Sometimes the best way to think outside the box may be to build a new box!

Steven Russell

James Mowat Elementary School
ELK ISLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS REGIONAL DIVISION 

Steven uses the Project-Based Learning model (PBL) of instruction in his Grade 5 classroom. He and another teacher created an engaging project on Canadian history and its links to contemporary Canadian issues.

Parents feel that Steven’s dedication to identify students’ strengths and areas for growth, exceeds their expectations. His motivation, patience and support have his students stepping out of his classroom with self-confidence, self-assurance and a newly found love of math. 

The classroom itself is a busy hive of activity. Students collaborate in groups or work on their own conducting experiments or figuring out the latest assignment. Students appreciate him because he cares about their education, and also about them personally.

Steven, the school’s Technology Specialist, has been pioneering technological techniques and strategies and hosting many of the district professional development sessions in the use of new media in education.

Steven’s media savvy works behind the scenes of almost every special event at the school. It can be editing student movies for assemblies or organizing events such as the Christmas concert.

Brenda Scaddan

Queen Elizabeth High School
EDMONTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Brenda is the ‘go to’ person on staff for innovations in teaching. Her extensive pedagogical knowledge, dedication to students and collaborative spirit make her an incredible resource for teaching and learning at Queen Elizabeth School and its 21 catchment schools.

Brenda was an early adopter and leader in differentiated instruction as a means of generating student interest in Social Studies. Research and practice in Universal Design for Learning processes and the use of technology to increase engagement brought her new insights on grouping students to reduce barriers to learning.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities Brenda’s encouragement of student participation in video conferencing and engaging her students in dialogues on world issues helps create global citizens.

She is a key member of the school’s anti-bullying program, Lead Teacher in the Community Helpers program, part of the Comprehensive School Health team and Teacher Sponsor for the Citadel Club.

Brenda Scadden is an inspiration to her community of learners inside and outside of the classroom.

Reagan Weeks

Elm Street School
MEDICINE HAT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Reagan has a strong background in Adaptive Schools and Cognitive Coaching; and as District leader, initiated a Destination Imagination Program. 

In this program students compete in short and long term critical thinking skill challenges. This blossomed into a regional event and some of the students actually attended the World Competition in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Reagan builds partnerships for her school with Medicine Hat College, Medalta Pottery Historic Site and many other community organizations to support the work she does for her students.

Reagan’s “Bring Back the Music” program was developed with Medicine Hat College’s Conservatory of Music and Dance. The program ensures music touches children who would not otherwise have these opportunities. As part of a five-year plan, 24 students in Grades 4 – 6 receive two hours of instruction each week.

Most recently Reagan has helped families recover from the Alberta floods of 2013. She has organized fundraisers to raise funds, food and supplies for the families impacted. The leader of Elm Street School is also a leader in the community.

Semi-Finalists