Dorothy G. Walker Award of Merit Recipients

2018 - Sue Stevenson

Since the early years of her schooling career, Sue was always excited to learn, lead and be active. She is a life-long learner with a passion for actively respecting nature, health, and empowering others to do the same. As an adult, Sue excelled in sport, with a focus on soccer and volleyball. She completed a Physical Education (PE) degree and a Master of Physical Education in Administration at Memorial University in Newfoundland, where she also competed on the varsity volleyball team for 5 years as well as coaching high school and Canada Games girls volleyball.

After 8 years of teaching high school PE, health, math and coaching elite athletes, Sue moved to Nova Scotia to coach varsity sport and teach in the PE Department at St. FX University. Throughout her time at St.FX, Sue attended the Coaching School for Women. It was during this time that Sue’s passion for gender equity in sport deepened and she became a strong advocate for female athletes and the advancement of PE in the school system. It was here at St.FX that Sue met her mentor, Dr. Peggy Gallant, who continues to support and influence her in both her life and career.

Sue then returned to teaching high school with the Chignecto Central Regional Centre for Education (CCRSB/CCRCE), with ten years at South Colchester Academy, teaching high school PE and Physically Active Lifestyles courses while also filling the role of Athletic Director. The most significant part of Sue’s development as a PE teacher was through PAL 11. This curriculum cemented her belief that every student must have the opportunity to explore as many different physical activities as possible in a safe and non-competitive environment to ensure that youth are able to find something that they love, to take with them for life. Sue’s own life reflects the values of health and physical education (HPE) and advocates that we must promote these values and raise the profile of HPE through action. This passion for PE and Health and her experiences as both teacher and coach prepared Sue to become the Active Healthy Living (AHL) Consultant for the CCRSB.

One of the highlights of Sue’s career was working with the AHL Mentor Team for CCRSB. Sue initiated and coordinated a group of 6 PE and Health mentors to provide teachers with relevant and current professional development and peer support to enhance their professional practice. She was honoured to collaborate with such an incredible team of knowledgeable and creative individuals who continue to positively influence the health of youth and adults. Sue worked with provincial AHL consultants and the DOE to develop new curriculum for PE and Health with the most notable addition to the PSP being Yoga 11 which she helped bring to Nova Scotia Schools. This work led to Sue receiving the Yoga in Schools Award from Breathing Space Yoga Studios in 2016 for her dedication to bringing yoga in schools programming to Nova Scotia.

Sue finished her career as a principal of 2 rural schools where she felt blessed to be able to promote and put into action healthy schools for both students and teachers. One of the school’s accreditation goals, after approval at many levels, was aligned with the Healthy Living curriculum - Healthy Self, Healthy Relationships and Healthy Communities. Whether by nature or nurture, Sue’s work ethic and drive in this area have always been congruent to how she engages in her personal life.

In 2014, Sue was the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Teaching Award for Teaching Excellence. Throughout her career, she served provincially with TAPHE, Nationally with PHE Canada as a Board Member and on various committees within the HPE world. Sue is now retired, which is kind of an oxymoron for her. Sue lives in Dartmouth and is presently developing her own class schedule: enjoying daily physical movement whether it be on her new mountain bike, attending daily hot yoga classes, hiking in nature, teaching herself ukulele, and coaching her partner Shawna on the health benefits of more daily physical activity for life. Although she may be labelled retired, she definitely has much more work to do yet.

2016 - Renda Vandertoorn

Renda Vandertoorn is a most deserving candidate for for the 2016 Dorothy G. Walker Award. Since beginning her teaching career in 1987, Renda has spent most of her years at Hantsport School, primarily as a Phys. Ed. teacher. She has also been a coach, referee, athletic director, classroom teacher, organizer and model to hundreds of students and even works with other teachers throughout the board as a Physical Education Mentor.

Renda has always prided herself in providing a program for her students that was full of variety and ever changing. Renda’s classes are as diverse as the energy level is high: one day you might walk into a square dancing class, another day you might get an explanation of the intricacies of Cricket, then another have a game of Snow Rugby! Her organizational skills are exemplary, with her multi-grade, multi -school programs consistently being learner focused, and bursting with creative active lessons. Renda is mindful of maximum participation by all students and is able to create an atmosphere of fun, enjoyment, success, fair play, self–fulfillment and personal health.

The extracurricular program was an important aspect of Renda’s programming, and at one point, over 85% of the junior high students were involved in one or more sports. Participation and excellence are the goals for the students/players: in that order. One year she had all female students in the Junior High participating on at least one extracurricular team. To allow for more participation, she initiated a no cut policy which delivered three teams for both boys and girls in some sports. The effort involved in organizing and promoting this quality of program speaks to her commitment to her students and her profession.

Renda has also been involved in working with other Physical Educators and is an advocate for her profession as both a mentor and a presenter. Over the years, Renda had supported many physical educators with an opportunity to learn how to be well versed and prepared to implement quality P.E. programing. Renda is a lifelong learner and supporter of Physical Education professional development.

Renda has experienced many changes to PE outcomes, indicators and the ever changing expectations placed upon P.E. teachers. Renda has adapted to and grown along with these changes. One such example is Renda’s implementation of technology into her curriculum in creative and effective ways that positively influence student learning.

Renda’s dedicated commitment to Physical Education over the years has offered her several significant awards. She won the NSSAF Board of Governors 25th Anniversary Award, was CAPHERD’s Young Professional of the Year in 1996, and received the AVRSB TAPHE Teaching Excellence Award in 1997 and 2012. She won the NSSAF Outstanding Service Award, and was recognized in her community with the Citizenship Award for working with Hantsport youth, and the 2009 Town of Hantsport Provincial Volunteer of the Year Award.

Renda is a wonderful example of one who lives the life of a physically educated individual. Renda can be found playing golf and tennis in her spare time, and is often first on the dance floor when the music begins!

Renda is a very qualified, enthusiastic physical education specialist teacher, with the best interests of her students at the forefront of her programming. A Physical Education professional in every sense, Renda ensures that her students have the opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, and habits that they need to lead physically active lives now, and into the future. She has changed the lives of hundreds of students, who have or will grow into healthy active adults leading physically active lives because of their experience in P.E. with Mrs. V! It is with great honour that TAPHE presents Renda Vandertoorn with the 2016 Dorothy Walker Teaching Award.

2013 - Bev Johnstone