With the new school year well underway, the Sea to Sky School District has something new to celebrate.
School District 48 Supt. Lisa McCullough has been honoured by the 2019 Premier's Awards for Excellence in Education, taking home the District Leadership award.
"She is passionately committed to diversity, inclusion and personalization as key elements in all learning environments," a provincial news release stated Oct. 4. "Through this vision, she empowers district leaders and educators to further enhance the life chances of all their learners, including the most vulnerable."
McCullough's work to change the culture of learning through the education plan "resulted in the significant increase of Indigenous and special education graduation rates, overall graduation rates and grade-to-grade transition rates, as well as a decrease in suspension rates," a press release states.
The school district has the highest number of First Nation graduates, and more students with special needs graduate in the Sea to Sky as well. McCullough has been the district's superintendent for eight years.
"I think what I love most about what I do is working on behalf of community. And to be able to do that in our context with the support of our board and our families and our students makes it super inspiring and invigorating work," McCullough said in a video announcing her award.
All 10 winners of this year's awards receive a commemorative work of art by Claire Jorgensen, a 17-year-old student at Reynolds secondary in Saanich. They also receive a $3,000 personal bursary for professional learning and a $2,000 contribution to their school community for professional learning.
