Thirty-four education professionals from British Columbia have received the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education.
Launched in 2018, the awards honour public, independent and First Nations school teachers, support staff, principals, vice-principals, as well as school and district leaders, who all go above and beyond to make life better for K-12 students throughout the province.
This year, awards were given to three recipients in each of the 10 categories. The Outstanding Team Collaboration category had multiple recipients per team.
The nomination period ran from April 14 until May 5, 2023. It was open to the public, as well as those working in the education sector. Nominations were received from throughout the province.
The award recipients were celebrated at a ceremony at Government House in Victoria on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Each recipient received a $2,000 personal bursary for professional learning, a $1,000 contribution to their school for professional learning, and a commemorative trophy.
Learn More:
For more information about the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/teach/excellence-in-education
A backgrounder follows.
Backgrounders
Updated Oct. 27, 2023
The 2023 Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education recipients are:
Community Engagement
- Heather Coey, teacher, Reynolds Secondary, SD61 (Greater Victoria)
- Vanessa White, district principal, Safe and Healthy Schools, SD62 (Sooke)
- Jenny Mitchell, teacher, Summerland Middle School, SD67 (Okanagan-Skaha)
District Leadership
- Chris van der Mark, superintendent, SD27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin)
- Scott Stinson, superintendent, SD62 (Sooke)
- Dustin Hyde, district vice-principal, Indigenous Education, SD67 (Okanagan-Skaha)
Extracurricular Leadership
- Lana O’Brien, teacher, W.L Seaton Secondary, SD22 (Vernon)
- Heather Lee Lytle, teacher, Smithers Secondary, SD54 (Bulkley Valley)
- Amanda Liebe, teacher, Constable Bruce Neil Middle School, SD23 (Central Okanagan)
Indigenous Education
- Roberta Edzerza, district principal, Indigenous Education, SD52 (Prince Rupert)
- Lesley Gunning, teacher and district administrator, Mountain Secondary, SD35 (Langley)
- Jim Elwood, teacher, Mount Boucherie Secondary, SD23 (Central Okanagan)
Outstanding New Teacher
- Craig Arthur, teacher, Vancouver Christian School
- John Voskamp, teacher, Vancouver Christian School
- Rob Bennett, teacher, Kelowna Secondary, SD23 (Central Okanagan)
- Lauren Klassen, teacher, Constable Bruce Neil Middle School, SD23 (Central Okanagan)
Outstanding Support-School Community
- Tanya Leech, head secretary, Q’shintul/Mill Bay Nature School, SD59 (Cowichan Valley)
- Darrin Huzar, Indigenous education worker, Pinewood Elementary, SD57 (Prince George)
- Inderjit Grewal, drug and alcohol counsellor, Smithers Secondary, SD54 (Bulkley Valley)
Outstanding Support-Teaching Assistant
- Amanda Hilverda, certified education assistant, Kelowna Senior Secondary, SD23 (Central Okanagan)
- Danielle Brown, certified education assistant, Constable Bruce Neil Middle School, SD23 (Central Okanagan)
- Jolene Parsons, district inclusion assistant, David Cameron Elementary, SD62 (Sooke)
Outstanding Team Collaboration
- Trevor Stokes, teacher; Gord Howey, youth and family worker (retired); Barry Skillin, student support worker, Streetfront Alternative – Britannia Secondary, SD39 (Vancouver)
- Mark Biggar, teacher; Todd Goodman, teacher; Thomas Haney Secondary, SD42 (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows)
- Glenn Paul Barr, retired teacher; Melanie Millar, resource teacher; New Hazelton Elementary, SD 82 (Coast Mountains)
School Leadership
- Angela McLeish, vice-principal, St. Patrick’s Elementary, Victoria
- Davy Dosanjh, teacher, Caledonia Secondary, SD 82 (Coast Mountains)
- Laura Moriarty, teacher, Stratford Hall, Vancouver
Social Equity and Diversity
- Perry Rath, teachers, Smithers Secondary, SD54 (Bulkley Valley)
- Kristina Carley, teacher, University Highlands Elementary, SD41 (Burnaby)
- Michael Taylor, teacher, Hugh Boyd Secondary, SD 39 (Richmond)
https://news.gov.bc.ca/29739
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