Teachers Michael Saretzky (left, St. Patrick's) and Sarah Steinbach (right, H.J. Cody). (Supplied)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

well done!

Three central Alberta teachers earn national teaching excellence awards

Oct 6, 2023 | 10:53 AM

Three local teachers are recipients of national awards coming out of the Prime Minister’s office.

They are among just a few dozen across the country to receive such recognition.

First, the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence goes to Sarah Steinbach, who teaches at H.J. Cody School in Sylvan Lake.

“To even be nominated was an honour,” said Steinbach, who teaches biology, forensic science, general science and phys. ed. “The nomination included letters from colleagues and students, and reading their words was incredibly emotional. It has since profoundly impacted how I see myself as an educator, and is a constant reminder of the privilege us teachers have in the opportunity to impact those around us. Finding out I was a recipient felt unreal, but is a very exciting and proud moment in my career.”

H.J. Cody Principal Alex Lambert calls Steinbach an exceptionally strong teacher who cares deeply about her students.

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Student Masaii Pummings wrote a letter of support for Steinbach’s nomination, saying she, “is not someone who can be easily summarized in two pages; you cannot boil down the good that she brings into a persuasive essay. Like many others, my life is forever impacted by the presence of Sarah Steinbach and we will thrive as citizens because of her. Sarah not only raised her two children to be good humans, but she has raised ten years of high schoolers to be better people.”

Adds Steinbach: “I am a firm believer that there is not another profession out there that brings the type of joy and laughter that teaching does. I love education because somehow we navigate the ever changing challenges, and in that process, we get to grow alongside our learners, bettering our practice with each new group of students.”

Over at Red Deer Public Schools, Melanie Beebe of Ecole Oriole Park, has received a Regional Certificate of Achievement from the Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence in STEM. She was nominated by the school’s Principal Lori Irvine.

Melanie Beebe with students at Ecole Oriole Park in Red Deer. (Red Deer Public Schools)

“It’s an absolute honour to be recognized,” said Beebe. “Many names belong on this award. I have to give many people credit for this award because I couldn’t have done it alone and without the support I had from admin, my colleagues, parents, students, and the community.”

Beebe retired last June; her teaching career began in 1992 in Edmonton, but spent the last 13 in Red Deer.

“I have always loved kids. I love their energy, and I love that they just give,” said Melanie. “Something that was really important to me was to create a classroom that was safe and caring where students felt that I loved them.”

Among other things, Beebe has facilitated the Red Deer Capstone Educational Program which saw students plant and harvest vegetables in 2022. That project won the Canadian Geographic Queen’s Jubilee Classroom Challenge grand prize.

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“When a teacher steps up and goes that extra mile and looks for opportunities to connect students to the community like Melanie did through the Capstone Garden Project, and when you have a group of students who you want to do right by each and every day, that is what Melanie does, and that is deserving of recognition,” Principal Irvine said.

“She ran a very respectful and rigorous classroom and taught her students first and foremost to be good human beings. Academics are very important, but Melanie wanted to ensure her students were good people in society, too.”

And finally, Michael Saretzky, a grades 6-9 teacher at Red Deer’s St. Patrick’s Community School, has received the same award as Beebe.

“As a lifelong learner, his expertise and creativity in lesson planning, delivery and assessment provide his students with a foundation of strong academics, an innate sense of security within his classroom and trust that they will leave knowing more about the world around them,” says Principal Mandy Reed.

Among other things, Saretzky is the school’s lead teacher for the Digital Media option class, which produces the ‘Wake Up St. Pat’s’ announcement videos. He also teaches Video Games Design, and Laser and Vinyl Design classes.

More on the national awards is at canada.ca.