Chinook's Edge School Division (CESD) held a gala on Oct. 23 in Olds to honour many award-winning teachers and long-serving and new staff, including those from Innisfail and Penhold.
Shari Klumpenhower of Penhold's Jessie Duncan School, won the Alberta School Board Association Edwin Parr Award for her contribution to the profession.
“The Edwin Parr Award is given in recognition of outstanding first-year teachers in our division,” said Kurt Sacher, superintendent of CESD. “There are eight nominees provincially who are considered for the award and with the nomination, she joins an extraordinary group of teachers.”
The evening was hosted by both the board of education and the Alberta Teachers' Association, and involved employee groups at every level across the division. It began with a formal induction of new teachers into the Alberta Teachers' Association and ended with a tribute to retirees, most of whom had spent their entire careers serving students and families in Chinook's Edge.
“At division office, we are very proud of our teachers and support staff,” said Sacher. “Their level of commitment is obvious, from a bus driver who has spent 40 years taking students to and from school, to teachers with more than 40 years in the classroom. They are a big part of our success.”
John and Rosemarie Pierzchalsk, a husband and wife teaching team who are newly retired, and Robert Urich, all of Innisfail Middle School, were honoured for dedicating their careers to students.
École John Wilson Elementary School saw Debbie Hasksins, Wendy McClelland and Carol Whitehead leave teaching, while Bowden and Spruce View saw Brenda Clark, Brenda Nugent and Fay O'Donnell retire from their community schools.
“A big part of our celebration is saying good-bye to the retired teachers,” said Sacher. “It is one of the highlights when they speak from their heart and share their expertise and talk about how important their careers were to them and to their students, in addition to the importance of their colleagues and supportive administrations in their careers.”
Local teachers from Chinook Center School, Penhold School, Jessie Duncan School, École Innisfail Middle School and École John Wilson Elementary School were honoured for their long service to CESD. They included Candace Abraham, Lynette Akins, Lana Kennedy, Tara Lind, Danica Martin, Debbie Papp, Debbie Rieberger, Kelli Sholdice, Melanie Grant, James Stork, Susan Tuff, Colleen Willigar and Kent Wirtanen.
Joining them were Mary Busby, Patti Cummins, Rona Cunningham, Susan Dillabough, Tracy Dreher, Val Frank, Lori Goldstrom, Cherie Sanchez and Rosemarie Pierzchalski.
