CCSTA President Marino Gazzola was honoured at the recent Catholic Principals Council of Ontario Awards and Gala Dinner in Toronto. Joined by family, friends, and colleagues, Marino was presented with the Father John Redmond Memorial Award for advocacy in Catholic Education. Father John Redmond aspired to help others all his life. He was passionate about Catholic education. Through his example of a Christian life and the discipline of sport, he inspired young people to be their best. These same qualities are exemplified in the passion and purpose that Marino Gazzola brings to his work as a Trustee each and every day.

Marino is currently serving in his 15th year as Chair of the Wellington Catholic District School Board and has been a Trustee since 1990. Serving also as President of the Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Association, a position he has held since June 2016 after being elected to the CCSTA Board of Directors in 2010, his impact promoting and protecting Catholic education is well known provincially and nationally.

Read more: CCSTA President Marino Gazzola Honoured with Father John Redmond Memorial Award

A lifetime of dedication to faith and education has earned Sr. Teresita Kambeitz some well-deserved recognition at the national level; she’s been named the 2018 Higgins Award Winner.

In memory of a distinguished Canadian jurist and Catholic School Trustee, the Honourable Justice James Higgins (1913-1974) of St. John's, Newfoundland, the Board of Directors of CCSTA annually presents an award to a person or group that has made an outstanding contribution to Catholic education in Canada. The Justice James Higgins Award is the highest honour provided by CCSTA. It reflects recognition of an exceptional contribution to Catholic education in this country. Sr. Teresita is the seventh women to receive the honour since its 1975 inception.

Nominated by the Board of Education of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, Sr. Teresita’s commitment to education clearly hasn’t gone unnoticed by her peers.

Sr. Teresita’s Dedication to Education

Sr. Teresita’s 56‐year tenure spans from 1959 when she began teaching in Tramping Lake, SK through to the present day in her role as Assistant Director of Religious Education for Newman Theological College, Edmonton: Saskatoon extension‐site.

Sr. Teresita contributed many years to the vocation of Catholic teacher. Over 26 years, from 1959 to 1985, she taught in Grades 8 through 12 and fulfilled many roles including principal, 15 years as a teacher of Christian Ethics, and ten years in campus ministry and as a sessional lecturer at St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan.

Read more: Sr. Teresita Kambeitz Named 2018 Higgins Award Winner

Nine Catholic School Principals from Alberta and Ontario have been named an Outstanding Principal by The Learning Partnership.

A well-respected award, Canada’s Outstanding Principals recognizes outstanding contributions of principals in publicly funded schools. It honours principals from every province and territory in Canada who demonstrate innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and who have done something truly remarkable in public education.

With just four provinces providing public funding to Catholic schools, the award numbers are impressive. Only 40 principals were selected, and nearly a quarter of those hail from Catholic schools.

“This outcome really shows us just how much of a positive impact Catholic educators have on the school community,” says CCSTA President Marino Gazzola.

Canada’s Outstanding Principals is both a nationally recognized award and an Executive Leadership Training Program. Launched in 2005, the executive leadership program was created, in partnership with Rotman School of Management, to strengthen the education system in Canada by developing its leaders in publicly funded schools across Canada. The program offers principals from across Canada, who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in their schools and community, the opportunity to be brought to Toronto to be recognized nationally as innovative educators at an annual gala awards evening for 500 guests; to experience a five-day executive leadership training program at the Rotman School of Management; and become part of a National Academy of Principals, a pan-Canadian learning community of over 400 Canada’s Outstanding Principals alumni.

Read more: Nine Catholic School Principals Recognized with 2018 Canada's Outstanding Principals Award