A specialist council of the Alberta Teacher's Association
About Us
We are a vibrant volunteer group of teachers, counsellors, instructional leaders, and administrators. Our work experience, education, and skill set is varied among us.. What we have in common, however, is the love of teaching students with diverse learning needs and supporting teachers in doing so confidently and competently.
Meet The Executive
President
Arlene Foley
Arlene has been an active member of the Council for Inclusive Education for many years serving as the regional president for the Northwest and is currently serving in her first year as the President of the council. Arlene has always been a passionate advocate for inclusive education and is committed to supporting teachers to embody an inclusive mindset.
Arlene has earned her graduate degree in Inclusive Education with a specialty in Universal Design for Learning and has worked for many years as a Learning Support Teacher. She is also in her last course for the Graduate Certificate in School Leadership and is currently working as a vice principal for the Grande Prairie Public School Division.
Arlene’s educational beliefs are highly influenced by her conviction that all members of a school community are unique, capable, and valuable. She believes that presuming competence creates a mindset that promotes equity and inclusion for everyone to reach their full potential. Arlene believes that providing a safe and caring environment where diversity is celebrated and valued, allows individuals to feel comfortable to take risks, share ideas, and bring their unique experiences to the school community.
Arlene remains committed to the council’s mission to provide educators with increased knowledge and understanding of students with diverse needs through professional development, communication, and policy.
Secretary
Aurielie Smith
With over 15 years of teaching experience in elementary schools, Aurelie demonstrates a profound dedication to the field of education. She loves to teach and learn. Aurelie began her career teaching in Montreal, Quebec. She then continued in Fort McMurray where she successfully taught French Immersion, assumed a divisional role as APPLE school facilitator, and currently serves as a Classroom Support Teacher in an administrative capacity. She is enthusiastic and passionate about teaching, leading and learning.
Aurelie’s commitment to ensuring the support of all families and their children is evident in her work. She is deeply committed to empowering teachers to implement differentiated instruction and supports her team to achieve success. Aurelie actively participates in the CIE conferences and loves to bring back valuable insights and knowledge to benefit the Fort McMurray area.
Having completed her Master of Educational Leadership, Aurelie strives to inspire and empower others to be the best leaders they can be. Aurelie’s unwavering passion for inclusion and education is the driving force behind her work!
Communications
Kelsey Bagnall
Kelsey Bagnall presently serves as the Learning Supports Specialist at Rocky View Schools. With a rich 16-year history of teaching experience spanning from Kindergarten to Grade 12, she holds a Master of Education degree in Special Education from the University of Alberta. Her areas of expertise and deep-seated interests encompass Inclusive Education, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Assistive Technology, Social Emotional Learning, Play-Based Learning and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.
Conference Director
Carol Knott
Carol’s current CIE role is co-conference director. She joined the council in 2006, working on the conference committee and later becoming the Edmonton Conference Director. Like other council members, she is passionate about inclusive education and providing professional development to teachers. Her favorite part of PD is seeing teachers light up when they find a new strategy to support their students. Carol’s career has been as an elementary teacher, district consultant and she currently works as a Junior High Counsellor.
ATA District Representative
Jay Procktor
Jay Procktor has been a Division One teacher for the majority of his seventeen-year career with Edmonton Public Schools. He is currently working with four elementary schools to develop an elementary to junior high transition program to enhance the support and success of vulnerable students. Jay is one of the Alberta Teachers’ Association District Representative for Edmonton McMurray and he’s very pleased to be working with the Council for Inclusive Education.
Conference Director
Cathy Wiederick
Cathy is currently a school-based instructional coach at a Calgary Board of Education middle school. For many years prior, she supported gifted learners, first as a teacher and learning leader in two of the four GATE settings in the Calgary Board, then at the Board's sy for gifted learners. Cathy believes deeply in the power of meeting each learner where they are in inclusion. She has very much enjoyed her recent role as co-Calgary Regional President which she has held since January of 2022. She is excited to now be sharing the Conference Chair position.
President Elect
Jennifer Lacourse
Meet Jennifer, a passionate educator dedicated to transforming the educational experience for all students regardless of ability or behaviours. With the Council Jennifer is currently in the President Elect Role, she has been an active member of the council since 2018. With a fervent commitment to inclusion, Jennifer believes in the power of diversity, actively fostering an environment that celebrates differences and promotes a sense of belonging. Jennifer currently works with Red Deer Public Schools and collaborates seamlessly with parents, fellow educators, and support staff to ensure a holistic approach to her students' well-being, making her a driving force for positive change in both her classroom and the broader community. Through her infectious enthusiasm for inclusive education, Jennifer is not just a teacher; she is a catalyst for building a more compassionate and understanding society.
Treasurer
Janis Bekar
Since 2005, Janis has been an integral part of the CIE family, contributing her passion and expertise to our mission. Janis values collaboration, research, ongoing learning, and the flexibility needed to foster environments of universal acceptance and belonging for all learners. As a learning support teacher with Canadian Rockies Public Schools, she is deeply committed to the principles of public education.
Past President/Journal Editor
Kelly Huck
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Kelly is the Past president of the Council for Inclusive Education. Kelly has been working with the Council for several years and is the former editor of the councils’ newsletter, “Inside Inclusion.” Along with Nancy Grigg at the University of Lethbridge she co-founded the council’s first journal, “The Inclusive Educator Journal.” Kelly works as an assistant principal for Rocky View Schools and is a former learning support teacher. She is involved in inclusive education initiatives within her school district and teaches an online inclusive education course at the University of Lethbridge. Kelly is passionate about inclusion and providing inclusive professional development opportunities and strategies for teachers working collaboratively with our executive, ATA officers, and inclusive leaders across the province.
Webmaster
Hannah Jenkins
After nearly 8 years immersed in the junior high life, Hannah brings a special passion for the middle grades to our team. As a grade 8 Generalist and LST teacher with the Grande Prairie Public School Division and a proud alum of the University of Alberta with a degree in Secondary Ed, she's truly an enthusiastic Jane of all trades!
Hannah's dedication to education goes beyond the classroom. She speaks about Universal Design for Learning with unmatched fervor, coaches basketball with skill and heart, and is always eager to share her wealth of knowledge.
When she's not shaping young minds or hitting the court, you can catch Hannah putting her Art Major to use through mesmerizing oil paintings of landscapes. She also finds solace in the pages of rich fantasy novels and enjoys the thrill of video games, often shared with friends.
ATA Staff Officer
Tiff Pino
Tiff Pino (she/her) is an Executive Staff Officer of Professional Development for the Alberta Teachers' Association. With 20 years of experience as an educator in Edmonton Catholic Schools, she has taught a variety of subjects from grades 7-12 in traditional and outreach settings and held leadership roles as a Learning Coach and Graduation Coach.
A passionate advocate for equity and inclusion, Tiff has made significant contributions in her community and within educational spaces and she is currently serving as Staff Officer for the ATA Council for Inclusive Education. She has presented to numerous groups, including the Greater Edmonton Teacher Convention Association (GETCA), the Educational Society of Edmonton, and the Egale “Identity” Conference in Toronto, sharing her experiences as a queer person and educator, and her commitment to creating safer spaces.
Tiff has also represented Alberta teachers as a member of the Canadian Teachers' Advisory Circle (CTAC) for the Canadian Museum of Human Rights supporting the creation of educational resources for teachers nationwide. Beyond her professional life, Tiff takes immense pride in being the partner of her amazing wife, who is a teacher in Edmonton Public Schools, and Momma to their awesome 10-year-old twins. She is also a talented home cook who appeared in episode 3 of Netflix’s “Cook at All Costs.” Tiff’s ultimate hope is to leave every space she enters a safer one for others.
University Liason
Joy Chadwick
Joy has extensive K-12 school experience as a teacher, resource teacher, curriculum leader, system specialist, and school leader. As a faculty member in the Department of Education, her instruction focuses on exceptional learners, inclusive teaching practices, field and practicum supervision, curriculum foundations, and assessment. Her present research interests include the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning focused on threshold concepts in teaching, inclusive pedagogy, and preservice teacher wellness.
Areas of Instruction
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Language Development and Literacy
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Practicum Supervision
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Field and Practicum Coordination
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Inclusive Teacher Practices
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Exceptional Learners
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Curriculum Foundations
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Assessment
Areas of Scholarship
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Threshold Concepts in Teaching
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Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
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Preservice Teacher Wellness
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Teaching Reading and Literacy Tutoring
Selected Publications
Chadwick, J. (2022) When students become our teachers. In K. Badley & M. Hughes. (Ed.), Joyful Resilience as Educational Practice. Transforming Teaching Challenges into Opportunities. Routledge.
Nickel, J., & Chadwick, J. (2022). Tutoring to build teacher candidates' competence as reading teachers. Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 30(3), 312-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2022.2070990