Prime Ministerial awards for OISE teachers making a difference
October 6, 2011
Six very special OISE alumni have joined the ranks of an elite group of Canadian teachers. The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Government Leader in the House of Commons, on behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, yesterday announced the recipients of the 2010-11 Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence. Award recipients were honoured at a ceremony in Ottawa, fittingly held on World Teachers' Day, October 5. "Great teachers inspire great minds to be their best," said Minister Van Loan. "Today, we celebrate outstanding educators who are igniting the curiosity of their students and making Canada a better place, one child at a time."
26 national Certificates of Excellence were handed out across Canada to the highest-ranked nominees. The five Ontario recipients included two OISE alumni:
Shirley Dalrymple (B.Ed., 1989), teaches Applied Math for grade 9, Data Management for grade 12 and College Math for grade 12 at Thornhill Secondary School in Toronto. Shirley turns math into story time: creative juices flow as students learn about probability and write stories that get evaluated by celebrities.
John Alan Baigent (B.Ed. 1981), who provides leadership and peer support for Grade 11 students at Neil McNeil High School in Toronto. John's passion is his driving force as a teacher who “builds people for a living” and develops award-winning leadership program for young men.
Certificates of Achievement were awarded to 58 regional winners, including four OISE alumni who all teach in Toronto:
Simon Ives (B.Ed., 2004), is a JK/SK teacher at Hillcrest Community School; Sam Scott (B.Ed., 2006), teaches Computer Science and Math at Ursula Franklin Academy; Harriet Simand (B.Ed., 2000), teaches Math, Science, Social Studies and Literacy for grade 6 at Bishop Strachan School; Lynn Wilkins (B.Ed., 2004) teaches Language Arts, Math, Arts, History, Geography and Drama for grade 7, and Physical Education for grades 1/2 and 2/3 at Courcelette Public School.
Recipients are selected for educational excellence at all levels, from preschool to secondary school, and are recognized as exceptionally innovative leaders who help students excel and young children get the best possible start in life.
For information on how to nominate a special teacher for one of these prestigious awards, visit The Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence website.
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