Trent Professor Earns National Teaching Award

Trent University professor David Newhouse and his work advancing Indigenous Studies has been named the recipient of the Lee Lorch Award – the highest honour presented by the Council of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), announced on Monday.

Professor David Newhouse was one of Canada’s most outstanding university educators and winner of one of ten 3M Teaching Fellowships in May of 2022. Photo courtesy of Trent University.

Newhouse is the founding director of the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent.

“We congratulate Professor David Newhouse on winning the Lee Lorch Award,” said Dr. Michael Khan, Trent provost and vice-president academic. “His excellence as a teacher and as an educational leader has led to transformative change within educational institutions, creating space for Indigenous peoples, cultures, knowledge and histories.”

The Lee Lorch Award recognizes an academic whose teaching, research and service have contributed noticeably to the lives of their students, institution, field of study, and community. Prof. Newhouse will be presented with the award at the Spring CAUT Council.

Newhouse has been a professor, researcher and administrator for over 30 years. He served as the chair of the Department of Indigenous Studies at Trent starting in 1994 and was appointed the founding director of the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies in 2017. He helped launch Canada's first Indigenous Studies Ph.D. program, establishing the First Peoples House of Learning, securing more than $12 million in research funding and developing Trent’s Indigenous course requirement, ensuring all undergraduate students complete at least one course with an Indigenous focus.

“I do a little every day and things add up over time, so I was surprised to be awarded the prize,” said Newhouse. “It's nice to be recognized for my work with faculty, staff, and students in bringing Indigenous Knowledge to Trent University. The award is not just about me, but about the climate of support we've created for Indigenous peoples and their histories.” 

Prof. Newhouse holds several provincial and national leadership positions, co-chairing the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s Indigenous Advisory Circle and acting as science officer for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Peer Review Committee in Aboriginal Peoples' Health.

He is also served as chair of CAUT’s Aboriginal Post-Secondary Working Group, before being elected to the Executive Committee as the Representative at Large, Aboriginal in 2018 – a position he holds to this day. Newhouse is also the founding editor of the CANDO Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development, the first peer-reviewed academic journal devoted to the subject and was the principal investigator for the National Centre for Collaboration in Indigenous Education (NCCIE).

Recognized for his committed efforts to enhance students' educational experiences (Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike) over more than two decades, Prof. Newhouse was awarded Trent University’s Award for Educational Leadership and Innovation in 2016. He was also recognized for teaching and educational leadership, receiving a 3M National Teaching Fellowship in 2022. 

He is on a sabbatical working to convert a 10-year project into an academic text. His research is focused on modern Indigenous society and understanding the dynamics shaping Indigenous communities today. He uses literature to encourage critical thinking, reflective practice, and a deeper understanding by employing Indigenous teaching methods similar to elders' storytelling techniques that encourage interpretation over direct answers. 

His research was the genesis for the Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network (UAKN) that Newhouse has co-chaired since its inception in 2007. The UAKN is a research network of urban Indigenous peoples engaging in community-driven research to contribute to a better quality of life for urban Indigenous communities. Through the UAKN, he has helped shine a light on how urban Indigenous peoples see cities as home. 

“For more than 30 years, David has been an outstanding teacher, researcher, and leader at Trent and across the country,” said one of the award nominators. “He lives the qualities of the Seven Grandfathers Teachings, and in his commitment to these teachings, he has been a mentor and champion for many people. These are people who might otherwise have been overlooked or passed by and people who were not aware of their own talents and gifts. In that space, David provides people the opportunity to embrace their own responsibilities. Perhaps that is David’s most significant contribution to the classroom and academia.” 

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Trent Spirit Shines: Support, Service and Spirit Through Trent Day Celebrations April 4

On April 4, the Trent University community – students, staff, faculty and alumni around the world – mark the third-annual Trent Day by encouraging philanthropic support for student needs, reinforcing the University’s founding value of service to the community and celebrating Trent spirit.

photo courtesy of trent university, facebook.

“Trent Day has established a new tradition of showcasing our founding values of service,” says Dr. Leo Groarke, president and vice-chancellor of Trent. “Our Trent spirit shines brighter than ever on this day as we collect non-perishables for local food banks, encourage philanthropic support, and volunteer for causes close to our hearts. We hope alumni and supporters across the world join us in celebration.”

The event pays tribute to the April 1963 signing of the Trent University Act. This year’s event marks the 60th anniversary since that special day in Trent history when the University was officially granted the ability to confer degrees.  

How to take part in Trent Day 2023: 

1) Trent Day Support

Join the #TrentDay challenge and become one of 50 new monthly donors who offer reliable philanthropic support to the Trent Community. Gifts to the Trent Fund will respond to new and evolving student needs such as emergency housing and mental health initiatives. For details, visit the Trent Day monthly donors web page.

2) Trent Day Service 

In the tradition of service to the community, Trent alumni will come together in a unified display of service by volunteering with organizations including Kawartha Food Share, Feed the Need in Durham, Cuddles for Cancer, Peterborough Museum and Archives, and Casey House in Toronto. Alumni and friends can also get together, register an independent volunteer activity, and participate in a way that is meaningful to them, and on a day that suits their schedule.

A Trent Day food drive will take place at both the Peterborough and Durham GTA campuses. Staff, faculty, students, alumni and community members are encouraged to bring their non-perishable items to donation booths stationed on both campuses from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4. All donations will support Kawartha Food Share in Peterborough and Feed the Need in Durham in Oshawa.

3) Trent Day Spirit 

Whether at school, in the office, or out in the community, Trent Day is the time to wear your Trent gear and show your school spirit! Alumni and community members are encouraged to show #TrentDay pride on social media by sharing memories or posting photos in Trent gear (tag @TrentAlumni and use #TrentDay hashtag when posting).

“This is great way to celebrate Trent! We hope all members of the Trent community will show their Trent pride, take part in Trent Day activities, and make a gift to assist and empower a student,” says Sherry Booth ‘98, associate vice president, Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement at Trent University.

Learn more about Trent Day and how to participate online.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Exploring Sustainability at Lakefield College School

Lakefield College School’s (LCS) outdoor-oriented curriculums encourage students to take environmental responsibility and respect the Earth through learning and growing outside the classroom.

photo courtesy of Lakefield college school.

“Our main campus is over 150 acres and our Northcote Campus is just over 160 acres,” said Outdoors Every Day manager Garret Hart. “We have a philosophy in the school that is ‘Outdoors Every Day’ which is why we have our students out in the woods and on the lakes canoeing, swimming, hiking and exploring year-round.”

Hart says one of the College’s main goals is to teach students how to enrich their relationship with the Earth.

“Sustainability for us is really about the connection for students to the broader, natural world, and some more concrete things like food systems. There’s a disconnect, people think that meat comes on styrofoam trays and apples come in a plastic bag,” continued Hart. “Giving kids the opportunity to plant a potato and come back to harvest it in the fall and see this bounty that they’ve created, it’s a pretty important step.”

Through sustainability classes in every grade, LCS looks at themes such as Leave No Trace camping, regenerative agriculture and carbon emission reduction.

“There’s so much that we can use just outside of our door to help students understand the impact that they have on the environment, and the impact the environment can have on them,” said Assistant Head of Sustainability Janice Greenshields. “We really hope that students leave here understanding how to be more responsible for the environment as well as how they can use the environment for healthier lifestyles for the rest of their lives.”

Lakefield College School senior Esme Campbell is in charge of sustainability on campus, working with the environmental club the Lakefield Environmental Action Force (LEAF.)

She says part of her role involves working with her teachers to make LCS more sustainable.

“(This role) was a really good way for me to get more involved with the school community. We ran a thrift store to promote shopping sustainability, a clean plate challenge to focus on food waste, and we also did a holiday market where we worked with local vendors from Peterborough and Lakefield to promote shopping locally,” said Campbell.

The school’s current initiatives for sustainability encompass themes of land, water, waste and climate anxiety; they'll focus on these initiatives more intensely throughout Earth month this April.

“I think it’s really beneficial to have the opportunity to work outside. We went to Northcote and fermented carrots, where we learned about how the fermentation process works which was really interesting. With the hands-on approach we were really able to (stay) engaged which made it a lot more interesting than working and learning from the textbook,” continued Campbell.

Students and parents interested in learning more about sustainability and exploring enrolment at Lakefield College School can visit the website and the Summer Academy Seed to Table programs. There are three to choose from.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Beloved Teacher Receives Video Montage Congratulating Their Retirement

It was a heartfelt moment for the now-retired supply teacher Wadsworth Kulatungam as he received a video montage from former students, friends and coworkers congratulating his retirement sent Wednesday.

PTBOCanada Editor David Tuan Bui with Wadsworth Kulatungam circa 2008 and 2021. Bui was a former student of Kulatungam periodically as a supply teacher since 1998. Photos by David Tuan Bui

Kulatungam — better known as Mr. Wadsworth — said he was touched when he was surprised by the 34 people that congratulated him on his retirement of the video montage.

"It was sort of overwhelming looking at it,” said Kulatungam. “It was quite emotional too.”

He retired in December 2020 after 25 years as a supply teacher. He retired citing that it was his time and he wanted to leave on a good note.

The montage was started by former colleague Colleen Crawley, English teacher at St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School. It was Kulatungam’s last place of employment.

She started an open campaign on Facebook to allow anyone to send video clips of their well-wishes to Kulatungam.

“He is so well-loved by students and staff alike that I always imagined his retirement would call for a big celebration,” said Crawley. “Since the pandemic did not allow this, I decided to make the group video to allow people the opportunity to wish him well.”

Colleen Crawley’s recruitment of people to give videos to Kulatungam was shared 89 times on her Facebook post alone. Photo Courtesy of Colleen Crawley.

Kulatungam believes his attitude is what resonated with the students and staff. Telling jokes and smiling is what helped keep everybody positive he said.

“Never put down anyone,” explain Kulatungam. “Everyone has their talents, good and bad. None of us are perfect. I don't think any student is useless. I don't use that word at all. Everyone has capabilities and goodness in them. That was my philosophy. Criticism doesn't carry you anywhere.”

Kulatungam was a teacher and a vice-principal in his home country of Sri Lanka until he immigrated to Canada in 1993.

He is the second oldest of five children with an older brother and his sister as the youngest. Kulatungam says he will spend his spare time either reading or gardening.

"Don't be shy about being wrong,” said Kulatungam.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Peterborough's Karan Leal Has Been Selected One Of Canada's Outstanding Principals

St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School Principal Karan Leal has found herself in some prestigious company, having been selected by The Learning Partnership as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals of 2017.

A group of staff, students, parents, clergy and fellow educators nominated Mrs. Leal for the award, which is among the highest honours for a principal in public education.

Principal Karan Leal with school prime minister and Grade 8 student Jodi Overwijk.

“I was extremely touched by the nomination,” Mrs. Leal says about hearing she had been selected. “When I found out, it warmed my heart deeply.”

Now celebrating its 13th year, The Learning Partnership’s Canada’s Outstanding Principals program recognizes the unique and vital contribution of principals in publicly funded schools. The 40 principals, nominated by parents, colleagues, and community members, and chosen by a national selection committee, are being celebrated for demonstrating innovation, leadership and for employing creativity in finding solutions and opportunities within their school communities.

They will be awarded for their accomplishments at the annual Canada’s Outstanding Principals gala on February 28th at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.

Mrs. Leal has been an educator in the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board for more than 31 years and has been principal at St. Patrick CES for five years.

“The staff here at St. Patrick are incredible—they all have special gifts, so my role in many ways is to empower them to go out and explore their gifts to the fullest,” Mrs. Leal says. “And because of that, we have the ability to offer an incredible wide range of opportunities for our students.”

Under Mrs. Leal’s leadership, St. Patrick has been recognized as a gold-level Ontario EcoSchool and the school offers a wide-range of extracurricular activities for students such as a robotics club, math and problem-solving teams, school musicals, talent shows, spelling bees, public speaking competitions, Skills Ontario teams (robotics, videography and cardboard boats) and an array of sporting opportunities.

Mrs. Leal also helps organize the school’s annual Christmas hamper campaign, where gifts and food are collected and hand-delivered to underprivileged families in the community.

Those who nominated Mrs. Leal talked about her ability to inspire students and staff alike, her collaboration with the local parish and parent communities, and her strive to create a welcoming, inclusive school environment where students have ample access to technology.

St. Patrick CES hosted the first ever Board-wide Robotics Competition in November 2016. Principal Karan Leal said her role as a Principal is to empower her staff to take chances and to embrace their talents and interests. Students at the school benefit from an array of extracurricular activities as a result.

“Karan has a strong commitment to the growth and wellbeing of her staff and students, which makes her an outstanding educator and leader," says Maria Kennedy, Parent Council Chair 2011-2016. "She takes time to celebrate student and staff achievements and she creates a school environment in which parents are welcomed and respected."

“Perhaps the greatest testament to Karan Leal as an outstanding principal is found among the students of the school," says Rev. Msgr. Michael Heffernan, of Our Lady of the Assumption in Keene. "One finds a great love and respect for Mrs. Leal by the pupils. And…I have found her to be supportive in my role as pastor as we work together, educating and strengthening the students in their faith and moral development."

The winners of the Canada’s Outstanding Principals program will benefit from an exclusive five-day executive leadership training program at one of Canada’s top business schools, the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. The program will introduce them to leadership and management practices presented by business, government and education leaders as well as Rotman faculty.

The 2017 winners will join the prestigious ranks of the National Academy of Canada’s Outstanding Principals, which now boasts over 400 members. The National Academy offers principals ongoing networking, mentoring and professional development opportunities so they can enhance their leadership skills.

—guest post by Galen Eagle

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (ptbo_canada). Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.

Fleming College Has Highest Winter Enrollment In Its 50 Year History

Great news for Fleming College—and Peterborough—as the college has kicked off 2017 with record winter enrollment. Overall, first-semester intake was 1,238 students, the highest in the College’s 50-year history. The previous record high for winter start-up was 1,081 students in 2013. Winter enrollment for all students—both new and returning—is up three percent over 2016.

FLEMING ALSO WELCOMES RECORD NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
 
Fleming also announced a record number of international students to its campuses. More than 460 new international students—including 135 students at Frost Campus in Lindsay—started at the College this January, an increase of 130 percent over January 2016. This increases the total number of international students by 70 percent to 874, with students attending from more than 25 different countries.

“We are absolutely pleased to welcome all of our new students to Fleming College," says Fleming College President Tony Tilly. "Our campus communities are thriving, diverse and collaborative—key aspects of an inspiring learning environment."

The College experienced growth across a broad spectrum of programs—and most of Fleming’s academic schools saw a surge in new students.
 
More than half of Fleming’s 100-plus full-time programs offer a January start. Students can study through the summer and start third semester with the fall cohort. This intake ensures a flexible option for students of all ages.
 
For students interested in starting at Fleming this fall, the deadline for equal consideration is approaching. Prospective students are encouraged to apply by February 1st to secure a seat in the program of their choice for fall 2017.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (ptbo_canada). Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.

UPDATED: Peterborough Teacher Wins Canadian Family Teacher Award

UPDATED: August 15th, 2016

St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School’s Sylvie Copland has won the 2016 Canadian Family Teacher Award. Copland wins $2,500 for school programming and supplies in the 10th Annual Canadian Family Teacher Awards, courtesy of program sponsor Johnson Inc.

A 26-year veteran educator, Copland was recognized for her kind and loving nature. Her teaching philosophy focuses on encouraging her students to take risks, be charitable, and to love and respect all. Her caring nature is also demonstrated through her annual fundraisers where she raises awareness and foreign aid funds for children threatened by malaria.

------------------------

ORIGINAL POST: May 17th

Canadian Family magazine has announced that Peterborough’s Sylvie Copland of St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School has been nominated for a 2016 Canadian Family Teacher Award.

Copland along with 11 other educators—shortlisted for their accomplishments in education—will participate in an online vote to determine the Top 3 winning teachers in Canada. The three winners will each be awarded $2,500 for programming and supplies.

Sylvie Copland

From a pool of nominations, the judging panel was tasked to define keynote characteristics and skills that they felt separated the top 12 finalists as truly extraordinary.

Sylvie Copland is nominated for her selfless and caring nature, through which she treats each student. Her charitable nature also extends beyond the school community, as she is commended for her fundraising initiatives to support children in developing countries. Specifically, Copland has empowered her classroom to sponsor four children in Africa. Further, each Spring her class raises funds to provide mosquito nets to children threatened by malaria.

Let's have the Peterborough community rally around Sylvie. Vote for her here, and spread the word! 

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

An End Of Year Love Note To Peterborough Teachers

Time and time again, we hear about awesome things local teachers do for their students. Teachers are unsung heroes.

Teachers have a profound influence on the lives of students. They are everything to students, and a great resource and sounding board for parents and administrators.

Teachers are the lifeblood of schools.

Great Idea: Peterborough teacher Wendy Thompson's wordie bookmark/freezie bundle year end gift to her students was a hit: Kind words that were written by classmates about each other (the more people to write the same word, the bigger the word is)

A great teacher can change a child's life—whether it's empowering them to make a choice in a career direction, be a nicer person, and inspire them to go out and change the world locally or globally.

Oftentimes, it's as simple as inspiring a child to have hope and stay positive, no matter what adversity that child is facing in their lives.

It's about saying, "Keep their chin up. I'm here for you."

Peterborough teacher Wendy Thompson's year end gift to students

Teachers are teachers but they are also caregivers, social workers, listeners, friends, confidants, motivators, mental health advocates.

Have a great summer teachers. You deserve it.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram, and Like us on Facebook.

Collaborative Conference Model EdCamp Comes To Peterborough October 18th

Photo via EdCampPTBO.ca

EdCamp, a popular new user-generated conference model built on collaboration—it's basically an "unconference"—is coming to Peterborough October 18th at Fleming College. EdCamps are free, and are designed to provide participant-driven professional development. They have a primary focus on technology, education and computers/mobile devices—as the world of learning and teaching is changing dramatically in a connected world. You can register here, follow @edcampPTBO on Twitter and check out their website here. More deets below on this innovative approach to learning, including a "101" video lesson on EdCamp (no homework, we promise)...

EdCamp 101: Brief introduction to what EdCamp looks like; also to help educators to facilitate the EdCamp sessions Follow me on twitter @SuhunLee Teaching Portfolio website: http://mrleeteach.weebly.com/

Register here!

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram, and Like us on Facebook.