(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Eastview & Hunting Hills

Teachers from two Red Deer Public Schools receive National Inclusive Education Awards

Apr 14, 2023 | 4:10 PM

Teachers from two Red Deer Public School District institutions have been named winning recipients of the National Inclusive Education Awards.

The Awards aim to honor and recognize teachers, schools and districts for showing individual and exemplary commitment to Inclusive Education.

The recipients are:

• Eastview Middle School:
  • Jennifer Gouldie
  • Barb Yost
  • Isaac Terenzio
  • Hanna Delemont
  • Lynn Lawton-Paquin.
• Hunting Hills High School – Mrs. Lesley Young

Dawne Hammerschmidt, a parent who nominated Hunting Hills High School, says that having two schools in a mid-sized city like Red Deer is significant. She adds that, more importantly, it makes a difference in the worlds of the students they have supported.

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“The impact to our family is so many things; it’s having people accept our son with a disability, presuming competence and being seen and treated as a valued learner in the school. It’s facilitating relationships, opening so many more opportunities, showing fellow students that people with developmental disabilities do not need to be in special spaces and, I hope, creating a much needed change in community, that recognizes that we all need to belong,” she said.

“Those making a difference for families like mine, families who want their children to have a regular life, need to be celebrated and acknowledged.”

Jessica Schurman, another nominating parent, said her delighter Matea’s education at Eastview Middle School has been life-changing.

“It is not lost on us as a family the amount of work that her teachers and educational assistants put in to make a quality education accessible for her, learning Grade 8 curriculum, shoulder to shoulder with her peers. As a community, we are modelling that she is worthy of belonging and a valued learner in her school – this inclusive education she is receiving is changing the trajectory of her life,” she said.

Officials say winners are selected from nominations received provincially and are provided jointly by Inclusion Canada and Inclusion Alberta.

The awards were presented at the Inclusion Alberta Family Conference on April 14 in Edmonton.

(Supplied)