Teacher nominated for best first-year teacher

By Rob Vogt, Local Press Writer

A physical education and health teacher at West Meadow Elementary School in Claresholm has been nominated as one of the best first-year teachers in Alberta.

At its March 20 meeting, the Livingstone Range School Division board of trustees was informed that Kendra Selk, of West Meadow Elementary School, was the division’s nominee for the Edwin Parr award.

Chair Brad Toone said, in an interview after the meeting, Selk energizes her students to keep on learning in other classes after finishing hers.

“For them all to be engaged and all follow instruction is amazing,” he said.

He also has heard nothing but good comments from parents.

“It’s the best gym experience they’ve ever seen for their kids,” Toone said.

According to information from the school division, Selk is a graduate of the University of Lethbridge and J.T. Foster School in Nanton. She loved going to school and chose the teaching profession to help students enjoy it as much as she did, by forming positive relationships, making her classes as engaging as possible and celebrating “little wins” every day.

At West Meadow, Selk teaches Grade 1 to 6 physical education and Grade 4 health, which she believes is a perfect fit with her passion for living a healthy, active lifestyle. She learns a lot from her students, and likes to give them opportunities to make up their own move, course or challenge, which she says provides many new ideas and allows students to learn from each other as well.

Her favourite part of teaching is watching a student who doesn’t give up when they’re having a difficult time learning a new skill.

“Then when it clicks, and the student gets it, they are so happy and they want to show everyone,” Selk said. “We constantly use the phrase ‘keep on trying’ in my class to remind students that the only way to get better is to not give up.”

West Meadow Principal Curtis Uyesugi feels the school is lucky to have Kendra as part of their staff.

“Her strength is in the relationships she has developed with staff and students, and her passion for health and fitness comes through in everything she does,” He said. “As a student in our school, you can’t help but get caught up in the whirlwind of excitement. Her creativity and enthusiasm make everything exciting and fun for everyone, staff included. Most days, you can find her putting in extra time engaging students in some extra-curricular activity.”

Selk is also excited to be nominated for the Edwin Parr award.

“I love my job and being recognized by the school division for doing well in my first year makes me eager to continue to grow and build my phys. ed. program,” she said.

Each year the Alberta School Boards Association honours six outstanding first-year teachers with the Edwin Parr Teacher Award. School boards may nominate any first-year Kindergarten to Grade 12 teacher who has taught in an Alberta school jurisdiction that is a member of the association.