Kehewin school principal recognized as one of best

Linda Gadwa has been selected to receive the 2010 Canada’s Outstanding Principal award by the National Academy of Principals. At a gala award celebration in Toronto on Feb. 23, she was honoured along with 31 other principals across the country. The educators were also recognized for their considerable contributions which made a difference in the lives of their students and in their own communities.

“I’ve been teaching since 1999 and a principal for the past four years, all at the Kehewin school,” said Gadwa, who is originally from the community located near Bonnyville in northeastern Alberta. “I felt fabulous when I heard I had won the award. It’s very prestigious and I’m honoured.”

She also enjoys the positive impact that the story of winning the award can generate among the Aboriginal community that too often gets only negative news. “There are many good things happening that no one ever hears about. I am acknowledging my staff in accepting this award. We have a great team here at Kehewin school, both teachers and other staff, and we’re proud that we’re 90 percent Cree descent,” she added.

Gadwa has kept busy with further education, including a post graduate diploma in educational policy studies in 2006 and a masters in education in 2009. Her vision was to hear students in the kindergarten to grade 12 school speak their mother tongue, and initiated changes to make the Cree language instruction more meaningful, hiring certified teachers of Cree descent, who spoke the language fluently and were knowledgeable about the culture.

“Our children were not speaking their language, so I had to change the focus. Now we’re a bilingual program which allows the students to hear and speak the language on a daily basis,” she said.

As well, a research program in partnership with the University of Alberta has enhanced the students’ performance in mathematics. The collaboration has included junior high students travelling to Edmonton to participate in mathematics fairs and in turn hosting math fairs in their own school.

In addition, Gadwa initiated a stay-in-school incentive program for high school students. “The students go on trips to Europe, and this year, in April, we are going to Italy and Greece,” she said. “We take eight students, based on their academics, attendance, and an overall positive attitude.” Besides rewarding the students’ commitment to excel, they learn more about the world in which they live on a global level, discovering other cultures and learning history, art and language. And best of all, they have been given the opportunity to promote Aboriginal culture abroad. The entire school gets involved in fund-raising for the trip.

Winning the award has opened doors for Gadwa, now that she belongs to the Academy of Principals. The Learning Partnership in Toronto, a national not-for-profit organization that has championed public education in Canada since 1993, has asked her to implement an Academy of Aboriginal Principals. “I’m so happy about this,” she said. “There are lots of good things that are happening in Aboriginal schools and we can look forward to more.”