WRSD is pleased to announce Bailey Eklund as the Board’s representative for the Zone 4 Edwin Parr Award.  This award recognizes first year teachers who show exemplary dedication and commitment to student education.  The Edwin Parr Award is awarded yearly to six representatives and recognized at a provincial level by the Alberta School Board Association.

Bailey graduated with distinction from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Education in April 2023, majoring in physical education and a minor in French.  Bailey is a former WRSD student, and says, “My first year of teaching has been a huge year of growth. I have learned so much through experience, as well as from my students and colleagues. I appreciate all of the support I have received this year and am honoured to be nominated for the Edwin Parr Award.”

Pioneer Middle School Principal, Patrick Wilbur supports the nomination of Bailey Eklund unequivocally.  “I have not seen a teacher more deserving of this award.  Bailey is a phenomenal beginning teacher.  She not only engages each of our 300+ grades 6-8 students with great teaching practices, but also does an exceptional job running our athletics program on a voluntary basis.”

WRSD Board Chair, Daryl Scott says, “We are always pleased to support the nomination of one of our first year teachers through the Edwin Parr Award.  Ms. Eklund is an exceptional representative of our motto, ‘Improving Life Chances for All Students’.  Her commitment to her profession and her students is to be admired, and we are fortunate to have her teaching in Wild Rose School Division.”

A recognition event later this spring will be held for all nominees from each division and a zone winner will be selected from those nominees. Zone 4 is made up of eight Central Alberta school divisions: Battle River, Chinook’s Edge, Red Deer Catholic Regional, Red Deer Public, Wetaskiwin Regional, Wild Rose and Wolf Creek School Divisions. 

The award is named after Edwin Parr, who served as the Board Chair of the Athabasca school division, and as the president of the Alberta School Trustees’ Association (now the Alberta School Board Association) from 1956 until 1962. When he passed away in 1963, the association established an annual honour in his name the following year.