Learning Opportunities

Maren Barros, B.Sc., B.Ed., M.Ed.,is a Consultant for the Visually Impaired with a specialty in N/CVI (Neurological/Cerebral Visual Impairment). She has been practicing in the field of visual impairments for 15 years, however having grown up with a brother who is blind, she regularly jokes that she has been in the field for much, much longer. These personal experiences have very much shaped the path of her career, starting off with a degree in Neuropsychology (trying to understand the development of visual perception but also the impact of trauma on the brain) and eventually led to the pursuit of both her B.Ed. and M.Ed. degrees. Her passion as a professional is working collaboratively on multidisciplinary teams to best meet the educational needs of the most complex students in our school system. She resides in Spruce Grove, Alberta but travels widely as a consultant to serve this population of students.

Dianne McConnell worked as a registered psychologist and educator for over 35 years. She has a Ph.D. in educational psychology and has broad experience with increasingly complex and multi-dimensional aspects of serving children, students, and their families from a variety of perspectives, including, parent, classroom teacher, consultant, central office administrator, senior leader within government and board member within a national service organization. She is the author of two books: Could this be Grace and Inclusion: It’s not just an Educational Buzzword. 

She is highly motivated and capable of providing leadership and direction in the strategic development of plans and policy support to champion the voice and engagement of children and their families. Her underlying beliefs, values, and commitment toward success for children and their families are foundational to her work. Throughout her career, training, and experience she has learned that building effective, trusting, and strong relationships, embracing diversity, and establishing high expectations are necessary building blocks for success. 

Dianne believes work environments that promote an aspect of shared responsibility and reinforce the establishment of teams are essential in supporting children with diverse needs.