June 01, 2006 -

Ottawa, Canada -- Guylaine Lacasse of L’École Francojeunesse and Scott Donald of Centennial Public School, both kindergarten teachers, are the recipients of this year’s Leadership in Arts Education Award.

Presented annually by the National Arts Centre’ parent volunteer group Parents for the Arts, the Leadership in Arts Education Award recognizes elementary school teachers who provide an outstanding arts-in-education program for their students. Nominations were open to all teachers of Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 (not including arts specialists) in the National Capital Region whose arts programs took place during the current school year.

In a presentation on May 27 during the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s TD Canada Trust Young People’s Concert, representatives from Parents for the Arts presented Lacasse and Donald with gift certificates and $350 in prizes, sponsored by the NAC, the National Gallery of Canada and Scholar’s Choice.

“This award encourages teachers to be creative and innovative with how our children are taught. It is so much more interesting to learn about the Underground Railway by creating a class quilt.” said Catherine Carroll, a Parents for the Arts organizer. One of the finalists – Jennifer Donaldson, a teacher from Castor Valley Elementary School – did just that. Donaldson is a teacher-generalist, has no specialized arts training and with 46 Grade 6 students created a quilt that allowed students the opportunity to explore many curriculum requirements including symbolism, geometry and math.

In particular, Lacasse and Donald’s nominations captured the attention of the jurors. “These nominations were astounding. Every day, in their classrooms, curriculum is taught through the arts. Each and every day their students’ lessons are infused with music and creativity. What makes it even more astounding is that both Lacasse and Donald are teacher generalists. For both Lacasse and Donald, teaching through the arts is a way of life. As kindergarten teachers their students are very lucky to learn in such a creative and dynamic way. We are all capable of bringing creativity to the lives of all childen,” continued Ms. Carroll.

“We at Parents for the Arts are convinced that including arts in education for all children will encourage our children to be creative, to be wonderful collaborators, to be great problem-solvers, and to love learning. The arts help children to explore and to reach their full potential,” says Anna Kempffer, chair of Parents for the Arts.

This year’s winners were chosen by a panel of experts from the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Education in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

As Michael Wilson, a juror, said: “This initiative of Parents for the Arts is profoundly important at a local level as well as at a regional, provincial, and national level. There is nothing else like this in Canada. There should be. Parents for the Arts should be the ignition of a revolution in the roles of parents in shaping educational policy and in offering salutation to those dedicated teachers who realize this vision.”

Other nominees for the Leadership Award were Meri Spencer, Carson Grove Elementary School; Jennifer Donaldson, Castor Valley Elementary School; Greg Burke, Convent Glen Elementary School, Laura Cinkent, Hawthorne Public School; Claudette Dandy, Hawthorne Public School; Christos Pantieras, Hopewell Avenue Public School; Ranya Abou-Abssi, Robert Hopkins Public School; Terry Gomes, Saint Anne’s Catholic School; Janet Purcell, Wakefield Elementary School. Organizers for the award were delighted to see that this year’s entries were received from four different school boards in the National Capital area.

More information about Parents for the Arts is available on the NAC website, pararts@nac-cna.ca.

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For more information:
Jane Morris, Communications Officer,
National Arts Centre Orchestra
(613) 947-7000, 335
jmorris@nac-cna.ca