SRCE Celebrates Education Week 2025: May 11 to 17 - Nine (9) Staff Recognized for Their Contributions
Education Week, May 11 to 17, 2025, provides an opportunity for school communities to share in celebrating the achievements of students and staff, and to acknowledge the contributions many people, in supporting roles, make to our public education system.
This year’s Education Week theme is Empowering Futures: Innovation in Education. Educational innovation is key in preparing students for the complexities of today’s society. Integrating inclusive practices, global viewpoints and technology helps to stimulate creativity, critical thinking and collaboration in building dynamic learning environments that encourage students to become active participants in their education and in their community.
One of the features of the Provincial Education Week Committee’s activities is the recognition of staff and partners who have made outstanding contributions to their work relative to the theme. The Strait Regional Centre for Education congratulates the following recipients who have been formally recognized as recipients of an Education Week Award:
• Barbara Avery, Principal, Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy
• Laurie Bloomfield, Teacher, St. Andrews Consolidated School
• Tamara Borden, African Nova Scotia Student Success Teacher, Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy
• Jason David, Teacher, East Richmond Education Centre
• Maureen Fraser, Teacher Assistant, St. Mary’s Education Centre/Academy
• Tania Gould, Mi’kmaq Language Grades Primary to 3 and First Nations Support Teacher, East Antigonish Education Centre/Academy
• Angie MacDonnell, Teacher, Inverness Education Centre/Academy
• Lacey Phinney, Teacher, St. Mary’s Education Centre/Academy
• Carolyn Webber, Pre-primary Program Lead, Programs and Student Services Department
“Congratulations and thank you for your outstanding leadership and commitment to supporting student well-being, achievement and success. Your significant contributions in embracing innovation in education is helping to meet the evolving needs of students and encourages them to become active participants both in their education and in their community,” said Paul Landry, Regional Executive Director of Education for the Strait Regional Centre for Education.
Please access a copy of the celebration posters at:
Education Week 2025 Award Recipients - Empowering Futures: Innovation in Education
Education Week 2025: May 11 to 17, 2025, School Activities Celebrating Innovation in Education
NOTE: Please see below for respective biographies of the Strait Regional Centre for Education Recipients of the 2025 Education Week Awards.
Barbara Avery, Principal, Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy
Barbara's unwavering dedication to student success is evident in every aspect of her work. She invests fully in developing strategies that support the well-being of students, believing when students feel safe, supported, and nurtured, they are more likely to excel academically and socially. Barbara is instrumental in the school’s Breakfast Program, ensuring students always have access to healthy and nutritious food to start their day. She also plays a vital role in the school’s “Wellness Wednesday” initiative, a program designed to focus on wellness and mental health. Barbara strongly believes the opportunity to unwind, relax, try new activities, and develop new skills, while fostering positive social interactions are essential to fostering student success. Barbara continuously works to enhance literacy and math skills by actively mentoring and supporting teachers in implementing effective initiatives. She is a catalyst for holistic student development, ensuring both their academic and emotional needs are met.
Laurie Bloomfield, Teacher, St. Andrews Consolidated School
Laurie is a dedicated Math teacher who brings her passion for teaching to every lesson she delivers. Her engaging approach makes learning enjoyable for children and her commitment to student success contributes to their development of a strong math foundation. Laurie’s efforts extend beyond the classroom as she offers after-school support for students and mentoring for teachers. Known for her attention to detail and inclusive approach, she builds meaningful relationships with all students and staff, motivating them to do their best. Through “Numerics”, an innovative program she created which emphasizes the science of math, she works with small groups of students in Grade Primary and Grade One, ensuring they receive personalized attention and support as they grasp the fundamental concepts of math. Always striving to improve her methods, Laurie ensures that students gain the skills they need to succeed in their future math education.
Tamara Borden, African Nova Scotia Student Success Teacher, Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy
Tamara is an incredibly dedicated and inspiring teacher, committed to fostering both student success and well-being. By focusing on helping students build confidence and resilience, she creates a positive and empowering learning environment. Her use of the word “yet” is a simple but powerful tool for reinforcing growth and persistence, showing her deep belief in each student's potential. Tamara teaches students that challenges are temporary, and growth is always possible. She incorporates student interests into her teaching such as using Lego for problem-solving, social-emotional learning, or building relationships. Tamara’s use of creative approaches exemplifies her commitment to making learning fun and relevant. Her support extends beyond the classroom, whether she is cheering on students during sports events or celebrating their personal achievements. Tamara believes in teaching the whole child and connects with them individually to support their success.
Jason David, Teacher, East Richmond Education Centre
Jason is passionate about student learning. Whether he is teaching Grade Seven math students or helping mentor in a Grade Two class, he has become the go-to-teacher on staff in the field of innovative teaching. He is able to bring that love and joy for both math and technology to students by linking what they are doing to many real-life situations through service-learning opportunities. As a Technology Education Teacher, Jason provides dynamic opportunities for students to learn important life skills while teaching them the importance of giving back to their school and community through collaborative projects. Students are currently creating seating for their new outdoor classroom that will be used by both the school and community. In their next project, students will be recycling old wooden items from home and turning them into wonderful artwork to place around their community at local businesses.
Maureen Fraser, Teacher Assistant, St. Mary’s Education Centre/Academy
Maureen is a dedicated employee who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to her school and students. While working in a busy classroom supporting teaching staff and students, Maureen has embraced the changes and impact technology has on education as this continues to evolve. She is always willing to learn and think outside the box to help students. Maureen manages to make everyone feel included and important. She has the respect of her colleagues and the trust of students and their parents as well as other school staff, all while helping to educate youth. Maureen has demonstrated leadership in supporting students with plans of care and, in particular, those with new diabetes management plans. Maureen is an excellent critical thinker and is truly an asset to students and the school team.
Tania Gould, Mi’kmaq Language Grades Primary to 3 and First Nations Support Teacher, East Antigonish Education Centre/Academy
Tania has excelled at integrating inclusive practices with everything she has done. She takes pride in helping Grade One students not only learn how to read but also learn more about and experience the Mi’kmaq culture firsthand. Tania takes great pride in teaching Grade Primary to Grade Three students how to speak the Mi’kmaq language. She also teaches the similarities between our languages, our cultures, and why it is important to celebrate all cultures together throughout the year. Tania integrates the use of technology through interactive videos and games helping students and visual learners to get a deeper understanding of the Mi’kmaq language and culture. This year, Tania taught younger elementary classes the Honour Song, the meaning and historical importance of the Song and led them in singing the Honour Song at the school Remembrance Day Ceremony.
Angie MacDonnell, Teacher, Inverness Education Centre/Academy
Angie is a teacher who exemplifies innovation in education by creating inclusive, hands-on learning experiences to equip students with essential life skills. She engages students in cooking programs designed to teach students meal preparation, nutrition, and kitchen safety, fostering independence and confidence. Angie is also a champion of assistive technology to support students with learning disabilities ensuring equitable access to learning tools. Her commitment to inclusion and supporting students to become active participants extends beyond the classroom as she spearheads the Special Olympics program, providing student-athletes with opportunities to develop motor skills, balance, and coordination while fostering leadership among student coaches. Angie also launched a Learn to Skate initiative in partnership with the local arena, further enhancing student confidence and skill development. Through her dedication to innovation, inclusion, and experiential learning, Angie provides opportunities for students to actively participate in their education and develop skills needed for future success.
Lacey Phinney, Teacher, St. Mary’s Education Centre/Academy
Lacey has made remarkable strides in fostering innovation within the St. Mary’s Education Centre/Academy school community by developing a multifaceted approach to teaching that emphasizes creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration among students. By implementing project-based learning initiatives, she creates an environment where students can explore real-world problems and collaborate in teams to devise innovative solutions. Lacey frequently organizes workshops and interactive sessions that encourage teachers and students to think outside the box, blending technology with traditional learning methods to stimulate engagement and curiosity. By nurturing a culture of open dialogue and encouraging students to voice their ideas, Lacey empowers students to take ownership of their education, fostering a generation of active, informed citizens who are equipped to contribute positively to their community.
Carolyn Webber, Pre-primary Program Lead, Programs and Student Services Department
Carolyn is an exceptional Early Childhood Educator and leader. She works relentlessly to support Early Childhood Educators and students in pre-primary programs throughout the Strait Region. Carolyn encourages, motivates and provides materials that are needed in each pre-primary program for all staff to stimulate creativity in children. She also shares articles and resources that highlight exemplars of best practices with staff to support them in encouraging children to engage and participate in activities. Additionally, Carolyn collaborates with school administrators, student services staff, SchoolsPlus and pre-primary external partners to provide excellent services for all children and especially those with diverse needs. Her dedication to the education of our youngest learners in the region has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining outstanding programming for pre-primary children.