ATHABASCA — Aspen View Public Schools (AVPS) division has selected its nominee for the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) Edwin Parr First year teacher award, and parents and students at Landing Trails Intermediate School (LTIS) will no doubt recognize the smiling face of Grade 4 teacher Sarah Bilsky.
Bilsky’s name was put forward by LTIS principal Joe MacIsaac, who spoke to her stand-out qualities as an new educator which made her a fitting candidate for the award.
“It’s not often you see a first-year teacher with such composure,” read MacIsaac’s nomination package, included in part in a division press release. “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.”
Bilsky’s principal also described her as a learner as well as an eager educator, seeking out professional development opportunities and feedback, leading her students by example, and taking an active role in extra-curriculars by coaching Grade 6 volleyball and more.
“I predict she will have lots of parents requesting their child be in her class next year,” wrote MacIsaac. “Her demeanour is such that you can tell she not only enjoys being a teacher, but she loves her job!”
Her nomination as the entire division’s candidate for the 2025 award was ratified by AVPS trustees during their March 20 meeting in Thorhild. Supt. Constantine Kastrinos shared his thoughts on the division’s choice with trustee after seeing Bilsky in action for himself.
“I had the opportunity to go in and watch her for a bit, have a conversation with her after and then speak to her principal,” said Kastrinos. “She’s a worthy candidate; she is impeccably organized, she’s engaging, she is passionate about her students.”
The ASBA Edwin Parr Teacher award, created to honour the lasting legacy of its namesake’s contributions to education in both the Athabasca area and across Alberta, has been recognizing and celebrating the initiative of first-year teachers for 61 years.
Typically, six nominees are selected as recipients for the award, one from each ASBA zone. But AVPS trustee and vice-chair of ASBA zone 2/3 April Bauer said even more young educators will be recognized this year, a decision made after much deliberation.
Calgary and Edmonton's four metro divisions will each recognize an Edwin Parr recipient, and one nominee representing the four Francophone divisions across the province will also be selected for the award, bringing the total of teachers recognized each year to eleven.
"The metros could have upwards of 100 Edwin Parr nominations within their division are narrowed down to one put forward at the Zone level, already a clear winner within that large group of first year teachers," wrote Bauer in a follow-up email. "And having the Francophone School Divisions be primary in that process makes for a much more equitable selection of a recipient."
The Zone 2/3 Edwin Parr Teacher Award nominees will be announced and awarded during a “Game of Life” themed banquet hosted by the ASBA in May 2025 featuring guest speaker and former AVPS Supt. Neil O'Shea. Recipients from across the province will be honoured at a larger event in November.
“We are pleased with our submission and we wish Ms. Sarah Bilsky the very best of luck,” said AVPS board chair Candy Nikipelo.
