Chinook's Edge School Division was scheduled to welcome 27 new teachers, say farewell to 30 retiring staff and honour 53 staff for long service during its annual Celebrations event on Nov. 4 at the Alumni Centre in Olds.
“We are always so proud to honour our dedicated staff in this way,” CESD superintendent Kurt Sacher said in a release. “Many of our long-serving staff have spent their entire careers with Chinook's Edge, and that level of commitment has a very positive impact on our students. Each person in Chinook's Edge – whether they are support staff, bus drivers, principals or trustees – have key roles to play in supporting our teachers in the classroom.”
A total of 23 CESD staff were to be recognized for providing 20 years of service, 15 staff members for providing 25 years of service, 14 awards were to be handed out to staff who had served 30 years, and one staff member, Norma McKinlay, was to be honoured for providing 40 years of service.
In addition, Cremona School's Tyson Youngs won the ASBA Zone 4 Edwin Parr Award, while École Olds Elementary School's Jane Atkins and Spruce View School's Teri Patterson won Excellence in Teaching Awards.
McKinley, who teaches the Grade 1-12 art program at Spruce View School, said everything she does is to provide her students with the skills to grow into healthy adults.
“I still arrive to school at seven every morning and I love it,” McKinlay stated in a release. “My favourite part is watching the children mature and learn, and it's so exciting to be a part of that.”
