Presented annually to an outstanding ETCATA member who is committed to providing service, support, professional development and recognition for our members through teamwork, effective communication and our excellent annual conference. Named after Edna Dach, Director of Science and Technology for Elk Island Public Schools, who best demonstrates all of these qualities.

Nominate a candidate for 2010 -Deadline March 2nd, 2010

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Previous Winners:

• Brian Cleary, 2008
• Peggy Bergmann, 2007
• Michelle Housley, 2006
• Dean McKinney, 2005
• Edna Dach, 2004
• Pat Redhead, 2003

ETC Congratulates Brian Cleary, Educator of the Year

  Brian Cleary, 2Learn, has been named this year's recipient of the Edna Dach Educator of the Year Award. Brian Cleary has provided Alberta teachers with unprecedented support in the field of technology integration since the 1980s, in the schools and districts where he taught, in Elk Island Public and Separate schools, as well as in his leadership role as a provincial core team member within the TELUS Learning Connection from its 1997 inception to his retirement in June, 2008.

A familiar face presenting at ATACC/ETC, as well as numerous other ATA specialist council conferences for over a decade, Brian has provided Alberta teachers with a grounded vision of technology integration, based on wisdom, foresight, example, and a dose of wit. Whether presenting to teachers at a school PD day or at an international conference, Brian has always been knowledgeable yet questioning, sharing yet listening. He knows that in the area of educational technology, today's expertise is only history tomorrow, and his curiosity keeps him learning -- and that inspires others to do the same.

Brian has always supported colleagues in becoming the best that they can be, within their particular settings, in a way that is genuine and respectful. His friendly manner is what attracts people to him, and makes us believe that we can accomplish those things as a teacher that we wanted to accomplish way back when we were at university: With Brian, yes, we can "engage our students"....and yes, we can "make a difference, working together". We believe him because what he believes makes sense: With activities grounded in curriculum, good values, and sound pedagogy, and enlivened through online interactive encounters with exemplary resources and key people, learning may never before have had the potential to be so well- rounded.

Brian's impact on classrooms around Alberta, indirectly through his contributions to the 2Learn.ca PD program and website, and more directly through at-hand mentorship, is one to celebrate. His "24/7" support of colleagues building and sharing telecollaborative projects in the days of Industry Canada's GrassRoots program provided colleagues with the assurance that they could take risks within an environment shaped and supported for success. The result? Thousands of curriculum-based collaborative projects, built by Alberta teachers and students, recognized world-wide for their originality, depth and scope. Those amazing projects were the result of the passion and hard work of Alberta students and teachers, many of whom are still ETC members and remember those days, and many of whom received ISTE and other awards for their accomplishments. Throughout the GrassRoots project days, Brian was an essential piece of the puzzle, behind the scenes, keeping things going -- through mentorship and through management -- including facilitating the distribution of significant Industry Canada funding to schools engaged in projects province-wide, and that was something we all respected and appreciated.

The support that Brian has provided us all is appreciated by teachers across the province, and what better way to demonstrate that appreciation than to honor him as recipient of the Edna Dach Educator of the Year Award.