Sarah Bilsky nominated for Edwin Parr Teacher Award

Aspen View Public Schools is pleased to announce Sarah Bilsky as its nominee for the Edwin Parr Teacher Award, presented annually by the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) to six outstanding first-year teachers from across the province. Ms. Bilsky currently teaches Grade 4 at Landing Trail Intermediate School (LTIS) in Athabasca.

“It’s not often you see a first-year teacher with such composure,” LTIS Principal Joe MacIsaac said in his nomination of Ms. Bilsky. “Sarah likes to be organized and well-planned; she puts in a lot of time, and she does a lot of thinking to ensure her lessons and interactions go as smoothly as possible.

“Importantly, the students in her class are engaged and like to learn. She orchestrates a learning experience for her kids every day,” MacIsaac added.  “Sarah makes good decisions for her students, and leads her students to make good decisions for themselves, even when they can’t see that is the best decision for them.

“Sarah has shown herself to be a learner,” MacIsaac continued. “She attends professional development sessions to improve her skills. She seeks and accepts feedback and puts it into practice immediately. Sarah has also contributed very positively to the climate of the school after hours by involving herself in coaching the Grade 6 volleyball team. She has also made herself available to assist with other after-school activities.

“I predict she will have a lot of parents requesting their child be in her class next year,” MacIsaac concluded. “Her demeanour is such that you can tell she not only enjoys being a teacher, but she loves her job!”

The Edwin Parr Teacher Award was established in 1964 to honour long-time Athabasca-area school trustee Edwin Parr, who also served as president of the Alberta School Trustees’ Association (now the ASBA) from 1956 until his passing in 1962. The Edwin Parr Teacher Award will be presented at a special ASBA banquet in May 2025.