Allison Butcher has spent over two decades transforming the lives of children and families in the Sackville area through her learner-centred, play-based approach. And it’s this commitment to her craft that has earned the local Playschool teacher a Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education.
The award, presented during a ceremony in Ottawa last week, honours early childhood educators for their leadership, exemplary early childhood education practices and commitment to helping build the foundation children need to make the best possible start in life. Butcher was one of five recipients of this year’s Early Childhood Education award.
In a Facebook post following the Dec. 10 ceremony, Butcher says “today was definitely a highlight in my teaching career.”
Butcher, who believes a child’s early years are foundational for lifelong success, is a dedicated early childhood educator whose leadership has helped shape inclusive, empowering, and dynamic learning environments across New Brunswick.
Awards were also presented in Teaching Excellence and Teaching Excellence in STEM.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a social media post after the awards event, said “tonight we recognised great Canadian teachers who are empowering the next generation with the skills, mentorship, and experiences they need to succeed. To the recipients of this year’s Prime Minister’s Teaching Awards: thank you for everything you do.”
Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton is calling on the provincial government to step up and publicly fund the shingles vaccine and join other provinces across the country in protecting their seniors.
“Seniors across New Brunswick continue to wait for a government that will fund the shingles vaccine,” said Mitton in a members’ statement in the Legislature earlier this month.
Mitton said the shingles vaccine is an important immunization that remains completely unfunded by the provincial government, leaving seniors to pay hundreds of dollars out of pocket or be unprotected from shingles.
She explained that not only can the vaccine prevent shingles, studies have been showing it may even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 25 per cent. And at a time when over 12,000 New Brunswickers live with dementia — expected to rise to 22,000 by 2050 — “these remarkable findings make it even more essential to fund it publicly,” she said.
“Publicly funding the shingles vaccine for people aged 50 and over is a concrete step the Holt government can take to not only help the affordability but, more importantly, to improve the health of New Brunswickers and reduce pressure and costs in the health care system,” Mitton concluded.
Mount Allison University’s Extended Learning department is set to kick off a new course that will introduce students to the recognition and treatment of common sports injuries.
Instructed by Jocelyn Dowling, Head Athletic Therapist at Mount Allison, the course offers a blend of online modules and in-person, hands-on skill sessions starting January 2nd and running through to March 10.
Supported with instruction in anatomy, students will learn how to assess, rehabilitate, and tape or support sports injuries to enhance the recovery process and speed healing.
Students who successfully complete the course will be invited to apply for a fully supported field placement with a sports team at Mount A or in the Tantramar community.
To register, visit extendedlearningstore.mta.ca or email extendedlearning@mta.ca for more information.
