Learning Opportunities

Kim is a retired teacher, principal, and researcher. She was also a professional development provider. Kim has an elementary generalist Bachelor of Education degree and a Masters in Educational Studies with a focus on the Roles and Responsibilities of Native Liaison Workers in Northern Alberta. She has 33 years of experience as an educator in High Prairie and area.

Kim spent many years researching and learning about barriers to Indigenous student achievement and how to remove those barriers. Her journey led her in many directions, including an opportunity to put what she learned into practice. The results were highly rewarding for students and were encouraging for increasing minority student achievement. Kim’s work on closing the achievement gap was influenced by a variety of findings and experiences, including: The Equity Framework, Diversity Training, Cultural Awareness and Personal Wellness as well as Critical Pedagogy and Transformative Theory.

Over the years, Kim has become an expert on transforming school cultures and closing the educational achievement gap.

Angela retired (June 2021) from Grande Prairie Public School Division after 32 years of service as a classroom teacher, academic support, teacher librarian, administrator, AISI coordinator and the last 10 years as Director of Teaching and Learning. She has a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and a Master of Science in Education with a focus in Elementary Literacy and Reading from Walden University.  Her desire to obtain her Masters’ degree stemmed from the desire to assist those students who were struggling to read and write. It was during that time she was teaching grade one students and later academic support. From there her passion for best practices in literacy began and continues to grow.

Angela currently teaches for the Teacher Education North Program at Northwestern Polytechnic in Grande Prairie. Here she works to inspire new teachers to be lifelong learners and to be consistent in their focus of meeting all students and their learning needs. She is passionate in supporting teachers to become confident in their abilities to promote student success by implementing research based best practices, instructional strategies and good assessment. She believes that teaching is the ability to first know your students and to know where you need to take them. Know your curriculum, have a toolbox of research based best practices and assessments and then draw on these to meet the needs of your students.  Optimum learning for all students is our goal!

Charlene Noskey is originally from Loon River First Nation, a small reservation of approximately 500 members. Loon river is situated near Red Earth Creek. She is proud to say that she is a First Nations woman who is fluent in her Cree language. Charlene moved to Peace River in 2011 and completed her B. Ed in 2016. Charlene works as the Coordinator of Indigenous Programming for Holy Family Catholic Regional Division.

Jason BigCharles is a father of 7 and grandfather of 10. He is Metis from the Metis settlement of East Prairie. He has lived in the settlement his whole life. He has been a teacher for 19 years. Although he is Metis, his family is deeply rooted in Woodland Cree cultural practices and spirituality. They continue to maintain a high subsistence lifestyle, carrying on those traditions. Currently he works as a Land Based Learning Specialist for the Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council Education Authority (KTCEA), going into schools and mentoring teachers and students in Woodland Cree traditions and practices. He plans and administers Land-Based-Learning camps to students of all ages which focus on traditional land based teaching of the Woodland Cree Peoples both traditional and contemporary. KTCEA currently offers 13 camps per school year. Jason plans, administers and presents at these camps. He is a powwow dancer, storyteller, hunter, trapper, and medicinal plant gatherer. The majority of his time away from work is spent on the land hunting, trapping, gathering medicinal plants, instructing his children, and visiting Elders. Along with being dedicated to his traditions and spiritualism, he is also dedicated to lifelong learning and the belief that learning never stops.