Premier’s Awards 2022

The prestigious Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education was recently held in our province’s capital and this year, honoured three SD46 staff for their contributions in education and making a difference in B.C. schools.

Elaine Tattrie, a Gibsons Elementary education assistant, won the award in the category ‘outstanding support – teaching assistant’ and Tom Kellough and Sara Douglas, music teachers at Chatelech Secondary, were finalists in the category ‘outstanding team collaboration.

Elaine Tattrie has been an Education Assistant for 30 years and at Gibsons Elementary for 20 of those years. Elaine spends the whole year working with our most vulnerable children and their families, regardless of their criteria. She was recognized for her work in creating the Family First Program over ten years ago and growing it into a much loved and needed offering for vulnerable families in the community. When December comes around, she sets up a workshop of a variety of gifts and toys and invites the most vulnerable students one by one to this “shop” to pick out as many gifts as they need to give to their families. With the help of volunteers, the kids wrap and label the gifts. This is a year-round passion for Elaine as she collects what is needed for the store.  As well as the shop she sets up, she tries to recognize the families that have fallen on hard times and, with money donated and collected, purchases them their Christmas dinner and snacks so they have one less worry that year. ‘Family First’ is not just about the winter celebration though, it is about supporting families all through the year. She keeps grocery store gift cards in varying denominations for the family who needs some support to get them from job to job, and meal to meal. Some families self-identify, and some are identified. There is no identifiable ‘line’ for assistance. The assistance is decided through her really ‘knowing’ the community. Elaine has the ability to work magic on not just the students, but the staff, the parents, and the community!

Tom Kellough and Sara Douglas are stars in their own right; however, when they come together as a team, they make their students sparkle!

Over the last two decades, Sara has brought music into many of our elementary schools, putting together amazing school concerts with singing, acting and instrumentation at a caliber that astounds and delights audiences.  In addition, she has consistently organized extra-curricular/summer musical camps and choirs because of her firm belief that music is a fundamental part of every child’s education.  In recent years, Sara has worked at the high school level and consistently brought busy teens on board to participate in choir and band to showcase the special talents they have developed.

Similarly, over the past two decades, Tom has passionately taught junior band, senior band concert band, and jazz band at the high school level with exceptional results.  The School District 46 bands, under Tom’s skilled direction, have consistently performed at the provincial level and have even been invited to go to The Nationals MusicFestCanada! A few years back, the concert band earned a gold recognition; and jazz band a silver, at the Western Canada Music Festival.  The jazz band has been so impressive, that they have been invited to play at local events, such as the Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival.  These accomplishments are extraordinary given our small community base, and even though it took talented students to achieve, Tom’s guidance helped them rise up.

Seven years ago, Sara and Tom spearheaded an initiative that would dramatically change the face of performing arts on the Sunshine Coast.  Beginning in 2015, with under 20 students and a performance of “Into the Woods,” this initiative grew from an extra-curricular club, to a full-scale credit course musical production of “Brigadoon” last year with over 60 students involved!  Sara and Tom have created an inclusive and welcoming program for students of all ages, abilities and talents. All students are given an opportunity to shine in the learning and artistic environment they have built together.