The Alberta Teachers’ Association

St. Albert school takes the Earth

The determination and commitment of students attending Elmer Gish School in St. Albert have paid off. Students completed 1,200 environmental projects to win Canada Trust's Friends of the Environment Foundation's Earth Award. The school beat 4,000 other schools across Canada.

Principal Larry Mumby says "the kids won the award" through their determination to complete the projects and their commitment to the environment. Mumby says students were involved in recycling projects, fundraising for the World Wildlife Fund and water and electricity conservation.

As part of the award, the school received $1,000, which will be used to build an outdoor classroom.

Excellence in teaching numbers, equations and formulas recognized

The exceptional abilities of teachers in science and math and the academic excellence of students studying engineering and geosciences are the focus of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) Excellence in Education awards.

Science and math teachers are nominated by students, colleagues and principals. A $500 cash award for classroom materials and/or field trips, is presented in the teacher's name to each school.

The recipients of APEGGA's teacher awards for 1995 are

• Kitty Cochrane, Dickensfield Elementary School, Fort McMurray
• Virginia Cundliffe, Winston Churchill School, Lloydminster
• Tim Fath, Meadowbrook Middle School, Airdrie
• Chris Hammond, Parkallen Elementary School, Edmonton
• Mark Heinricks, Alexandra Junior high School, Medicine Hat
• Woody Knebel, William Aberhart High School, Calgary
• Kent Lorenz, Delburne Centralized School, Delburne (Lorenz now teaches at Vauxhall Elementary School, Vauxhall)
• Terry Olfert, Vauxhall Elementary School, Vauxhall
• Helen Payette, Peers School, Peers
• Barry Pritchard, Edith Rogers Junior High School, Edmonton
• Joanne Stepney, St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School, Edmonton
• Paul Webster, Sir Winston Churchill High School, Calgary

Retired teacher attends 70th convention

Vera Bracken was in her teens and teaching 15 students in a one-room schoolhouse south of Lethbridge when she attended her first teachers' convention.

Seventy years later, Bracken has long retired from teaching but continues to attend teachers' conventions every year. The 86-year-old Bracken says she goes for the "sheer enjoyment." She retired in 1974.

Teacher dedicated to animal welfare

Every year, the Alberta SPCA singles out individuals who make contributions to animal welfare in Alberta. The recipient of the teacher of the year award for 1995 is Monica Etherington, a teacher at Swan Hills School in Swan Hills.

Drumheller student write on

Steven Peters, a 13-year-old student from St. Anthony's School in Drumheller, is a winner in the 1995 Prism Awards Program. The competition recognizes children's creative writing.

Peters attributes his success to the help received from his teachers at St. Anthony's School.

The 10 award winners are matched with editors who help to develop the children's talent and potential to that of professional writers. Peters received a $500 award from Scotiabank and a trip to Toronto to attend the awards ceremony.

Partnership celebrates milestone

Canada's first school/business partnership has reason to celebrate. The duo celebrated its 10th birthday recently making it Canada's oldest partnership.

Calgary's Shaughnessy High School and the Calgary West Rotary Club enjoy a "mutually beneficial relationship," says principal Byron Lambe. Lambe says Rotarians serve as mentors, role and career models, tutors, consultants and guest speakers. In turn, students and staff speak at Rotary functions, volunteer at fundraisers and host meetings.

Rotarian Stan Mulligan and teacher Grit McCreath join forces in celebrating Canada's oldest school/business partnership.

PM gives teacher top marks in science and math

A teacher's dedication to students, math and science, have garnered him a national honor.

Rocque Richard, a teacher at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Sherwood Park, is the recipient of the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in Science, Technology and Mathematics.

School principal Sheryl Hawkins says Richard "brings a love of learning to kids."

Richard, who teaches Grades 5 and 6 math and science, is the only Albertan to be a national recipient of the Prime Minister's Award. Five other Albertan teachers who have won are either regional or local recipients.

Retired teacher calls on Rideau Hall

A life member of the ATA, whose artistic work honors the political achievements of women, has been presented with a Governor General's award during a ceremony at Rideau Hall.

Alice Tyler, a retired teacher living in Edmonton, made portraits of the five women who fought for the Persons Case—a 1929 British Privy Council decision that declared Canadian women "persons" and eligible for Senate appointments. The women are Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Muir Edwards.

Tyler says she was motivated to paint the women because little is taught about the Persons Case.

Lethbridge school is "exemplary"

Students attending Dr. Gerald Probe Elementary School in Lethbridge are big on reading and writing. The school was presented with the 1995 Exemplary Reading Program Award—the only one awarded to an elementary school in Canada.

The school was nominated for the award following a two-year University of Lethbridge study of the students' reading and writing.

Fund will pay tuition for inner-city youth

A trust fund, named in honor of Steve Ramsankar, is $25,000 richer thanks to a donation from the Adults for Kids Society.

Ramsankar, principal of Alex Taylor community school in Edmonton, hopes the trust fund will help Alex Taylor alumni who plan to attend college or university.

The organization, dedicated to helping inner-city youth, hopes to raise $75,000 by May.

ECEC applauds advocates

Individuals and groups defending kindergarten and bringing the issue of kindergarten funding to the attention of the public have been recognized by the Early Childhood Education Council (ECEC) of the ATA.

ECS in Crisis; Myer Horowitz, former president of the University of Alberta; Doug McNally, former Edmonton City Police Chief; and Bauni Mackay, ATA president, were given certificates of recognition by the Council.

Sherwood Park kindergarten teacher Bonnie Watson was given an award for her work with ECS in Crisis and Kindergarten Coalition, a province-wide group.

Photo courtesy of Shaughnessy High School