Edwin Parr, who homesteaded in the Meanook area south of Athabasca in 1920, started in 1925 as a board member in the Grand Lakes School Division. He served as board chair with the Athabasca School Division and was on Athabasca County council from its formation in 1959 until his death in January 1963.
From 1956 until 1962, Parr was also the president of the Alberta School Trustees Association. He instituted an Annual Alberta Teacher's Award in the Athabasca school system and in 1964, the Alberta School Boards Association decided to honour Parr's memory and professionalism by establishing a provincial Edwin Parr Teacher Award.
“The Edwin Parr Award is for beginning teachers (and) we're very fortunate this award is connected to our community; Edwin Parr was a member of the education community in Athabasca and initially sponsored this award," Aspen View Supt. Neil O’Shea explained to trustees. “And every school division in their zone is invited to recognize a first, or almost first-year teacher, and then their name goes forward to a provincial competition.”
O’Shea added that every year each principal is asked to identify their new teachers and monitor their progress over the first few months, watching for the qualities or potential to be an outstanding teacher.
"Principals then submit their names to senior administration with a very brief write up, and then senior administrators pick a name to move forward,” O’Shea said. “We work with the principal and with the teacher to put together a package. This year, I am very pleased to announce that our nominee from our division is Miranda From.”
From started on a short-term contract in 2019 at Thorhild Central School, but transitioned to Edwin Parr Composite for the 2020 school year and EPC principal Desmond Nolan informed trustees of the great work From has accomplished in the few months she had before the pandemic closed schools.
“(It’s) very easy for me to talk about Miranda,” Nolan said. “We run a diversity program which is a program designed for students that need more support than the typical student. Our class this year from Grade 7 to 12 was 17 students, and they have varying different needs. But each of their programs is individualized.”
"I can't tell you how much learning took place in that classroom this year. It was absolutely phenomenal. It is my one of my favorite classes to go and visit. The atmosphere and the feel of your classroom Miranda is absolutely phenomenal. She has made up kids feel welcome and safe in our school.”
Nolan expanded on the love and care he witnessed from From to the students before describing one of the programs she started.
"I'll just give you one of the many examples,” he shared. “She has developed this coffee cart program, where kids make coffee in the morning, and then they go around to staff and they delivered coffee and you pay $1 for your coffee. I love it because they come to my office every morning and get me a coffee and send me a little bill and I tease them a little bit.”
Nolan added that choosing From as the nominee was a quick decision.
"It was such an easy (choice) when we sat down and thought about it and talked as an admin team whose name to put forward, your name was the only one we considered,” he said to From. "You're not just their teacher, you're more than a teacher to them, and they know that and the loving and caring that you show to them is just what this demographic of kids need.”
"We're very proud that you're part of the Edwin Parr team and Aspen View family and I was ecstatic to hear that Aspen View put your name forward as our candidate. You're a wonderful young teacher.”
From then thanked Nolan and the trustees for putting her name forward.
“Due to COVID I kind of keep forgetting about it to be honest, because it hasn't been announced in the way that you would expect,” From told trustees. "I'm very proud to be a part of Aspen View; it's a division who cares and I feel at home here.”
Board chair Candy Nikipelo noted that normally the award nominee would have been recognized at an awards night, but due to COVID-19 that was cancelled.
"I can assure you that the sentiments behind our congratulations are exactly the same as they would have been that night,” Nikipelo said. "We appreciate everything that you have done. Obviously, your colleagues think that you are going over and above and we couldn't be more proud of you.”
Trustee Dennis MacNeil also personally congratulated From on her nomination for the award before the trustees moved on with other meeting business.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you Miranda, the Edwin Parr Award is a very prestigious award; to be recognized not only by your peers, but to your administration and the division is an outstanding feat, it speaks very highly of your competence,” MacNeil said. “You truly, truly represent teaching in a very, very positive light, so congratulations to you and we wish you the very best as you as you move forward into the ASBA nominating committee. You'll be up against some stiff competition, but we know that you know what you've done an amazing job and you will represent us very well.”
The provincial awards were supposed to take place May 29 and are now tentatively set for Oct. 23.
