Daniel Bishop, receiving the 2019 Alberta School Boards Association Edwin Parr Teacher Award Certificate from his Principal, Mike Humbke, and surrounded by the Grande Prairie Public School Division Board of Trustees and Superintendent Sandy McDonald (Photo: Jody Bekevich, Communications & FOIP Coordinator at Holy Family Catholic Regional Division)

By Shaun Penner

Edwin Parr Award

Grande Prairie teacher recognized for outstanding first year of teaching

Sep 13, 2019 | 1:02 PM

The Alberta School Boards Association has recognized a Grande Prairie teacher for his outstanding achievements in his first year on the job.

Grade seven teacher at Aspen Grove School Daniel Bishop won the Edwin Parr award earlier this month, where he was recognized as the top first year teacher in all of Northern Alberta (Zone one).

The award is given to a first-year teacher in each of the six zones around the province that recognizes outstanding achievement.

Bishop was nominated for the award back in April by the Grande Prairie Public School Division, where he said that winning an award like this isn’t what he got into to teaching for.

“It’s a job I don’t really look for any recognition, ever,” said Bishop. “It still feels special to be recognized and something I am obviously very thankful for and appreciative of.”

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Bishop was heavily involved in coaching many sports last year at Aspen Grove, where he coached volleyball, badminton and track and field. Outside of school, Bishop also coaches the junior golf program at the Grande Prairie Golf and Country Club.

It’s that passion for coaching that made him want to become a teacher in the first place.

“I first wanted to be a teacher when I saw that I enjoyed so much of the coaching from golf, and I got to see athletes develop and grow,” said Bishop. “That kind of led me to working in this profession, where I can not only help kids I coach, but kind of see kids develop in the school setting as well.”

His principal at Aspen Grove, Mike Humbke, says Bishop is very deserving of this award.

“We are very pleased for Mr. Bishop and our school,” said Humbke, in a release. “Mr. Bishop demonstrates passion and excellence in everything he does, and we are fortunate to have him working with our junior high students on a daily basis. He is an exceptional teacher.”

Bishop is a native of the Swan City and attended GPPSD schools growing up. In fact, he attended Aspen Grove during his elementary school years before graduating from the Grande Prairie Composite High School.

He originally went to post-secondary school to get a degree in kinesiology, which he did in his first three years of at GPRC, while simultaneously playing for the JDA Kings of the NWJHL. He then transferred to the University of Alberta, where he received a degree in both kinesiology and education.

Bishop was also nominated for the Edwin Parr award alongside Janelle Dentinger of the Grande Prairie and District Catholic Schools (Ecole St. Gerard), as well as Anastasia Potratz from the Peace Wapiti Public School Division (Savanna School). Each school board in Alberta gets to nominate one first year teacher for the award.

Bishop received the award at the zone one fall meeting earlier this month and will be further recognized at the ASBA fall general meeting in November.

“I feel as though the teachers and coaches throughout my life have helped shape me into the individual that I am today, and I want to be that person for my students now,” said Bishop. “That’s why I feel as though building positive relationships with each one of my students is a key for their educational success in the classroom and their future success in society.”