July 18, 2019
Mrs. Musgrove gets Prime Minister’s Award
Our very own Kindergarten teacher Stephanie Musgrove was recognized with a national Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence: Regional Certificate of Achievement this spring at Lord Kelvin school.
She has been teaching for 24 years.
The news broke as the students were relaying weather and sports news to their school through our weekly TV broadcast to classrooms.
Grade 5 reporter Daniel Penalver led the broadcast camera to the hallway.
There, he met Member of Parliament Peter Julian, Board of Education Chair Mark Gifford, Superintendent of New Westminster Schools Karim Hachlaf, and School Trustee Dee Beattie.
They were all on hand to celebrate Stephanie Musgrove’s nationally recognized role in nurturing creativity in young learners at Lord Kelvin School.
Her dedication to kindergarten children on the threshold of their educational journeys has had profound impacts.
As described on the Government of Canada website for 2019 Teaching Award Recipients:
Teaching in a multicultural school, Stephanie Musgrove makes all children in her class feel welcome and comfortable. Students learn about the places in the world where their families come from.
She also taught the entire class sign language to communicate with a young boy who was profoundly deaf.
Class activities—even taking attendance—spark creativity and curiosity.
“One of the best in the country…”
Ten teachers across Canada were awarded Certificates of Excellence. Twenty-five were awarded Regional Certificates of Achievement.
Musgrove is one of four British Columbia teachers awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence: Regional Certificate of Achievement – including teachers from Bowen Island, Delta, and Nanaimo.
Tobi May is a parent of two children taught by Musgrove, and a member of the PAC (Parent Advisory Council) for Lord Kelvin elementary.
She played a role in nominating Musgrove for the award.
“This is just great news for Stephanie, it’s great for the school, and it’s great for our community to know that we have one of the best teachers in the country right here in our public school system,” said May.
Musgrove celebrates the news with her class on Tuesday morning….
From her rain-or-shine weekly Muddy Mondays outdoor learning sessions to her Briefcase of Science take-home kits for children – complete with lab coats, safety glasses, books and equipment – Musgrove’s knack for turning simple activities into learning opportunities eases children into their educational journeys.
“We are all designed to do different things and this is what I am meant to do,” Musgrove said Tuesday. “Teaching chose me.”
She started out thinking she would teach grade 7 but fell in love with kindergarten after visiting a friend’s class – and never looked back.
“I love kindergarten because each student has untapped potential. There is nothing you can’t teach them and they are ready for it all!”
Outstanding achievements
As noted in the Government of Canada’s award description, Musgrove was also instrumental in setting up Lord Kelvin elementary school’s sensory room to help students with sensory needs be calm and alert. She had visited other schools in the United States with similar rooms, researched what items were needed, and then helped set up the room.
She created the Literacy Leaders program for the school, which features Grade 5 students visiting primary grades daily to lead literacy games in small groups.
And she is a leader in her school in running the annual Terry Fox assembly, as well as the Welcome to Kindergarten session for incoming students and their parents every June.
